Anglo-US strategy - Weaken Russia!

[Socialist Appeal, Vol. 5 No. 18, September 1943]

Four years of war and millions of men have destroyed incalculable wealth and blasted each other to death. Rotterdam, Coventry, London, Hamburg, Berlin, Stalingrad, Turin and Milan and dozens more of the great cities of Europe which were built by centuries of labour, [have been] blasted, ravished and ruined by the nightly pounding of the bombs and guns.

Four years of war, famine and disease destroys and weakens the peoples of Europe and Asia, conquered and governed by brutal military power.

Four years! First the fortunes of war smiled on Germany and her Axis satellites, now it is the turn of the Anglo-American bloc. Russia, almost entirely unaided, climbs out of the depths of history’s bloodiest defeats and slaughters and can no longer be destroyed by military means.

Four years of black reaction and now the first days of the dawn. Revolution in Italy; unrest in Europe – a new day in history, revolutionary history begins!

No country has escaped the effects of the war. Few are not immediately involved in the bloodshed and massacre.

In Nazi Germany, the anti-capitalist demagogy of Hitler is bared. Monopoly capitalism, whom Nazism serves, has piled up the most gigantic fortunes and stores of loot that has been known in German history. But in four years, the living conditions of the masses has steadily declined.

To create these fortunes, millions of German workers have toiled, sweated, fought and died: and become objects of hatred to the oppressed peoples of Europe. The “living space” for which the German masses are asked to die, becomes a grave for the workers and peasants of Europe. German capitalism thrives like a ghoul amongst the graves.

In democratic Britain and America “everyone must sacrifice”! But behind this fraud, the same situation as in Germany: monopoly capitalism dictates government policy, monopoly capitalism piles up super profits, monopoly capitalism dictates the life of the nation.

Democratic slogans! Yes; but more reactionary and totalitarian legislation for the masses. Sacrifice for the workers, but increased loot for the ruling class. “Freedom for Europe” tomorrow, but military dictatorship in India, the colonies and the “reconquered” countries today. The politics of monopoly capitalism, democratic and fascist, are based on the protection of property [and] the protection of the right to exploit and make profit. The political slogans are formulated and adapted from one day to another only to suit that end.

Fascism, as a mass political creed in Europe, has been destroyed by four years of war. Nazis, fascists, quislings, all are intensely hated as a breed, a tendency and an idealogical political bloc. Yesterday and today the fascists ruled, tomorrow the workers and small farmers will present a heavy bill for fascist rule to its inspirers and organisers.

Of voluntary collaboration from the masses, of fraternity between Europe’s nations, the New Order has none. The whip; the firing squad: these are its organs of rule. Even the relative freedom of the satellite countries is now being destroyed by the demands of total war.

“Democracy” which suppresses the national aspirations of colonial millions; which links arms with fascists and neo-fascists, with Darlans and Girauds; which seeks to lean on Badoglio to retain the House of Savoy; “democracy,” which could not prevent the war, nor unemployment, nor crisis, which allows monopoly capitalism to remain in control of the nation’s wealth and loot the treasury in the midst of a bloody war – that type of democracy is being questioned by millions throughout the world. In Australia, Canada, Ireland, Britain, parliamentary figures tell their tale. In America, North and South, labour is on the march. Labour’s turn to the left is a world turn and will have world shaking results.

For the past two years, Churchill and Roosevelt have lavished fulsome praise upon the Soviet Union... and some arms. The policy of Anglo-American imperialism has revealed itself as dictated by class aims, economic and political.

These pseudo democrats hoped that Russia would be destroyed by Germany after a bloody and exhausting war. Two birds would be killed with the one stone and they would emerge on top. With the workers’ state destroyed and their German capitalist rival bled to death, peace would result in victory and a strengthening of their domination and control.

This programme, though denied, was blurted out by the impetuous and indiscreet Moore-Brabazon two years ago or more. In the Sunday Observer of August 29^th, the editorial columnist once again lifts the screen, praising the brilliant strategical leadership of Churchill which has resulted in the exhaustion and decline of Germany at small cost... to Britain!

After Quebec, Churchill spoke and gave a clear picture of the policy and future military strategy of the Allies and their essential economic and political aims for the future. No military aid to Russia until the policy of Britain and America with their precise definitions of a carved up Europe has been accepted by Stalin and military intervention suits their imperialist aims.

Behind Churchill’s statement: that a military front such as Stalin demands will not be dictated by political considerations but by military strategy, lies a great and definite lie. For the refusal to open such a front is dictated precisely by the class, political antagonism between Soviet Russia, a degenerated workers’ state, and her allies, countries controlled by the capitalist class.

They lie who say that there is no conflict. They do a disservice to the tolling masses and to the Soviet Union who cover up this conflict. For behind the half concealed discussions and debates and open propaganda, secret diplomatic discussions to decide the carve up and dictate the economic and political future of Europe and the world are taking place.

Out with it! The masses must demand an end to the secret diplomatic talks. Expose it, for it is reaction’s tool. Labour must demand a clear and open statement of the basis of this conflict and take a hand in deciding what has to be done.

The turning of the energy of the Allies against Japan is a sign that they are waiting for a further weakening of Soviet Russia. The campaign against Japan underlines the fact that the only genuine allies of the workers’ state are the working class.

For four years, the destiny of millions has been in the hands of capitalist governments, apart from the Soviet Union. Stalin’s bureaucratic policy, in spite of the fact that Soviet Russia is a workers’ state, has helped the capitalists to control and mislead the people. But the fifth year will usher in a new period of social alignments and political struggles. For reaction is giving place to revolution. The masses will have the last word!

In this period the working class need clear ideas and a revolutionary programme. Above all they need an international socialist party to carry that programme into effect.

To defend the Soviet Union, not only from her enemies and “allies” but from the false bureaucratic policies of Stalinism, is a first duty of the working class. To do so the workers must find their independence as a class.

Only the Fourth International – the world party of socialist revolution – has the policy which faces up to all the demands of our epoch.