Refusal to provide aid for starved
Some sources claims that despite the pleas for assistance and acknowledged famine situation the Moscow authorities refuse to provide aid, some researchers state that aid was provided only at summer. The first reports regarding malnutrition and hunger in rural areas and towns (which were under supplied through recently introduced rationing system) to the Ukrainian GPU and Oblast authorities are dated to mid-January 1933. However, first food aid Decisions by Central Soviet authorities for Odessa and Dnepropetrovsk regions in amount of 0.4 million poods (200 thousand for each) appeared as early as February 7, 1933
[36] Measures were introduced to localize these cases using locally available resources. While the numbers of such reports increased, the Central Committee of the Communist Party (Bolshevik) of Ukraine issued a decree on February 8, 1933, that urged every “hunger case” to be treated without delay and with maximum mobilization of own resources of kolkhozes, raions, towns, and oblasts. The decree set a seven-day term for food aid which was to be provided from “central sources”. On February 20, 1933, the Dnipropetrovsk oblast received 1.2 million
poods of food aid, Odessa – 0.8 million, Kharkiv – 0.3 million accordingly. The Kiev oblast by March 18 was allocated 6 million poods. The Ukrainian authorities also provided aid but it was limited to resources available. In order to assist orphaned children, the Ukrainian GPU and People's Commissariat of Health created a special commission; establishing a kindergartens network where children could get food, specially directed for him from Central Ukrainian and Soviet authorities. Urban areas affected by food shortage adhered to a rationing system. On March 20, 1933, Stalin signed a decree which lowered the monthly milling levy in Ukraine by 14 thousand tons, which was to be redistributed as an additional bread supply “for students, small towns and small enterprises in large cities and specially in Kiev”. However, food aid distribution was not managed effectively and was poorly redistributed by regional and local authorities.
After the first wave of hunger in February-March, Ukrainian authorities met with a second wave of hunger and starvation in April-May – specifically in
Kiev and
Kharkiv oblasts. The situation was aggravated by the delayed winter.
Between February and June 1933, thirty-five Politburo decisions and Sovnarkom decrees authorized the issue of a total of 35.19 million
poods (576,400
tonnes)
[37] or more than half of total aid to Soviet agriculture as a whole. 1.1 million ton were provided by Central Soviet authorities in the winter-spring 1933 - of grain for food, seeds and forage for Ukrainian SSR peasants,
kolhozes and
sovhozes. Such figures did not include grain and flour aid provided for the urban population, children and aid from local sources. In Russia, Stalin personally authorized distribution of aid in answer to a request by
Sholokhov, whose own district was stricken.
[38] However, Stalin also later reprimanded Sholokhov for failing to recognize "sabotage" within his district. This was the only instance that a specific amount of aid was given to a specific district.
[38] Other appeals were not successful and many desperate pleas were cut back or rejected.
[39]
Documents from Soviet archives indicate that the aid distribution was made selectively to the most affected areas and from the spring months such assistance was the goal of the relief effort at sowing time. A special resolution of the Central Committee of the
Communist Party (Bolshevik) of Ukraine for the
Kiev Oblast, from March 31, 1933, ordered peasants to be hospitalized into either ailing or recovering patients. The resolution ordered improved nutrition within the limits of available resources so that they could be sent out into the fields to sow the new crop as soon as possible.
[40] The food was dispensed according to special resolutions from government bodies, and additional food was given in the field where the laborers worked.
Last CPSU Politburo decision about food aid to whole Ukrainian SSR issued June 13, 1933, however separate orders about food aid for regions of Ukraine appeared by end of June - early July 1933– for Dnipropetrovska, Vinnitska ans Kyivska regions. For Kharkivska region’s kolkhozes assistance were provided by end of July 1933 (Politburo decision dated July 20, 1933).
[41]
[edit] Extensive export of grain and other food
Some publications claim that after recognition of the famine situation in Ukraine during the drought and poor harvests, the Soviet government in
Moscow continued to export grain rather than retain its crop to feed the people,
[42] even though on a significantly lower level than in previous years. In 1930–31, there had been 5,832,000 metric tons of grains exported. In 1931–32, grain exports declined to 4,786,000 tons. In 1932–33, grain exports were just 1,607,000 tons and in 1933–34, this further declined to 1,441,000 tons.
[43] Officially published data
[44] slightly differ
Historical Revisionism around Stalin
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Originally Posted by Atterdag
