The 900 Days

by Harrison Salisbury

  CHAPTER 8. CLOUDLESS SKIES

  Trofimov’s story is contained in A. Dymshits, Podvig Leningrada; Glazunov in Doroga k Tebe; Gankevich in Konets Gruppy ‘Nord’; Skryabina in V Blokade; Kanashin, Poka Stuchit Serdtse; Krutikov, V Prifrontovykh Lesakh; Konstantinov, Ya Srazhalsya v Krasnoi Armii; that of the Hermitage in Varshavsky and Rest, Podvig Ermitazha; the station scene in Ortenberg, Na Ognennikh Rubezhakh; Larin in Sozonkov, Geroi Zemli Sovetskoi; Kronstadt in Rudny, Deistvuyushchii Flot; Petrova’s story in Konstantinov, Zhenshchiny Goroda Lenina; Sayanov in his Leningradskii Dnevnik; the story of Lebedev from the account of his wife, Vera Petrovna, Zvezda, No. 5, May, 1965; and Kochetov in Oktyabr, No. 1, January, 1964.

  CHAPTER 9. A MATTER OF DETAIL

  This is largely based on standard German sources—Haider’s diary; Guderian; Man-stein; Restlinger, The House Built on Sand—Pavlenko, Porazheniye Germanskogo Im-perializma; the two Bitva Za Leningrad books; Ortenberg, Na Ognennikh Rubezhakh; Pavlov and Meretskov.

  CHAPTER 10. ON THE DISTANT APPROACHES

  Much of this chapter is based on the account in Orlov, Borba Za Sovetskuyu Pribaltiku; plus materials from Karasev; Velikaya Otechestvennaya Voina Sovetskogo Soyuza; the six-volume lstoriya VOVSS; and Barbashin, Bitva Za Leningrad. The Taurage incident is described by A. Ionin, Zvezda, No. 6, June, 1966. Detail on the Baltic Military District has been drawn from Chadayev, Ekonomika SSSR v Period VOV; Samsonov, V tor ay a Mirovaya Voina; Leningrad v VOV; and I. Boiko, Voyenno-Istoricheskii Zhurnal, No. 8, August, 1966. The figures on Soviet air losses come from Barbashin; A. M. Samsonov, Stalingradskaya Bitva; and A. S. Yakovlev, Tsel Zhizni. The description of General Morozov’s headquarters is drawn from V. P. Agafonov, Neman! Neman! Ya—DunaU, and Z. Kondrats, IX Fort. The description of Libau comes from V. Ye. Bystrov, Geroi Podpolya; R. Velevitnev, Krepost bez Fortov; and A. P. Kladt, Istoriya SSSR, No. 3, 1965. The report on Sobennikov is largely drawn from Orlov. The description of Pavlov’s headquarters comes from I. V. Boldin, Stranitsii Zhizni, and Leonid Sandalov and Fedor A. Ostashenko in V. A. Grekov, Bug v Ogne.

  CHAPTER 11. THE RED ARROW PULLS IN

  The material on Meretskov and the purge of the Red Army comes from his memoirs; from Pod Znamenem Ispanskoi Respubliki (which he edited); VOVSS; S. A. Kalinin, Razmyshlyaya o Minuvshem; Istoriya VOVSS; A. V. Gorbatov, Years Off My life; B. V. Bychevsky, Voyenno-Istoricheskii Zhurnal, No. 9, September, 1963; I. Bagramyan, Voyenno-Istoricheskii Zhurnal, No. 1, January, 1967; A. M. Nekrich, 1941 22 Iunya; N. N. Voronov, Na Sluzhbe Voyennoi; D. A. Morozov, O Nikh Ne Upominalos v Svod-kakh; and Konstantin Simonov’s novel, Soldatami Ne Rozhdayutsya. The prewar military situation is based on A. I. Yeremenko, VNachale Voiny; VOVSS; P. Yegorov, Voyenno-Istoricheskii Zhurnal, No. 5, May, 1967; Naval Commissar N. G. Kuznetsov, Oktyabr, No. 9, September, 1965; Meretskov; Na Zashchite Nevskoi Tverdyni; and Bychevsky, Voyenno-Istoricheskii Zhurnal, No. 1, January, 1964.

  CHAPTER 12. EVEN THE DEAD

  Olga Berggolts’ description comes from her Dnevnye Zvezdy, with additional material from Yuri L. Alanskii, Teatr v Kvadrate Obstrela. The poem is from Berggolts’ Uzel. The Konstantinov and Skryabina passages are from their memoirs. Dmitri Shcheglov’s story is told in V Opolchenii, I. I. Kanashin’s in Poka Stuchit Serdtse, the description of Leningrad from many sources and years of personal observation. The story of the Kirov repressions comes largely from Ocherki Istorii Leningrada, Vol. 4, and S. Kostyuchenko, Istoriya Kirovskogo Zavoda. The Akhmatova poem is from her Rekviem. The Orbeli description, of course, is provided by Varshavsky and Rest, Zvezda, No. 10, October, 1964. The description of events in Leningrad after Molotov’s broadcast is based on Skryabina; Anatoly Darov’s Blokada; Pavel Luknitsky, Skvoz Vsyu Blokadu; and Na Zashchite Nevskoi Tverdyni.

  CHAPTER 13. THE DARK DAYS

  The picture of Zhdanov is reconstructed from his public speeches, the impressions of Kuznetsov, Oktyabr, Nos. 9 and n, September and November, 1965; Richard Lauter-bach, These Are the Russians; Nikita Khrushchev’s “secret speech"; M. I. Kazakov; Na Zashchite Nevskoi Tverdyni; and I. M. Maisky. The data on the Committee for State Defense are drawn from Istoriya VOVSS and Marshal Andrei Grechko, Voyenno Istoricheskii Zhurnal, No. 6, June, 1966.

  CHAPTER 14. ZHDANOV IN ACTION

  The description of Leningrad’s mobilization comes from Leningrad v VOV; A. Karasev and V. Kovalchuk, Voyenno-Istoricheskii Zhurnal, No. 1, January, 1964; Na Zashchite Nevskoi Tverdyni; Ilya Brazhin, Neva, No. 2, February, 1968; Pavlov; Karasev; A. Dymshits, Podvig Leningrada; Barbashin, Bitva Za Leningrad; V. Bogdanov Berezovsky, V Gody Velikoi Otechestvennoi Voiny; Yuri Alanskii, Teatr v Kvadrate Obstrela; Karasev, Istoriya SSSR, No. 3, 1961; N. N. Zhdanov, Ognevoi Shchit Leningrada; Bychevsky; Meretskov; and Varshavsky and Rest.

  CHAPTER 15. THE WHITE SWANS

  The chapter draws heavily upon Nikolai Mikhailovsky’s S Toboi Baltika and his account in Literaturnoye Nasledstvo Sovetskikh Pisatelei, Vol. II; Vladimir Rudny, Aleksandr Zonin; and Admiral Y. A. Panteleyev, Morskoi Front. Details on conditions in the Baltic states are provided from V. Stanley Vardys, Lithuania Under the Soviets; A. A. Druzula, V Dni Voiny; Orlov; M. P. Pavlovskii, Na Ostrovakh; Documents on German Foreign Policy, Series D., Vols. VII and XIII; the anonymous article on Soviet intelligence, Voprosy lstorii, May, 1965; V. Achkasov, Krasnoznamennyi Baltiiskii Flot; Vsevolod Vishnevsky, Sobrannye Sochinenii, Vol. III.

  CHAPTER 16. THE RED ARMY RETREATS

  Among the principal sources are Mikhail Dukhanov, V Serdtse i v Pamyati; Barbashin; Istoriya VOVSS; Orlov; A. Kiselev, Voyenno-lstoricheskii Zhurnal, No. 6, June, 1966; D. D. Lelyushenko, Zarya Pobedy; Agafonov. The verdict on General Kuznetsov is that of the editors of Istoriya VO VSS, Vol. II, p. 29.

  CHAPTER 17. THE FIRST DAYS

  The portrait of Leningrad in the early days of war is a pastiche from many, many sources, among them Varshavsky and Rest; Leningrad v VOV; Na Zashchite Nevskoi Tverdyni; the collection goo Dnei; Olga Berggolts’ Dnevnye Zvezdy; Bogdanov-Bere-zovsky, V Gody VOV; Madame Skryabina’s diary; A. T. Skilyagin, Dela i Lyudi; Vera Ketlinskaya, Neva, No. 5, May, 1965; Vsevolod Kochetov, Oktyabr, No. 1, January, 1964; A. N. Vasilyev, S Perom i Avtomatom; Ilya Avramenko, Den Poezii 1965; L. Panteleyev, Zhivye Pamyatniki; Bychevsky; Barbashin; Meretskov; Pavlov; Karasev; VOVSS; S. Belyayev, Narodnoye Opolcheniye Leningrada; Lev Uspensky, Zvezda, No. 9, September, 1964; Shcheglov; Yuri Alanskii; S. Bubenshchikov, V Ognennom Koltse; V. Malkin, Voyenno-lstoricheskii Zhurnal, No. 1, January, 1964.

  CHAPTER l8. THE LUGA LINE

  The principal sources for the Luga battle are Bychevsky; Barbashin; Karasev; Na Zashchite Nevskoi Tverdyni; and General Dukhanov. Kochetov tells his story in Oktyabr, No. 1, January, 1964. Some detail on Kochetov is drawn from Vasilyev, 5 Perom i Avtomatom. Yeremenko describes the Western Front in Na Zapadnom Napravlenii. Material on the 2nd Volunteers is provided by Bubenshchikov’s V Ognennom Koltse. The story of the 70th Guards is from N. S, Gudkova, Mera Muzhestva; and A. Rozen, Zvezda, No. 2, February, 1966.

  CHAPTER 19. THE LUGA LINE CRUMBLES

  The principal sources are Bychevsky; Barbashin; Na Zashchite Nevskoi Tverdyni; Kochetov, Oktyabr, No. 6, June, 1964; S. Belyayev, Narodnoye Opolcheniye Leningrada; and Karasev.

  CHAPTER 20. THE ENEMY AT THE GATES

  The description of Smolny is based on G. N. Karayev, Po Mestam Boyevoi Slavy; Pavlov; L. L. Shvetsov, Smolninskii Raion; and Na Zashchite Nevskoi Tverdyni. The crisis details are drawn from Na Zashchite; Belyayev; V. V. Stremilov, Voprosy Istorii KPSS, No. 5, May, 1959; Leningrad v VOV; Varshavsky and Rest; A. Shtein, Znamya, No. 4, April, 1964. The story of the Leningrad City Council of Defense comes from Pavlov; Karasev; A. E. Sukhnovalov, Petrogradskaya Storona; and poo Geroicheskikh Dnei. Other details are from Kochetov, Bychevsky, Luknitsky.

  CHAPTER 21. STALIN ON THE PHONE

  The Stalin description is based on Maisky; Barbashin; Kuznetsov; Voronov, Istoriya SSSR, No. 3, 1965; S. M. Shtemenko, Voyenno-Istoricheskii Zhurnal, No. 9, September, 1965; Robe
rt Sherwood, Roosevelt and Hopkins; and Pavlov. The Stalin-Zhdanov-Voroshilov dispute is based on Pavlov, Na Zashchite, and V. Achkasov, Voyenno-Istoricheskii Zhurnal, No. 10, October, 1966. Details are added from P. Ponomarenko, Voyenno-Istoricheskii Zhurnal, No. 4, April, 1965; Istoriya VOVSS, Vol. I, p. 105; and T. Shtykov, writing in L. I. Ilin, Khrabreishiye iz Khrabrykh.

  CHAPTER 22. THE TALLINN DISASTER

  Sources on the Tallinn disaster are Mikhailovsky, Panteleyev, A. K. Tarasenkov, Vse-volod Vishnevsky (their diaries plus materials in Literaturnoye Nasledstvo Sovetskikh Pisatelei, Vol. II); A. Mushnikov, Baltiitsy v Boyakh Za Leningrad; V. Achkasov, Voyenno-Istoricheskii Zhurnal, No. 10, October, 1966; A. Zonin; K. K. Kamalov, Morskaya Pekhota v Boyakh Za Rodinu; N. Chukovsky, Yunost, No. 1, January, 1966; N. F. Mineyev, Pervaya Pobeda; Ya. Perechnev, Na Strazhe Morskikh Gorizontov; A. Shtein, Znamya, No. 4, April, 1965; and Orlov.

  CHAPTER 23. THE RUSSIAN DUNKIRK

  The principal source is Panteleyev. Others include Achkasov, Voyenno-Istoricheskii Zhurnal, No. 10, October, 1966; Vishnevsky; Mikhailovsky; M. Godenko’s semifictional Minnoye Polye; Tarasenkov; P. L. Korzinkin, V Redaktsiyu Ne Vernulsya; A. Mushnikov; S. F. Yedelinskii, Balticheskii Flot v VOV; Kuznetsov, Voprosy Istorii, No. 8, August, 1965; Rudny; and Zonin.

  CHAPTER 24. THE NORTHERN CRISIS

  Most of this chapter comes from Panteleyev, Barbashin and Bychevsky. Details are added from Leningrad v VOV; Luknitsky; A. Dymshits, Znamya, No. 3, March, 1966; I. I. Kanashin, Poka Stuchit Serdtse; and A. Mushnikov.

  CHAPTER 25. THE LAST DAYS OF SUMMER

  Vera Inber’s story is told in Za Mnogo Let and by Vera Ketlinskaya, Neva, No. 5, May, 1965; that of Shvarts in Ketlinskaya; Aleksandr Shtein, Znamya, No. 5, May, 1964; and S. Tsimbal, My Znali Yevgeniya Shvartsa. The picture of the city comes from Leningrad v VOV; Luknitsky; A. Rozen, Zvezda, Nos. 1 and 2, January and February, 1965; Shtein, Znamya, No. 6, June, 1964; Gankevich; Bogdanov-Berezovsky, V Gody VOV; Varshavsky and Rest; V. M. Barashenkov, Istoriya Gosudarstvennoi Publichnoi Biblio-teki; and Karasev.

  CHAPTER 26. WILL THE CITY BE ABANDONED?

  The principal sources on the visit of the State Defense Committee group are Na Zashchite; Voronov; Kuznetsov, Voprosy Istorii, No. 8, August, 1965; Panteleyev; A. Mushnikov, Baltiitsy v Boyakh Za Leningrad; F. I. Sirota, Voprosy Istorii, No. 10, October, 1956; Pavlov; Barbashin; Karasev; Istoriya VOVSS. The Nazi High Command controversy is reported by Haider. The Churchill-Stalin exchange is reported by Maisky and Winston Churchill, The Second World War, Vol. III, The Grand Alliance.

  CHAPTER 27. THE CIRCLE CLOSED

  Bychevsky is the principal source on Mga. His account of the Izhorsk battle is supplemented by detail from Sviridov, Bitva Za Leningrad; Barbashin; Chernenko’s story in A. Dymshits, Fodvig Leningrada; Leningrad v VOV; Vissarion Sayanov, Leningradskii Dnevnik; poo Dnei; Bubenshchikov; and statistical detail from poo Geroicheskikh Dnei. The breakthrough to the Neva is described by Kochetov, Oktyabr, No. 11, November, 1965; Barbashin; Na Zashchite Nevskoi Tverdyni; Sviridov; Bychevsky; the taking of Shlisselburg by Gankevich, Bychevsky, Barbashin, Na Zashchite. Criticism is drawn from Dukhanov and Barbashin; the aftermath of Izhorsk from poo Geroicheskikh Dnei; Karasev; Ketlinskaya, Neva, No. 5, May, 1965; and Beilin, Ryadorn S Geroyami. Shostakovich’s story is from poo Dnei; Bogdanov-Berezovsky, V Gody VOV; and Stranitsy Muzykalnoi Publisistiki; Al Less, Moskva, No. 5, May, 1965; Olga Berggolts, Litera-turnaya Gazeta, No. 56, May 9, 1965; A. N. Vasilyev, S Ferom i Avtomatom. Other detail from G. G. Tigranov, Leningradskaya Konservatoriya; Panteleyev and Sayanov in B. M. Likharev, Leningradskii Almanakh.

  CHAPTER 28. THE BLOOD-RED CLOUDS

  Vera Inber’s impressions are from her diary, lzbrannye Proizvedeniya, Vol. Ill; those of Luknitsky from his diary; Berggolts, Dnevne Zvezdy; Kochetov, Oktyabr, No. 6, June, 1964. Other sources: Bychevsky; Pavlov; Podvig Leningrada; Olga Iordan in poo Dnei. Statistics are from poo Geroicheskikh Dnei; Na Zashchite; Pavlov (who provides the detailed food estimates); Karasev; Leningrad v VOV; Varshavsky and Rest; S. Kostyuchenko, Istoriya Kirovskogo Zavoda; Panteleyev; N. N. Zhdanov, Ognevoi Shchit Leningrada; Bondarenko in S Perem i Avtomatom; Ketlinskaya, Literaturnaya Gazeta, No. 15, February 4, 1965; Voronov; and Skryabina.

  CHAPTER 29. NOT ALL WERE BRAVE

  Vishnevsky’s observations are from his diary, Sobranye Sochinenii, Vol. Ill; Kochetov, Oktyabr, Nos. 6 and 11, June, November, 1964. Other detail from Na Zashchite; Pavlov; A. T. Skilyagin, Dela i Lyudi; S Perom i Avtomatom; Leningrad v VOV; Shtein, Znamya, No. 6, June, 1964; Rosenman in Podvig Leningrada; A. Veresov, Neva, No. 6, June, 1965; and Sayanov.

  CHAPTER 30. A HARD NUT TO CRACK

  The description of Oreshek is largely drawn from A. Veresov, Neva, No. 4, April, 1966. The story of the battle is based on Barbashin; Bychevsky; A. T. Karavayev, Po Srochnomu Predpisaniyu; Podvig Leningrada, pp. 428–429; A. I. Mankevich, Krasno-znamennaya Ladozhskaya Flotiliya v VOV; K. K. Kamalov, Morskaya Pekhota v Boyakh Za Rodinu; G. Odintsov, Voyenno-lstoricheskii Zhurnal, No. 12, December, 1964; Shcheglov; Kochetov, Oktyabr, No. 11, November, 1964; Gudkova, Mera Muzhestva; Shtein, Znamya, No. 6, June, 1964.

  CHAPTER 31. ZHUKOV IN COMMAND

  The military situation as Zhukov took command is best described in Barbashin, with detail from A. Saporov, Doroga Zhizni; Bychevsky; Karasev; Dukhanov; Na Zashchite; I. I. Fedyuninsky, Fodnyate Po Trevoge. Bychevsky and the third edition of Pavlov are revealing on Voroshilov’s displacement by Zhukov. Other detail from Kochetov, Oktyabr, No. 6, June, 1964; Berggolts; and Shcheglov.

  CHAPTER 32. BLOW UP THE CITY!

  Plans for defense and destruction of Leningrad are described by Na Zashchite; Karasev; Bychevsky; Shcheglov; Barbashin; 900 Geroicheskikh Dnei; Panteleyev; Konstantinov; Kochetov, Oktyabr, No. 11, November, 1964; Kuznetsov, Voprosy Istorii, No. 8, August, 1965; Leningrad v VOV; Godenko; A. Verezov, Neva, No. 6, June, 1965; Kostyuchenko; A. Rozen, Zvezda, No. 2, February, 1966.

  CHAPTER 33. “THEY’RE DIGGING IN!”

  A. I. Veresov, Neva, No. 6, June, 1965, and in Soldaty Sto Devyatoi, presents vivid detail on the Pulkovo front, as does A. Rozen, Zvezda, No. 2, February, 1966. Other detail comes from Berggolts; poo Dnei; and much, of course, from Bychevsky; Barbashin; Dukhanov; Fedyuninsky; Na Zashchite; Vishnevsky; Koehetov; A. von Reinhardt’s memoirs; Leningrad v VOV; I. Isakov, Neva, No. 3, March, 1967; VOVSS; and G. Zhukov, Voyenno-Istoricheskii Zhurnal, No. 8, August, 1966.

  CHAPTER 34. THE KING’S FORTRESS

  The principal sources on Kronstadt are Panteleyev; Achkasov, Voyenno-Istoricheskii Zhurnal, No. 1, January, 1964; Karasev; Y. Perechnev, Na Strazhe Morskikh Gorizontov; Vishnevsky; and Shtein.

  CHAPTER 35. DEUS CONSERVAT OMNI A

  Much material on Anna Akhmatova is drawn from her introduction to her Stikhotvore-niya, from her own Rekviem and from Luknitsky. Other sources: A. M. Dreving in Barashenkov; Inber’s diary; Ye. Vasyutina, Podvig Leningrada; Konstantinov; Skryabina; Kochetov, Gorod v Shineli; Pavlov; Leningrad v VOV; Na Zashchite; T. V. Pokrovskaya, Klimat Leningrada; Vishnevsky; Barbashin; Ketlinskaya in poo Dnei; Glazunov; A. V. Koltsov, Uchenye Leningrada v Gody Blokady; Varshavsky and Rest; and Godenko.

  CHAPTER 36. SEVEN MEN KNEW

  One of the most vivid descriptions of starvation is that of the late Nikolai Chukovsky, Yunost, No. 1, January, 1966. Others are provided by Maria Razina in Podvig Leningrada; Inber; Vishnevsky; Skryabina; Godenko; Karasev; I. V. Travkin, V Vodakh Sedoi Baltiki; and Luknitsky. Statistical data come from Na Zashchite; Karasev; Leningrad v VOV; Karavayev; Pavlov; V. Ya. Neigoldberg, Istoriya SSSR, No. 3, 1965. Detail from L. Panteleyev, Neva, No. 1, January, 1964; Berggolts; Sayanov; Kochetov; Tarasenkov in Literaturnoye Nasledstvo, Vol. II; Vishnevsky; Voronov; S Perom i Avtomatom; Kanashin; P. D. Grishchenko, Moi Druzya Podvodniki; Darov; Pavlov; Ortenberg.

  CHAPTER 37. “WHEN WILL THE BLOCKADE BE LIFTED?”

  The principal sources are Panteleyev; Na Zashchite; Voronov; Barbashin; Fedyuninsky; G. Ye. Degtyarev, Ta
ran i Shchit; Meretskov, Nekolebimo, Kak Rossiya, and Voyenno-Istoricheskii Zhurnal, No. 1, January, 1965; P. Yegorov, Voyenno-Istoricheskii Zhurnal, No. 5, May, 1967; Y. Alanskii, Zvezda, No. 11, November, 1966; Karasev; Saparov; G. A. Beresnev, Ogni Sedogo Volkhova; Sviridov; poo Geroicheskikh Dnei; Leningrad v VOV; and Luknitsky.