Handout for Furr, "Did the USSR Invade Poland in September, 1939?"
[This page = handout.html ]
All evidence on web pages -- TOC is http://tinyurl.com/furr-mlg09 Links to html pages are on this TOC page.
[For background, see curzonline.html ; new_spheres_0939.html ]
The Soviets Wanted to Protect the USSR – and therefore to Preserve Independent Poland [see m-rpact.html ] [see no_partition.html ]
The USSR did not invade Poland.
How We Know.
1. The Polish government did not declare war on USSR.
2. The Polish Supreme Commander ordered Polish soldiers not to fight Soviets. [see rydz_dont_fight.html ]
3. The Polish President tacitly admitted that Poland no longer had a government. [see moscicki_resignation.html ]
4. The Rumanian government tacitly admitted that Poland no longer had a government. [see moscicki_resignation.html ]
5. Rumania did not declare war on the USSR.
6. France did not declare war on the USSR.
7. France and England never demanded that the USSR withdraw its troops from Poland. [see maisky_101739_102739.html ]
8. The League of Nations did not determine the USSR had invaded Poland. Article 16 of the League of Nations Covenant (http://avalon.law.yale.edu/20th_century/leagcov.asp#art16 ) required members to take trade and economic sanctions against any member who "resorted to war".
When the USSR attacked Finland in 1940, the League did vote to expel the USSR, (http://www.ibiblio.org/pha/policy/1939/391214a.html )
9. All countries tacitly accepted the USSR’s declaration of neutrality. [see soviet_neutrality.html ]
Collapse of the Polish State [see polish_state_collapsed.html ] [see polish_leaders_flee.html ]
The State in International Law [see state_international_law.html ]
Re-negotiation of "Spheres of Influence" September 28 1939 [see new_spheres_0939.html ]
The Polish Government in Exile
The Polish Government Uniquely Irresponsible [ see should_the_ussr_have_permitted.html ]
[see conclusion.html ]
We are never going to figure out how to build that just, egalitarian, communist society based upon collectivity and cooperation until we have learned the lessons from the rich history and experiences of those who have preceded us.
It’s essential that we sweep aside the mountains of lies about the history of the USSR and the international communist movement of the 20th century and learn what really did happen, so we can assess both its weaknesses and strengths, and learn to do better.
Until we undertake that task seriously our efforts towards building that better society of justice and equality cannot possibly succeed.
First among these our predecessors are the brave, intelligent, and visionary people of the Soviet Union during the time of Lenin and Stalin
There’s an attempt to likewise demonize Mao Zedong and the GPCR. There’s also an attempt to recuperate the GPCR, the CCP, and Mao more generally.
We need a similar effort with regard to Soviet history of the Stalin period (as well as before and afterwards).
The anticommunist attempt to demonize Stalin and the USSR during his time is part of a larger reactionary project: to demonize all revolutionary attempts to achieve a non-exploitative society of equality and justice.
We simply must resist it with everything we’ve got.
Patient historical work is essential to that effort. Theoretical work has to be grounded on the historical reality – on what really happened, not on falsehoods.
Our task is to learn the lessons, positive and negative, from the Soviet and Chinese experience, so we and those who come after us, can do it better next time.
To do that we need to know what really happened.
My presentation today is intended as a small part of that essential work.