The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-10-11
GENERALS BLAMED
FOR SOVIET DEFEAT
Red Deserter, Former Corps
Commander, Says Leaders
Were Unskilled.

Special Gable Despatch to THE HERALD
copurioht. 1880, bv THE New York HnsALD'
PARIS, Oct. 1o.--Gen. vassilien' VINO
commanded a Bolsheylst army corps
has arrived in Paris, deserter from the
Red forces.
"The Russian defeat is not due 10
the Bolsheyist troops, who are excellent
soldiers and well trained" he said in
an interview with the correspondent OIL
THE HERALD 1.-THE fault was that Oh
the Generals commanding, who were M
sufficiently skilled In man@uVres 10
block the daring move OF Gen. Helier
volunteers, who drove a wedge between
the two main Russian armies north OF
Warsaw and made it possible to pring
UP the regular Polish forces our deteat
was largely due to sheer panic for
our artillery was in no way inferior TO
that of the Poles.
1.-THE panic IN the Bolshevist armies
was stimulated by the hostile attitude
of civilians who were continually sniping
The Russian troops in retreat. Further
more. the commissary broke down in q
critical moment There was no bread
the only rations being three-quarters oil
a pound of flour day for each soldier.
Nevertheless. | am sure. that had
Trotzky been there the defeat would
never have occurred. Brussiloff, who is
generally known as the commander-in-
chief of the Red army. is, In reality, but
hief of staff. He was never nearer the
front than Moscow. The chief command
was in the hands of Tuchatschewski (the
cavalry leader who Is called by the Rus
slams the Red Napoleon), who is only
% years old and who was Lieutenant
under the Gar He did not begin to
have the ability to command q great
army.
"Trotzky has an influence over the
army which is almost miraculous The
soldiers regard him as q god. In fact,
he holds the place in their minds for
merly occupied by the Little Father
His authority is absolute and his orders
are always executed. AS a strategist he
is remarkable man and have never
seen a greater organizer than he.
II have seen him, travelling in the
train formerly used by the Car, arrive
at the front unexpectedly when all
seemed lost. Immediately he would
rally the troops and save the day. 1t
was Trotzky who defeated Kolchak al
| most single handed. If he had been at
the Polish front he would have inspired
the troops and at least nave avoided
| the panic.
"Len,ne Is an idealist who is almost
unknown to the soldiers but who has
great influence with the peasants.
"At the same time the bulk of the
Russian people are waiting for deliv-
ersnce from the Bolshevist yoke. All
hopes are pinned on Wrangel. whose
army is not large, but it is well or
ganized. Wrangels sold ers are fight
ing for homes and for land, while the
Reds are fighting for the Internationale.
! If Wrangel does not fall into the errors
| of Denilkine and If he succeeds in reach
ing Kieff the Red regime is finished.
Moscow knows the danger, aud the
| gold of Gear Nicholas and of Alexander
Kerensky is going in waves toward the
| Orent-toward India. Persia. Turkey
| Afghanistan, China, in an effort to
rouse the people there to fight beside
| the Bolsheviki. l was a member OF the
committee on propaganda and l know
that this is regarded by the Reds as
the most important branch of their
work"
Both the father and the mother OF
Gen. Vassilieff were shot by the Boil
| sheyiki in 1918, and he was forced into
the Red army. He is twenty-six years
old and was employed by the Bolshe
visit army head TO train what he called
the savage army composed of Tar
tars, Hiudus, Persians, Turks anC
Chiuesa