Evening star., 1951-12-23
Line
Russia ReWrites
History Of U S.
By Edword Cronkshow


no means all fellow-travelers, have
lately been coming home full of the
idea that the Kremlin is showing a
more conciliatory attitude toward
the West. The Kremlin itself seeks
to strengthen this belief not only
through its normal propaganda ap-
paratus. but also by instructing Del
egate VyShinSky to smile and speak
soft words in Paris.
Some change in the Kremlin's
extreme hostility toward the North
Atlantic powers and everything to
do with them is, indeed. only to be
expected. Nothing stands still, and
Stain has to choose between max
ing war very soon, carrying out a
general retreat, or trying to break
North Atlantic unity by isolating
the United States. He seems to
have decided to concentrate, for the
time being. on this last course.
During the coming year we may
expect an attempt more elaborate
and radical than anything that has
gone before to exploit the differences
between the United States and her
supporters. The development of the
peace campaign, an apparent partial
lifting of the iron curtain to receive
increasing numbers of delegations
from this country and Western
Europe, widely publicized confer
ences on economic, scientific and
cultural subjects, not only in Russia
but also in the satellite countries.
rif fNr.
of trade between East and West.
perhaps even soft-pedaling of
open Communist activity in Western
Europe are all to be expected.
Fobricotine History
At the same time the campaign to
demonstrate that the only obstacle
to international unity is American
imperialism is quite plainly being
intensified. This line was evidently
decided on some time ago. and the
subsequent manufacture of support
ing evidence" for it offers an excel
lent example of the thorough going
way in which the BolShevikS de-
liberately fabricate history.
We have heard a good deal about
this strange process. but since. as a
rule, it has not touched us very di-
rectly, its impact has not been
strong. The major fabrication now.
however, does closely affect us, for
it concerns the role played by the
United States in world politics since
1917, and one Of its purposes is to
SOW dissension between America and
- @fI &c m
provide the Russian people with
universal Scapegoat. on which they
can load the blame for all the
troubles of the world.
The fabrication campaign was Of
ficially launched in January. on the
anniversary of Lenins death. PoSpe-
low, a leading theoretician Of the
Central Committee, delivered in the
presence of Stain an Grafton heavily
documented with quotations torn
from their contexts; these sought to
prove that as early as 1917 Lenin
had seen in America the supreme
foe of the Soviet Union and the
enemy of progress, with President
Wilson cast as "the head Of the
American billionaires, servant Of
the capitalistic sharks"
Research Goes On
Pospelov's speech was an extra
ordinary performance, by no means
easy to carry through satisfactorily.
for Lenin had not, IN fact, provided
him with a great deal Of ammuni-
ton.
II thers was one thing about the
intervention that was commonly &C
cepted inside Russia, 1t was that the
British, led by Churchill, were, to-
gether with the Japanese, the real
villains, who were ultimately re-
strained from the development Of
their aggressive designs by American
pressure.
All this is now being changed. It
is not enough for the Kremlin to
assert that America stands today
where Britain stood 80 years ago: 1t
has to be proved, and history has to
be rewritten to show that where
America stands today, she has always
stood.
A great deal OF research was going
on, meanwhile, behind the scenes.
Later this year two books were pub
lished, one Of which was awarded a
Stain prize. This was THE United
states-Active Organizer and Par
ticipant in the War of Intervention
Against the Soviet Union." by A. v.
Berezkin. The other was "The Fail
ure Of American Plans for Achieving
World Domination, 1917-18." These
works represented the efforts of the
official historians to provide firm
basis for the new party line.
World Dominion Chorge
The main contention Of the new
line is that America was actively
seeking world domination in 1917 and
sought to base it on the ruin Of the
Soviet Union. Far from restraining
Japan in Siberia, Washington urged
her on to deal a death-blow to the
new republic. Led by President Will
son, the "arch-reactionary," the
American forces attacked the Soviet
Union, looting and numbering exact
ly as they are now doing in freedom
loving Korea" Later, Washington
melted Poland to attack the Soviet
Union and organized German forces
In the Baltic States to this same end.
Worse still, the famine Of 1921 was
used as a weapon against the Soviet
Union, and Hoover's relief organiza-
ton was created deliberately to foster
misery and confusion.
AT Versailles, the State Depart
ment proposed detailed plan for
the total dismemberment of Russia,
while, under John Foster Dulles. a
special department was set up to
take over the whole economy of the
u. S. s.. r.
These separate distortions of his