p Historical development is a complex and contradictory process. The new is born and asserts itself in bitter struggle against the old, which strives to hold its ground, to perpetuate its existence. The reactionary imperialist circles headed by the US monopolists, do all they can to hold back the inexorable course of history. They are willing to commit the most hideous crimes against humanity; even to resort to nuclear war in the attempt to resolve the basic contradiction of today—the contradiction between socialism and capitalism.

p For two reasons the question of war and peace has become particularly urgent in modern conditions. First, because imperialism has grown more aggressive; it does not shrink from direct armed struggle against socialism. The imperialists, notably the US imperialists, are stepping up the arms race, are attempting to put new life into the military blocs created by them, stir up local wars, use all and every means to suppress the national liberation movement, wage a predatory war against the peoples of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. The second reason is that there has been an enormous qualitative leap in the development of weapons in the postwar years. In the event of a new world war the use of nuclear missiles may inflict enormous losses on mankind and cause unheard-of destruction.

p So long as imperialism continues to exist and the forces of social progress are faced by aggressive forces, there will be radically different views about the nature of wars, about their causes, and about their role in social development.

p The Marxist-Leninist teaching on war and the army is a harmonious sociological teaching on the origin and the essence of war, on the character and types of wars, on their origin in the contemporary epoch, on the regularities and factors determining the course and outcome of the war, on the attitude towards it of various strata of society, and on the social nature and purpose of the army. A special place in this teaching is held by problems of abolishing wars from the life of society, and the defence of the achievements of socialism, the freedom and independence of peoples. This teaching serves as the basis of Soviet military theory and practice.

p The basic principles of the teaching on war and the army were worked out by Karl Marx and Frederick Engels and were developed by Lenin. The founder of the first socialist state in the world raised this teaching to a new level. Relying on Lenin’s heritage, the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU) has consistently developed the teaching on war and the army, improved it, and adapted it to the changing conditions, taking into account the alignment of forces at the various stages of social development, and the objective trends of the historical process. At the same time the CPSU highly values the achievements other Marxist- Leninist Parties have made in developing this teaching, takes them into account and uses them in its theoretical and practical work aimed at the defence of the socialist motherland.

p The method of dialectical materialism makes it possible to foresee the future scientifically and to make a sociological study of general military problems. This is of first-class importance if we are to solve the pressing problems of war and peace, to develop and strengthen the armed forces of the socialist state.

p Marxists-Leninists rely on the principles of MarxismLeninism and use the dialectic-materialist method in their struggle against imperialist ideologists and against revisionism and dogmatism, in resolving the most important questions of the modern teaching on war and the army.

p The indubitable merit of Marxist-Leninist theory’ is that, on the basis of a comprehensive research into the main tendencies of social life today, it has revealed the deep roots of military clashes and also the objective possibilities of 11 averting wars, and shows us the forces capable of coping with that task.

p Naturally, imperialism has remained reactionary and continues to be a source of aggression and aggressive wars. But its potential has greatly decreased, its strength has relatively diminished and its internal contradictions have taken on sharper forms. At the same time forces have emerged that are able to oppose imperialism. It has now become possible to avert a world war and, in certain conditions, also local wars. This conclusion is founded on a scientific analysis of the specific features of the present period and on an evaluation of the correlation of the social forces in the world.

p Yet, the possibility of imperialism unleashing new wars, including a world nuclear war, must not be discounted. The war of aggression waged by the USA in Vietnam, the Israeli aggression against the freedom-loving Arab peoples which was prepared by imperialism, and other manifestations of the reactionary essence of imperialism, and also the policy and ideology of anti-communism, are striking testimony.

p In modern conditions the struggle against reactionary ideology must be pursued with even greater determination than before. Despite the great variety of conceptions and viewpoints on war and peace, imperialist ideologists are unanimous on cardinal issues. They have a common “ ideological platform"—anti-communism; a common philosophical and methodological basis—idealism and metaphysics; a common morality—misanthropy. The idea that wars are eternal and unavoidable permeates all of bourgeois ideology; there is a difference only in the arguments they use to put this view across, and in the degree of frankness with which they admit to this.

p A more vigorous struggle should be waged against the anti-Marxist views disseminated by the Chinese leaders on questions of war and peace. Using “Left” phrases, they speak of the inevitability and even the desirability of military conflicts, including a world nuclear war.

p The Marxist-Leninist teaching on war and the army exposes all anti-scientific, reactionary views on that problem, helps to work out a correct attitude towards war, reveals the sources of military conflicts and shows the forces able to avert them.

p This teaching differs fundamentally from pacifist views 12 on wars. Pacifists do not link their negative attitude to war with the struggle against its main source—the capitalist system. Marxists-Leninists draw strength from the fact that they link the struggle to prevent war, the struggle for universal security and a checking of aggressors, with the fight for the revolutionary transformation of society, for social progress.

p That teaching shows the fundamental difference between just and unjust wars, progressive and reactionary ones. Just, progressive wars are aimed at liberating peoples from national and class oppression, at defending the national and state independence of the socialist and developing countries, of all peace-loving peoples. Unjust, reactionary wars are waged by aggressors for the purpose of subjugating other peoples, of seizing territories and plundering national wealth, of depriving the working people of their social gains.

p The Marxist-Leninist teaching on war and the army lays the theoretical foundation for the most effective ways and means of averting wars today and of creating conditions making them impossible in future.

p All these questions are looked into in this book. It gives a systematic exposition of the Marxist-Leninist teaching on war and the army, reveals the essence of wars and their origin, the character and types of wars, the social nature and purpose of the army, the foundations of the military might of a state and its armed forces, and the essence of the modern revolution in military affairs.

p Much space is given to such problems as war between opposing social systems, the social forces of the national liberation struggle, the role of the masses in modern wars, the causes of the unrestrained arms race in the imperialist camp, war in defence of the young independent states and the socialist countries.

Since the defensive might of the Soviet Union and the whole of the socialist community checks imperialist aggressive designs and serves as a reliable means of preserving and consolidating universal peace, the book deals with the ways and means of strengthening that might, their combat readiness to foil and rebuff imperialist aggression. At the same time it criticises anti-Marxist theories and reactionary views on military questions, the struggle against which promotes the cause of peace and social progress.