The disaster which ensued over the next ten days – almost entirely the making of Stalin’s favourite commissar, Lev Mekhlis – led to the loss of 176,000 men, 400 aircraft, 347 tanks and 4,000 guns. Mekhlis tried to put the blame on the troops, especially the Azeris, but the terrible losses created a great hatred in the Caucasus. Mekhlis was demoted, but Stalin soon found him another post.
