Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The North Coast times-eagle. (Wheeler, Oregon) 1971-2007 | View Entire Issue (April 1, 1987)
PA GE 3 N O R T H C O A S T T I M E S E A G L E , A P R I L 1987 e r f s f r o m b o n d a g e t o th e l a n d o n ly i n th e 1 8 6 0 s R u s s i a e n t e r e d W o r ld W a r I o n th e s i d e o f E n g lan d a n d F r a n c e , t h u s e s t a b l i s h i n g a s e c o n d •o n t a g a i n s t G e r m a n y a n d i t s a l l i e s . B u t t h e t s a r i s t r e g i m e p r o v e d u n a b le t o s u p - ly i t s t r o o p s o n th e o n e h a n d a n d f e e d i t s ie o p le o n tn e o t h e r . A r e v o l u t i o n a r y s i t u a t i o n e v e l o p e d w h ic h b r o u g h t t o p o w e r in a u tu m n 9 1 7 th e w o r l d 's f i r s t " s o c i a l i s t - i n t e n t i o n e d " o v e r n m e n t u n d e r V .I. L e n in a n d t h e B o l s h e v i k 1 ’a r t y . A p r o p l o n g e d c i v i l w a r f o llo w e d , a n d it ¿as n o t u n t i l 1 9 2 0 t h a t th e L e n i n i s t s c o n s o l i - a t e d t h e i r p o w e r o v e r th e v a s t e m p i r e . T h r o u g h ia r s h m e a s u r e s a n d g r e a t s a c r i f i c e s L e n in e t in m o t i o n th e d r i v e to m o d e r n i z e , i n d u s t r i - .l iz e a n d c o l l e c t i v i z e th e a n t i q u a t e d e c o n o m y . L e n in d i e d in 1 9 2 5 , a n d h i s s u c c e s s o r s , s o o n • e d u c e d by S t a l i n to S t a l i n , d i d n o t s h r i n k f r o m tn y v i o l e n c e o r b r u t a l i t y to r u n th e c o u n t r y on h e b a s i s o f h i s w ill a l o n e . It s o o n b e c a m e i p p a r e n t t h a t , c o n t r a r y to e x p e c t a t i o n s . n o u r t h e r r e v o l u t i o n s c o u ld be e x p e c t e d to o c c u r n E u r o p e ; th e R u s s i a n s w o u ld h a v e to g o it ilo n e . A s t h e r e v o l u t i o n a r y m o v e m e n t w a n e d in E u ro p e , th e c o u n t e r - r e v o l u t i o n g a in e d m o m e n - :u m . B y 1941 th e f a s c i s t p o w e r s , p r i n c i p a l l y j e r m a n y , b u t s e c o n d e d b y I t a l y , S p a in a n d a lo z e n o r s o l e s s e r c o u n t r i e s , h a d c o n s o lid a te d :h e ir ru le th ro u g h o u t W e s te rn an d C e n tra l E u r o p e , u n d e r th e u m b r e l l a " A n t i - C o m i n t e r n P a c t " . T h e r e c a n b e n o d o u b t, d e s p i t e t h e i r m a n y o t h e r c r i m e s , i n c l u d i n g t h e s l a u g h t e r of J e w s in th e H o l o c a u s t , t h a t t h e p r i n c i p a l a i m o f f a s c i s m w a s c o u n te r - r e v o l u t i o n , a n d th e p r i n c i p a l t a r g e t th e U S S R . In J u n e 1941 th e i n e v i t a b l e a t t a c k to o k p l a c e . L e d b y th e N a z i m i l i t a r y m a c h i n e , th e m o s t m a s s iv e a r m ie s e v e r a s s e m b le d m o v ed ra p id ly t o w a r d M o s c o w . B u t th e S o v ie t l i n e s h e l d , a n d t h e i n v a d e r s f a c e d a d e v a s t a t i n g w i n t e r o n th e R u s s i a n p l a i n s . A g a in in 1942 th e S o v ie t m i l i t a r y f a i l e d to c r u m b l e , a n d a n o t h e r d i s a s t r o u s w i n t e r f o ll o w e d f o r th e i n v a d e r s . In 1 9 4 3 , in t h e s o u t h e r n s a l i e n t a t S t a l i n g r a d , i t w a s th e G e r m a n s w h o c o u ld h o ld o u t n o l o n g e r . T h e R u s s i a n s b e g a n th e lo n g , s lo w c o u n t e r a t t a c k th a t b r o u g h t th e m to th e h e a r t o f G e r m a n y a n d f i n a l v i c t o r y in M a y 1 9 4 5 . T h e S o v i e t U n io n w a s l e f t w ith i n c r e d i b l e d e s t r u c t i o n : a n e s t i m a t e d tw e n ty m i l l i o n m i l i ta r y an d c iv ilia n d e a d , a s m a n y m o re s e r io u s ly w o u n d e d , a t h i r d of t h e n a t i o n 's p h y s i c a l p la n t to ta ll y d e s tr o y e d . Y et by 1960 th e c o u n tr y h ad r e c o n s t r u c te d its e c o n o m y , r e f u r b is h e d its m i l i t a r y , d e v e lo p e d a n u c le a r c a p a b ility s u f f i c i e n t t o d e t e r a n a t t a c k b y th e U .S . It h a d b e c o m e w i t h o u t q u e s t i o n th e s e c o n d m o s t im p o rta n t e c o n o m y , an d m ilita r ily s e c o n d m o s t p o w e r f u l in th e w o r l d . Is i t o n a p a r w ith t h e U .S .? P r o b a b l y n o t, in m o s t w a y s . B u t th e k e y q u e s t i o n i s : W h ic h w a y a r e t h e tw o s o c i e t i e s h e a d i n g ? R e c e n t d e v e l o p m e n ts s e e m to in d ic a te a c o n tin u in g p o te n tia l f o r g r o w t h a n d p r o g r e s s i v e c h a n g e in t h e U S S R . T h e i r s y s te m h a s u n d o u b te d ly m a n y f a u lts ; but o u r in f o r m a tio n a b o u t it is s t i l l a n d a lw a y s h a s b e e n s y s t e m a t i c a l l y f la w e d . R E L A T IO N S B E T W E E N T H E S U P E R PO W ERS: T h e U .S . a n d i t s E u r o p e a n , C a n a d i a n a n d J a p a n e s e a llie s m a in ta in th a t th e ir a llia n c e a n d u n p re c e d e n te d a c c u m u la tio n of m ilita r y h a r d w a r e , in c lu d in g e s p e c i a l l y n u c le a r w e a p o n r y , i s v i t a l l y n e c e s s a r y to d e t e r a p o t e n t i a l S o v i e t a t t a c k , a n d , if a n d w h e n i t c o m e s , to re ta lia te . H ow c a n w e e v a l u a t e th e c h a n c e s o f s u c h a n a tta c k ? A s tu d y o f p a s t S o v ie t a tta c k s a g a in s t W e s te r n p o w e r s r e v e a l s th a t th e r e a r e n 't a n y . A s t u d y o f S o v i e t a r m s b u d g e ts s h o w s t h a t , d e s p i t e th e h u l l a b a l l o o a t U .S . C o n g r e s s i o n a l b u d g e t tim e a b o u t a g ig a n tic S o v ie t m i l i t a r y b u i l d u p , t h e r e i s n 't a n y . O r a g a i n , th e n u c l e a r a r m s r a c e ? F o r s e v e r a l y e a r s , S o v ie t l e a d e r s h a v e p l e a d e d f o r b o n a f id e n e g o t i a t i o n s to t h e N a z i s . M i l l i o n s o f p r i v a t e d o l l a r s fo u n d t h e i r w a y to H i t l e r 's c o f f e r s a n d h e l p e d b r i n g h i m t o p o w e r in 1 9 3 3 . In 1 9 3 9 , w h e n H i t l e r 's i n t e n t i o n to l a u n c h h is a t t a c k o n th e S o v i e t U n io n h a d b e c o m e p l a i n , t h e S o v i e t s a p p e a l e d to B r i t a i n , F r a n c e a n d th e U .S . to j o i n in a c o a l i t i o n t o s t o p th e N a z i s . T h e y r e f u s e d ; a n d in d e s p e r a t i o n S t a l i n s i g n e d h i s o w n p a c t w ith H i t l e r . T h i s g a i n e d h i m tw o m o r e y e a r s to b u i l d h i s m i l i t a r y d e f e n s e s . T h e c o s t to th e W e s t w a s t h e c o n q u e s t o f F r a n c e , B e lg iu m , H o lla n d , D e n m a r k a n d N o rw a y — p r o t e c t i n g H i t l e r 's r e a r f o r h i s i n e v i t a b l e i n v a s i o n o f t h e S o v i e t U n io n . C o n s e r v a t i v e s , l i b e r a l s a n d r a d i c a l s a l i k e h a v e d e n o u n c e d S t a l i n f o r h is H i t l e r p a c t . B u t n o o n e m e n t i o n s th e i l l - a d v i s e d r e f u s a l o f th e W e s t e r n p o w e r s to p r o t e c t t h e m s e l v e s b y j o i n i n g in a t r e a t y w ith t h e U S S R . RA ND Y JO N E S r e d u c e p r e s e n t s t o c k s a n d a b a n d o n th e p r o d u c tio n of n ew w a r h e a d s . U n d e r G o rb a c h e v , th e S o v i e t s h a l t e d u n i l a t e r a l l y a l l n u c l e a r t e s t in g f o r e i g h t e e n m o n t h s ; a n d G o r b a c h e v h a s s t a t e d r e p e a t e d l y t h a t h i s p o l ic y is to d e v e l o p th e S o v i e t e c o n o m y , n o t r u i n i t w ith u n n e e d e d m ilita r y e x p e n d itu re s . A r e t h e S o v i e t s e n g a g e d in a n e x p a n s i v e f o r e i g n p o l ic y a n d p l a n n i n g a n e v e n t u a l m i l i t a r y c o n q u e s t of th e g l o b e ? T r u e , t h e y h a v e b u i l t a r i n g o f c l i e n t s t a t e s a lo n g t h e i r E u r o p e a n b o r d e r , a n d th e y m a in ta in tig h t c o n tr o l o v e r th o s e g o v e r n m e n ts . B u t g iv e n th e m a s s iv e G e r m a n o n s la u g h t th ro u g h th o s e c o u n tr ie s in W o r ld W a r II, i t i s s c a r c e l y p a r a n o i d f o r th e S o v ie t s ta t e to p r o te c t its E u r o p e a n b o r d e r . T h e c a s e of A fg h a n is ta n is n o t id e n tic a l, b u t r e l i e s on s i m i l a r th in k in g . A nd c a n we sa y t h e r e i s n o t h r e a t to t h e S o v ie t U n io n t h r o u g h A f g h a n i s t a n ? O u r U .S . g o v e r n m e n t a d m i t s to m a s s i v e m i l i t a r y a i d to th e r e b e l g r o u p s . In s h o r t , t h e r e is n o t n o w , a n d t h e r e n e v e r h a s b e e n a S o v i e t m i l i t a r y t h r e a t to th e U .S . o r i t s W e s t e r n a l l i e s . A q u i c k lo o k a t W e s t e r n t h r e a t s to th e S o v i e t U n i o n , h o w e v e r , p r e s e n t s q u ite a d if f e r e n t p ic t u r e . In 1 9 1 8 , th e U .S ., a l o n g w ith B r i t a i n , F r a n c e a n d s e v e r a l l e s s e r p o w e r s , i n v a d e d th e j u s t c r e a t e d U S S R a t V l a d i v o s t o k a n d A r c h a n g e l to p r e v e n t c o n s o lid a tio n of S o v ie t c o n tr o l o v e r th e v a s t c o u n tr y . T h e in c u r s io n l a s te d u n til 1 9 2 0 ; t h e i n v a d e r s t h e n g a v e up a n d w e n t h o m e . A t l e a s t , th e y w e n t h o m e . B u t g a v e u p? T h e y h a v e n e v e r g iv e n u p . A s m e n t i o n e d e a r l i e r , th e f u n d a m e n t a l t h r u s t of f a s c i s m , w h ic h d o m i n a t e d E u r o p e t h r o u g h th e 1 9 3 0 s a n d e a r l y 1 9 4 0 s , w a s tw o f o ld : k e e p th e r e v o l u t i o n f r o m s p r e a d i n g b e y o n d th e b o u n d a r i e s o f th e S o v i e t U n io n , a n d u l t i m a t e l y d e s tr o y th e r e v o lu tio n a r y S o v ie t r e g im e its e lf . A s f o r th e U . S . , i t r e f u s e d to r e c o g n i z e th e S o v i e t r e g i m e u n t il F r a n k l i n R o o s e v e l t b e c a m e P r e s i d e n t in 1 9 3 3 . E v e n a f t e r t h a t d a t e t h e r e w e r e p o w e r f u l f o r c e s , in C o n g r e s s a n d e s p e c i a l l y in th e b u s i n e s s c o m m u n i t y , t h a t f a v o r e d THE n O R IH (O R S I “ He didn’t say *al dente, ’ did he?" DON PETRIE’S ITALIAN FOOD COMPANY 613NW Third 2 6 5 ’ FOOD Nye Beach, Newport B y 1941 i t w a s c l e a r to t h o s e U .S . l e a d e r s a lr e a d y p la n n in g a g lo r io u s f u tu r e f o r o u r c o u n t r y , t h a t in t h e s h o r t t e r m , d e s p i t e t h e i r h a tr e d of th e s o c i a l i s t S o v ie ts , G e r m a n y r e p r e s e n t e d a g r e a t e r d a n g e r to th e U .S . p o s i t i o n in th e w o r l d t h a n d id t h e U S S R . A s a c o n s e q u e n c e , w h e n H i t l e r d id i n v a d e t h e S o v i e t U n io n , B r i t a i n a n d t h e U .S . f i n a l l y j o i n e d f o r c e s w ith S ta lin to d e f e a t th e G e r m a n s . E v e n b e f o r e th e G e r m a n s h a d s u r r e n d e r e d , th e U .S . b e g a n c l a n d e s t i n e o p e r a t i o n s to d e s ta b i li z e its w a r tim e p a r t n e r . B y 1946 th e C o ld W a r w a s in f u ll s w i n g , a n d it h a s n e v e r r e a l l y c e a s e d in m o r e t h a n f o r t y y e a r s . T h e w o r l d h a s c h a n g e d g r e a t l y s i n c e W o r ld W a r II. T h e U .S . g a i n e d h e g e m o n y o v e r i t s W e s t e r n a l l i e s a n d t h e i r e m p i r e s . A W o rld W a r III f o c u s e d o n th e t r a d i t i o n a l c o m b a t a n t s of N o rth A m e r ic a , E u r o p e a n d J a p a n is no l o n g e r t h i n k a b l e . T h e o n ly n a t i o n c a p a b l e o f c o n t a i n i n g U .S . a m b i t i o n s to r u l e th e g lo b e is th e S o v i e t U n io n . T h e r e a l f o c u s of s o c i a l a n d p o l i t i c a l c h a n g e t o d a y i s th e t h i r d w o r l d , s t r u g g l i n g to f r e e i t s e l f f in a lly f r o m c o lo n ia lis m a n d n e o - c o lo n i a l i s t c o n t r o l by th e o ld e m p i r e s . U .S . w o r l d p o l i c y c o n c e n t r a t e s on s t o p p i n g t h i s l i b e r a t i o n m o v e m e n t. In p r i n c i p l e th e S o v i e t U n io n s i d e s w ith th e l i b e r a t i o n m o v e m e n t s . O f te n c r i t i c i z e d b y a s o m e t i m e s w e l l m e a n i n g l e f t f o r n o t d o in g e n o u g h f o r t h e m . i t i s n o n e t h e l e s s d o in g s o m e th in g . T h e S o v ie t r e g im e is n o t , h o w e v e r , s u i c i d a l , a n d i s n o t a b o u t to l e t i t s p r i n c i p l e s s t a n d in th e w a y o f i t s c o m m o n s e n s e ; i t is u n i q u e l y q u a l i f i e d t o ju d g e h o w m u c h it c a n do w i t h o u t e x p o s i n g i t s e l f to U .S . a t t a c k . If o n ly w e c o u ld b e l i e v e o u r o w n c o u n t r y i s g o v e r n e d b y th e s a m e g o o d s e n s e . B u t a p p a r e n t l y c o n v i n c e d th e A l m ig h t y is f i r m l y o n i t s s id e , o u r g o v e rn m e n t d r e a m s o f la u n c h in g an d w in n in g a n u c l e a r w a r . F o r fo rty y e a r s g o v e rn m e n t p ro p a g a n d a h as d r u m m e d i n to o u r h e a d s t h a t t h e S o v i e t U n io n is r e s p o n s i b l e f o r U .S . p r o b l e m s . N o t a t a l l . If a n y t h i n g , o u r h o s t i l i t y a n d o u r d e s t a b i l i z a t i o n e f f o r ts o v e r a p e r io d of s e v e n ty y e a r s a r e re s p o n s ib le fo r th e ir s . It is b e g in n i n g to s e e m t h a t i t is n o t t h e i r v io la tio n s of h u m a n r ig h ts an d t h e ir n o n - e x i s t a n t m i l i t a r y m e n a c e t h a t w e o b j e c t to . W h a t w e r e a l l y f in d o b j e c t i o n a b l e i s t h e i r e x is te n c e . T h u s s in c e th e d e f e a t o f th e f a s c i s t s in 1945, th e U .S . h a s p u r s u e d th e f a s c i s t g o a l: p r e v e n t t h e s p r e a d of s o c i a l i s t r e v o l u ti o n , a n d r o l l it b a c k w h e r e it a l r e a d y e x i s t s . Is t h i s h o w w e w a n t o u r c o u n t r y t o b e j u d g e d , a s th e t r u e d i s c i p l e o f N a z i G e r m a n y ? A n d a s i n d i v i d u a l s , d o w e r e a l l y w a n t t o c l a i m , lik e t h e " g o o d " G e r m a n s o f 1 9 4 5 , t h a t w e d i d n 't k n o w w h a t w a s g o in g o n ? F r a n k G ie s e is a f o r m e r p r o f e s s o r of F r e n c h a t P o r t l a n d S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y a n d is a l o n g t i m e p o l i t i c a l a c t i v i s t . H e f o u g h t in E u r o p e d u r i n g W o r ld W a r II in th e U .S . A r m y . "Quite simply, the Best." Selected the finest seafood restaurant in Oregon . Oregon Magazine December 1984 1287 S Hemlock Cannon Beach, OR 436-1179 Hours Dinners begin at 5 30 Tues-Sat iiihes ERGIE A J O U R N A L O F A R T A N D O P IN IO N P U B L I S H E D M O N T H L Y IN A S T O R IA , O R E G O N , 286 B O N D S T . (# 4 ) 9 7 1 0 3 . M IC H A E L P A U L M c C U S K E R , E D IT O R A N D P U B L IS H E R thepom store m unitv A NATURAL foods grocery Lowest Prices On Spices, Whole Groms, Flours, Cheese, Dairy Products, Dried Fruit | Cooperatively run - Discounts Availat 1120 Marine Dr , Astoria