Many desire it. We are a slack people but deeply destructive. Should there be a revolution, only God knows where it will end. I think that a constitutional regime would mean the end of Russia. We need a despot!

I am convinced that all that is needed in order to achieve what I want is bravery and self-confidence. I certainly have enough self-confidence...I told myself …

There can be no doubt that if we had been victorious on the Vistula, the revolutionary fires would have reached the entire continent.

Tukhachevsky was an especially damaging loss for the army and the state.