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p The U.S. task force in the Persian Gulf in the autumn of 1979 during the U.S.-Iranian hostage crisis consisted of a score or so of big warships. The names of some of them evoked the days of the Second World War: the Eisenhower, the Coral Sea, the Midway, the Tarawa, and others. At a later stage, these American ships were joined by the British destroyer Coventry. This armada made a show of force on several occasions, demonstrating the very real threat of the imperialist policy from positions of strength. It often happens today that names dating back to the time when nations fought against the fascist invaders are used as camouflage for imperialist aggression. That happened in Korea and Vietnam, in the Middle East and the South Atlantic. The history and the results of the Second World War left their mark on many postwar events, though they may differ vastly in their effect on world development and people’s lives.

p Today the reader of books on the history of the Second World War wants to find answers to many questions concerning the reasons for the bloody conflict of the peoples and who was responsible for it, what brought about the victory and at what cost, how much the different states contributed, what lessons of the war we can benefit from and what responsibility we have to future generations, what possibility there is of averting a new world conflagration, and how to strengthen world peace.

p Books about the Second World War written by reactionary historians and motivated by anti-communism do not give 270 a truthful answer to these questions. These authors have built up an edifice of myths about the last war aimed at justifying today’s aggressive policy of imperialism, and lulling the vigilmce of the peoples.

p Imperialist circles have been defeated in social battles, have lost their colonies and seen more and more countries reject the capitalist system. They witness the achievements of the socialist community, and seen the growing influence of communist parties and other democratic forces inside the capitalist countries. To all this they have only one response-stepping up military preparations. By circulating stories about the "Soviet threat”, they hope to call attention away from the arms drive, which has reached unprecedented proportions in the NATO countries, and especially in the United States. No small part in this propaganda campaign is played by reactionary historians.

p Their fiercest attacks have been provoked by the steadily rising prestige of the Soviet policy of peace, which more and more people in the West today acknowledge. Of special importance is the Soviet government’s Peace Programme for the 1980s aimed at averting a new world war.

p In accordance with the decisions of the 26th Congress of the CPSU (1981) the Soviet government has worked out and brought to the knowledge of the world public a number of proposals aimed at curbing the arms race. These proposals were made in the course of top-level bilateral contacts, at the U.N. General Assemblies, at meetings between Soviet leaders and prominent public figures from [other countries, at congresses of social- political organisations, at public meetings and holiday . demonstrations.

p It would be well to recall two Soviet initiatives which drew a particularly wide response throughout the world: the Soviet Union’s pledge not to be the first to use nuclear weapons, and a “freeze” on nuclear weapons as the first step’ towards their reduction, and eventually ultimate dismantling. As a follow-up to this initiative, the Soviet Union submitted a proposal to impose a moratorium on the siting in Europe of new medium-range 271 nuclear weapons systems of both the NATO countries and the Soviet Union, which amounted to a freeze- qualitative and quantitative-on the existing level of such means of delivery.

p But the ruling elite in the United States and-on its orders-in other NATO countries, obsessed as they are by the unrealistic desire to upset nuclear parity and achieve military superiority over the USSR, have rejected the Soviet peace proposals.

p The Plenary Meeting of the Central Committee of the CPSU held in February 1984 reaffirmed the burning desire of the Soviet people for peace. "As a great socialist power the Soviet Union is fully aware of its responsibility to the peoples for preserving and strengthening peace. We are open to peaceful, mutually beneficial cooperation with states on all continents. We are for the peaceful settlement of all disputed international problems through serious, equal and constructive talks. The USSR will in full measure cooperate with all states prepared with practical deeds to help lessen international tension and create an atmosphere of trust in the world. In other words, with those who will really pursue a policy leading not to preparing for war but to strengthening the foundations of peace. And we believe that to this end full use should be made of all the existing levers, including, of course, such a one as the United Nations Organisation, which was founded precisely for preserving and strengthening peace.”  [271•1 

p There are mighty forces in the world, with all the necessary means to prevent a new world war, to curb any would-be aggressor and-if he dares start a war-to give him a crushing rebuff and foil his criminal plans.

p What are these forces? 

p The powerful socialist community of nations which has placed its political, economic and military might at the service of peace; 

p The international working class and its vanguard-the communist parties-which work consistently to combat the threat of a new war; 

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p The national liberation movement which is fighting against neocolonialism, and for national independence and social progress; 

p The mass movement for peace which has forced the imperialist to reckon with the will of hundreds of millions of people resolved to win peace for the world.

p Military catastrophe must never happen again. The history of the tragedy and triumph of the freedom-loving peoples in the years of the Second World War has demonstrated the importance of knowing and understanding its lessons.

Soviet people firmly believe that by joining efforts, the nations will be able to win over the military threat, to preserve and strengthen peace, to ensure the right to life for every human being on earth.

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