266

p It is a quarter of a century since the victorious end of the war against fascism. Many Second World War secrets have come to light. But no less necessary than before is it to weigh its lessons and results.

p Though the war years are receding farther into the past and fewer people are left who had participated in World War II, the magnificence of the exploit of the freedomloving peoples has not faded. On the contrary, it is better known today, and its historic significance better understood. The victory over fascism is past history—one of the most important and decisive of its chapters. And the lessons derived are of immense value.

p The most consequential outcome of the war is that socialism, represented by the Soviet Union, wrested the victory from the most aggressive and most reactionary force of world imperialism, represented by the fascist bloc, in mammoth battles of unseen dimensions. Socialism’s victory over fascism is the decisive and natural outcome of the war. It proved that socialism cannot be defeated, that it is vastly superior to imperialism.

p The crushing defeat of the fascist aggressors —the shock force of world imperialism—has weakened capitalism, deepened its general crisis, giving impetus to the socialist, democratic and national liberation movements.

p The Soviet Union safeguarded its socialist gains, its advanced social and political system, its freedom and independence. It delivered the peoples of Europe and Asia from the fascist plague, from enslavement and extinction. The countries of 267

p East and Southeast Europe and Southeast Asia were liberated by the Red Army; other countries, though it never set foot on their soil—as a result of its martial success.

p The Soviet victory created favourable conditions in many of the liberated countries for popular democratic .revolutions, which in due course, in the postwar, developed into socialist revolutions. Socialism emerged beyond the confines of one country and grew into a world system. And on this, too, the victories of the freedom-loving nations, most prominently those of Soviet arms, had a bearing.

p The Soviei victory gave’ impetus to national liberation movements in Asia, Africa and Latin America. The crisis of the imperialist colonial system sparked by the October Socialist Revolution became more acute. Colonialism crum* bled in the postwar years. Independent national states arose in place of most of the former colonies and semi- colonies.

p The heroic Soviet war effort was an inspiring example for the champions of freedom, democracy and socialism in other lands. The Communist and Workers’ Parties that stood in the van of the anti-fascist movement in their respective countries, proved to be the staunchest fighters for the national independence and freedom of their peoples. The influence of Communists increased visibly. Communist Parties in many countries emerged from the war as a leading influential political force. Their ranks multiplied. Prewar (1939), the Communist Parties of the world counted in their ranks 4 million members, and postwar, in 1945, as many as 20 million.  [267•1  And this despite the fact that Communists had suffered the heaviest casualties in the fight against fascism.

p At the time the war broke out the situation was highly unfavourable for the freedom-loving nations. Many European countries collapsed under the war’s impact in a matter of days or, at most, weeks. Looking back today, one may say with assurance that no other country could have survived the plight of the Soviet Union at the beginning of the war. None bijt the Soviet people, a people that had coped with the difficulties of building socialism in a capitalist encirclement, could have performed the feat, unprecedented in magnitude, 268 of turning the tide of a war that had begun so adversely. None but the Soviet people could have surmounted the incredible hardships and trials of the war, stemmed the invasion and turned the tables on the nazis.

p It is farthest from our mind to belittle thereby the exploit of other nations. During and after the war the Soviet people paid due tribute to the exploit of the Englishmen, who did not bend under the impact of the air “blitz”, admired the exploit of the Resistance fighters and the courage of the men who had fought shoulder to shoulder with the Red Army — the French airmen, the men and officers of the people’s armies of Poland, Czechoslovakia, Bulgaria and Rumania. The Soviet people applauded the opening of the second front in Western Europe. But we should remember that the second front against Hitler Germany came into being when the outcome of the war had become a foregone conclusion thanks to the victories of Soviet arms, that Hitler’s armoured armadas had been stemmed by Soviet armies, armies equipped with Soviet-made weapons. The grandeur of the exploit performed by the Soviet people will never fade.

p The Soviet people stood like an insuperable barrier in the way of the nazi’s drive for world supremacy. It displayed courage and tenacity beyond compare. Its heroism was the heroism of all, the day-to-day business not of individuals, not even of thousands of individuals, but of many millions—of men who had but the day before been teachers, bookkeepers, factory hands or miners, farmers or timbermen. This mass heroism was the most striking feature of the Great Patriotic War of the Soviet Union. Never in man’s history had any nation been as closely united and as firmly determined in its dedication to the war effort.

p Before the war was over 5,300,000 Soviet soldiers were decorated with Orders and more than 7,500,000 with medals. And as many as 11,525 were honoured with the highest title of all, that of Hero of the Soviet Union.  [268•1  Among the decorated were over 100,000 women,  [268•2  with 86 awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.  [268•3 

p The Soviet war effort had been decisive. The nazi war machine was smashed, suffering crippling defeats in battles 269 on the Soviet-German Front. The Armed Forces of the USSR destroyed 507 of Hitler’s best divisions and nearly ioo divisions of his allies. And this compared to the 176 divisions that the nazi Reich lost on all the other Second World War fronts combined.  [269•1  Three out of every four Luftwaffe planes were destroyed on the Soviet-German Front. So was the bulk of Hitler’s artillery and panzers, and out of the total of 13,600,000 killed, wounded or captured German soldiers and officers, Germany lost 10,000,000 in the East.  [269•2  Destruction of the main nazi strength on the Soviet-German Front brought about the collapse of Hitler’s military and political machine. "The fact remains,” wrote British historians Ernest J. Knapton and Thomas K. Deny, "that it was Soviet manpower that stemmed the tide of German conquest while Europe was still helpless in the German grip."  [269•3  Incontestable, too, is the decisive contribution of the Soviet Armed Forces to the defeat of imperialist Japan. It was the swift drive that crushed the Kwantung Army which compelled the Japanese Government to surrender.

p Victory was wrested from the enemy by the concerted effort of the Soviet people, of its Armed Forces. A galaxy of outstanding generals appeared from its midst, brought up and trained by the Communist Party. Among the most renowned are I. Kh. Bagramyan, I. D. Chernyakhovsky, V. I. Chuikov, A. G. Golovko, S. G. Gorshkov, L. A. Govorov, A. A. Grechko, I. S. Isakov, I. S. Konev, N. I. Krylov, N. G. Kuznetsov, R. Y. Malinovsky, K. A. Meretskov, K. S. Mcskalenko, A. A. Novikov, F. S. Oktyabrsky, I. Ye. Petrov, M. M. Popov, K. K. Rokossovsky, B. M. Shaposhnikov, V. D. Sokolovsky, F. I. Tolbukhin, V. F. Tributs, A. M. Vasilevsky, N. F. Vatutin, K. A. Vershinin, N. N. Voronov, A. I. Yeremenko, I. S. Yumashev, M. V. Zakharov and G. K. Zhukov. Men of the Old Guard, too, helped organise the resistance, men known since Civil War times, such as S. M. Budyonny, K. Y. Voroshilov and S. K. Timoshenko.  [269•4 

270

p The outstanding Soviet role in forging the victory was noted by many top Allied Statesmen. "On behalf of the people of the United States,” wrote President Franklin D. Roosevelt on February 23, 1943, "I want to express to the Red Army on its 25th anniversary our profound admiration for its magnificent achievements unsurpassed in all history — Such achievements can only be accomplished by an army, that has skilful leadership, sound organisation, adequate training and above all determination to defeat the enemy no matter what the cost in self-sacrifice___ The Red Army and the Russian people have surely started the Hitler forces on the road to ultimate defeat and have earned the lasting admiration of the people of the United States."  [270•1  And Winston Churchill wrote in a message two years later: "The Red Army celebrates its twenty-seventh anniversary amid triumphs which have won the unstinted applause of their allies and have sealed the doom of German militarists."  [270•2 

p The Second World War was an imperialist war when it began, a war unjust whichever way you looked at it, a war of two capitalist coalitions —Germany and her allies, on the one hand, and Britain and France, on the other. But with millions of people becoming involved in the struggle it grew gradually into a just.war of liberation^ This process was culminated by the Soviet Union’s entry into the war. It defended the gains of socialism, championed just liberative aims, progressive ideas, and the most advanced social and political system of the times. Not only did its involvement in the war change the war’s complexion; it was also the earnest of victory against fascism. The Soviet example rallied the peoples of all countries to the fight against fascism, consolidating the anti-fascist coalition.

p It was the socialist system that defeated fascism in the mammoth collision with imperialism and fascism, its most monstrous progeny. The socialist economic system, the sociopolitical and ideological unity of the people, Soviet patriotism and the friendship of the peoples of the USSR, the unity of the people and the Communist Party, the stamina and incomparable heroism of the Soviet soldier—those were the sources of Soviet strength.

271

p The victory was a natural result of the economic and political advantages implicit in the socialist system. It was a victory for the Communist Party, which had concentrated the prewar effort of the Soviet people on socialist industrialisation, on collectivising agriculture, on the cultural revolution, on firming up the socialist brotherhood of all nationalities inhabiting the country. By doing so it acted on V. I. Lenin’s behests, building up, the powerful material and politico-moral foundation that enabled the Soviet people to stand up to the enemy and finally crush him.

p This superiority of the Soviet system, coupled with the politico-ideological unity of Soviet society, exercised a direct and decisive influence on the outcome of the war. The might and endurance of the socialist state, based on the fraternal friendship of workers, fanners and intellectuals, on the friendship of the peoples of the USSR, enabled the nation to put its economy swiftly and effectively on a war-time footing. The Soviet war industry, though plunged into highly unfavourable, circumstances at the beginning of the war, excelled the German towards the end of the war in quality and quantity of production. Soviet agriculture, too, coped with its basic task, supplying the nation with the essential foods and industry with raw material.

p US and British deliveries to the Soviet Union doubtless played a certain role, but amounted to but a fraction of the stream of supplies flowing from the Soviet rear during the years of war. The deliveries were miserably small also in relation to the magnitude of what the US and British war industries produced. For example, the United States manufactured 297,000 planes and 86,000 tanks in wartime alone, out of which only 14,500 planes and 7,000 tanks were sent to the Soviet Union.  [271•1  Besides, the US and British governments would not reveal important scientific and technical information to the USSR, although it was supplied to American corporations with close cartel links with German trusts.

It will be only proper to say, therefore, that the Soviet economy went it alone in scoring its historic victory over the economies of fascist Germany and nazi-occupied Europe. Soviet strength was built up month by month in the war 272 years, tilting the balance of strength, as illustrated by the following table:

Carnage in Alignment of Forces on Soviet-German Front  [272•1  Active Army of the USSR Active Forces of Germany and her Allies Person- Heavy nel and medium (thorn.) tanks.* Person- Heavy Warplanes nel and medium (thous.) tanks** Warplanes June 22, 1941 December i, 1941 May i, 1942 November i, 1942 July i, 1943 January i, 1944 January i, 1945 2,900 1,800’" 4,200 517 »"" 5,50° 4,950 a.495 5,093 «,453 2,465 3>>64 6,200 3,230 3,400 3,088 6,144 6,600 3,500 8,293 5,165 5,850 2,980 8,500 6,906 5,400 3,073 14,570 3,100 3,950 1,960 5,500 6,124 6,442 6,100 6,000 2,070 2,745 6,232 3.146 7.494

p * Including self-propelled artillery

p ** Including siege guns

p *** Including new types of tanks: 1,475

p **** New types of warplanes only.

p The Second World War proved that the Soviet social and political system is genuinely democratic, originating from the people, responding to the people’s will and resting on popular support. During the war the entire nation participated actively in discharging tasks set by the state in forging the victory, tasks often suggested and organised by the people themselves.

p Directives and orders would never have elicited the initiative, dedication and heroism of the masses. The working class, the farmers and the intelligentsia were undeterred by difficulties and the sacrifice. They suffered the war’s hardships and deprivations stoutly, fought heroically and worked no less heroically in defence of their socialist land.

p The socialist ideology proved its superiority over the bourgeois fascist ideology. The Communist cause and Soviet patriotism, combining with internationalist ideas and the friendship of peoples, inspired the Soviet soldier in the battle 273 against the fascist ideology, an ideology of stark nationalism, of “higher” races dominating the “lower”, denying the right of existence to the bulk of the world’s population, of extremism reduced to sadism, cruelty, barbarity and vandalism.

p In its daily ideological and educational work, the Communist Party imparted to the people awareness of the great socialist cause, in the name of which victory over the enemy was imperative.

p The lofty morale and energy of Soviet people, their mass heroism in battle and in the rear, were wrought by the tireless work of the Communist Party, and so its leadership was the chief factor in the Soviet victory.

p The Communist Party led the people of Russia to victory in the Great October Socialist Revolution and rallied them for the defeat of the foreign intervention and of the whiteguards. The workers, peasants and the intelligentsia built socialist society under the guidance of the Party, producing the essential material and moral resources for the country’s defence.

p In the Great Patriotic War, the Party inspired and organised the struggle against the fascist invaders. Its organisational effort concerted and directed the work and strength of Soviet people in assuring the enemy’s defeat. The Party rallied the entire nation for the sacred patriotic war.

p The best men of the Party were sent to the most dangerous and most responsible sectors. One in every three members of the Party’s Central Committee was in the battle-lines. By the end of 1941 the Red Army counted as many as 1,300,000 Communists. During the war 3 million Communists laid down their lives for the freedom and independence of the socialist land. Five million Soviet people—at the front and in the rear—joined the Party’s ranks in wartime.  [273•1 

p Army Communists cemented the fighting forces, firmed up the fighting spirit of the troops. Their courage and bravery, their readiness to fight to the last breath, won them the respect and affection of their mates in army, navy and air force.

p Being the guiding and leading force of Soviet society, the Communist Party also secured the fulfilment of the tasks behind the battle-lines. It mobilised workers, peasants and the intelligentsia in overcoming the difficulties, it organised 274 them in a mighty upsurge of labour, it put the economy on a wartime footing and saw to it that the country became a smithy of victory.

p While resolving the military and economic problems, the Communist Party also conducted extensive politico- educational work among the masses. It helped the people understand the just character of the Great Patriotic War, better to understand the advantages of the Soviet social and political system, the importance of the worker-peasant alliance, of the friendship of the peoples of the USSR, of Soviet patriotism.

p The Party cultivated love of country and burning hatred of the enemy who impinged on the honour, freedom and independence of the socialist fatherland. It worked tirelessly to elevate the morale and warcraft of the Soviet soldier. It directed the political and military training of personnel in army, navy and air force. It elucidated the origins and aims of the war, tempered the soldier’s fighting spirit and cultivated fearlessness and discipline. The effect of this immense ideological effort was that every Soviet soldier was aware of the war aims and of the imperative of defeating the enemy. The organisational, political and educational work of the Party among the troops, coupled with the model of heroism and fearlessness displayed by its members, were largely instrumental in mobilising the men of the Armed Forces in defeating the enemy and achieving victory.

p The collective experience and collective wisdom of the Party’s Central Committee, resting on the scientific basis of the Marxist-Leninist doctrine and the creative initiative of the, people, assured; correct leadership in the war. The Soviet victory over Hitler Germany was a triumph for the Communist Party, for its policy.

p The international situation in wartime was highlighted by the emergence and vigorous action of the anti-fascist coalition which, starting in the summer of 1944, went over to coordinated military operations.

p The emergence and action of the anti-fascist coalition had an extremely beneficial effect. To begin with it stood for co-operation among states with different social systems^ showing that the ideas of peaceful coexistence were viable and correct.

p The anti-fascist coalition defeated Hitler’s policy of destroying opponents one by one. The coalition confronted Germany with the prospect of a war on two fronts, finally compelling 275 it to fight such a war. Allied deliveries to the Soviet Union helped it to some extent in the selfless struggle. Last but not least, the existence of the anti-fascist coalition created a favourable setting for the Resistance movement in the nazioccupied countries.

p Among the.war objectives pursued by the ruling element in the United States and Britain was that of maintaining and consolidating class rule. Its true aims and intents had nothing in common with the actual nature of the war, deriving from the involvement in it of the Soviet Union and the masses in other countries. This contradiction—between the nature of the war and the war aims of the US and British rulers —left a mark on the home affairs, foreign policy and war strategy of the Western members of the anti-fascist coalition. Hence the delays of the second front by the US and British governments. In a certain sense this policy was a continuation of the Munich policy and the "phoney war" because its basic aim was to weaken and exhaust the USSR in the hope of establishing Anglo-American supremacy in the post-war world. In. the final count, however, it boomeranged against its makers. By the beginning of 1944 it was obvious that the Soviet Union could complete the defeat of Hitler Germany on its own. That was what prompted the US and British governments to open the second front.

p When thfe war was over its veterans in the United States and Britain became involved in a discussion —still in train—as to who was guilty of the long delays in opening the second front. With facts in hand, American political leaders, generals and many of the historians blame their British friends, but overlook the role played by the second front opponents in the United States.

p Here, for example, is how General Albert C. Wedemeyer described British behaviour at second front negotiations:

p "The British were masters in negotiations—particularly were they adept in the use of phrases or words which were capable of more than one meaning or interpretation. Here was the setting, with all the trappings of a classical Machiavellian scene. I am not suggesting that the will to -deceive was a personal characteristic of any of the participants. But when matters of the state were involved, our British opposite numbers had elastic scruples.... What I witnessed was the British power of diplomatic finesse in its finest hour, a power that had been developed over centuries of successful 276 international intrigue, cajolery, and tacit compulsions."  [276•1  Might we add that what Wedemeyer describes as "elastic scruples" and "intrigue, cajolery and tacit compulsions" was all that and much more when directed against the socialist state.

p The anti-fascist coalition moved quite distinctly towards a democratic postwar arrangement. This was an area where it could have displayed its positive side to the fullest. But US and British ruling element preferred to end the co-operation as soon as the war ended. More, they went back on the decisions adopted in Yalta and Potsdam. In place of co-operation came the cold war.

p The Resistance Movement in the nazi-occupied European countries acquired great importance in the Second World War. Its eruption and powerful growth was an unexpected and highly undesirable impediment for Hitler. The movement drew inspiration from the resistance and successes of the Red Army and from the partisan movement of Soviet patriots. Underscoring this, L. M. Chassin, the French war historian, wrote: "This magnificent resistance of the Russians, which shrank from no sacrifice, was the signal for the immense wave of revolt that swept across all the countries occupied by Germany."  [276•2  We might mention other important points: the freedom fighters of the Resistance movement benefited greatly from the experience of the Soviet partisans and their methods; they displayed a deep sense of communion with the Soviet patriots and were eager, in the absence of the second front in Europe, to help the Soviet Union in every way they could.

p The support—moral, military and, in some cases, material—extended to the Resistance movement by the Soviet Union was of great importance for its growth. First and foremost, it was the crushing blows delivered to the nazis on the Soviet-German Front that helped the Resistance movement grow.

p The exploit of the Soviet people wakened the national and internationalist feelings of millions of people all over the glote. It epitomised the unity of national and international war aims, prompting many people whose patriotism had 277 been overlaid with self-interest and egoism to regain their integrity and join the Resistance.

p The Resistance movement contributed to smashing the fascist bloc and the various reactionary ruling cliques associated with it.

p The Second World War showed that all imperialist aspirations for world supremacy have no chance- to succeed in the modern world. That Germany went down in defeat was no accident. And that was why her defeat was so crushing. The main outcome of the war was that the defeat was visited on fascism and imperialism in that most mammoth of all conflagrations, while democracy, progress and socialism proved victorious.

p The history of the war against fascism is first and foremost the history of peoples fighting for liberation and achieving a conclusive victory. The lessons of the war showed once more that the masses play an immense and growing role in the process of history and tuat growth of their political involvement and awareness is an incontestable law of the age.

The victory over fascism was gained through the heroic efforts of tens of millions of Soviet people, blending with the efforts of Resistance fighters and the struggle of the peoples of the United States and Britain on the front and in the rear. The price of victory was dearly paid in life and blood, and the victory belongs to all humanity, the supreme duty of which is to cherish it and to safeguard peace.