Communism - face of ideology

There are several reasons that there is a reluctance to fully expose the crimes of Mao and Stalin, among others.

1. The American left embraced them for years. Leading Hollywood leftist Walter Huston, for instance, starred in a 1940 movie "Mission to Moscow", which was a whitewash of Stalin. The Stalin character in that movie was gentle and kind, and sooo dedicated to uprooting facism.

2. The documentary evidence, films, and photographs of the Nazi holocaust are too numerous to ignore unless one is a nut case or has the intelligence of a poached egg. The very meticulous record keeping of the Germans ensured that the numbers could be verified. There are yet living many witnesses, and many more, such as I, who heard the stories told by my uncles, who helped liberate Nazi concentration camps. While there is no doubt that the Communist crimes took place, the evidence trail is not as obvious or compelling. One has to think about it, and most people don't want to have to think about anything.

3. Americans don't care much about Russia--it just does not enter our minds since the Cold War ended. The greatest battles in history were fought on the Eastern Front, and I can only think of one movie made in the US about that part of WW2--Enemy At The Gates.

There was an excellent mini-series on Stalin several years ago on HBO, with Robert Duvall doing a wonderful job of capturing the character of the First Monster and Hero of the People.

 

"I can only think of one movie made in the US about that part of WW2--Enemy At The Gates."
"
And even that film is an international co-production.

 

Governments have short memories. One day we sell arms to a dictator to fight our other enemies, the next day we decry said dictator for having used those weapons.

During WWII, a lot of propoganda was created to persuade the American people that our Russian allies deserved our help in defeating a common enemy. The praise in such documentaries as, "Why We Fight", made it rather difficult to be too quick in judging that ally after the war. Its the old "lesser-of-two-evils" logic at work again.

 

Captured German Army Officers would tell American interrigation officers that "when this war is over---you will join us in fighting the REAL enemy"---in reference to Russia!

Surrendering German soldiers by the droves---would "knock each other down" to surrender to Americal forces in the west---to surrender to Russian forces spelled death in slow motion!! A surrender to Americal forces meant a "holiday" for captured Germans in the United States!!!

Of the 260,000 German troops who surrendered to Russia after the seige of Stalingrad---less than 6,000 survived the end of the war as prisoners. The notorious Bataan Death March "pails" in comparision to their Death March--Eastward!!"

 

I think it was only 90,000 who ultimately surrendered to the Soviets on 31st January-2nd February 1943 - most of the rest of the 278,000 originally trapped in November 1942 had already died (a few were airlifted)

 

Has anyone here read The Black Book of Communism?

 

You mean this book?
http://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog/COUBLA.html
I read Le livre noir du Communisme when it was first published in the late 90's.
Scary stuff.

 

Remember that when one points his fingers at somebody, whether justly or not, three are pointing right back at him.

In these United States of America, bastion of freedom, showcase of democracy to the world, model of the 'protection' of human rights, huffer and puffer and frowner at those who would trample on 'human dignity', there is one running around, openly admitting that he has aborted at least 20,000 babies, living most probably in a mansion, and protected by the very system of legal recognition and legal benefits which protected communism's criminals.

How many more murderers are running loose in our own country ? Murderers who hide behind the venerable title of Doctor of Medicine, driving around in their Mercedeses or Lincoln Continentals or Jaguars, living in their many roomed mansions built on $200.00 per abortion ?

 

Of the 260,000 German troops who surrendered to Russia after the seige of Stalingrad---less than 6,000 survived the end of the war as prisoners.

I had a friend in Germany who was one of the survivors -- a VERY lucky man. He spent 10+ years in Siberia, and somehow still had a sense of humor.

 

I don't want to defend Russia in that I believe Stalin was worse than Hitler but let's not forget the Russian retribution on the Nazis while barbaric was in response to Hitler's butchery of Russians on the Eastern Front. The Germans had Death squads that exterminated Russian Jews in their invasion and the civilian deaths from Germany's Invasion was horrific.

When the tide turned at Stalingrad, well it was pay back time and Stalin made sure the Germans paid with a vengence.