Stalin's Kiwi Henchmen
Old radical Mark Derby has compiled a book about New Zealand's contribution to the Republican (communist) cause during the Spanish Civil War.
“This book is the first-ever account of New Zealand’s role in the Spanish civil war of 1936–39, a war that became a ruthless rehearsal for World War Two.
Volunteers from more than 50 countries arrived in Spain to take sides. This book records the actions of New Zealanders involved, including those who worked for the Spanish cause at home by raising funds, lobbying politicians, writing poems and spreading propaganda.
Kiwi Compañeros includes contributions from some of New Zealand’s leading writers and historians. It draws on personal letters, recently released military documents and previously unpublished photographs to tell an all-but-forgotten story.”
While you have to admire the courage and commitment of these people, it is important to remember, they were all cogs in Stalin's murderous war machine.
Would any author dare glorify the one or two Kiwis who collaborated with Hitler?
What's the moral difference?
Why is serving one evil cause better than serving another?
“This book is the first-ever account of New Zealand’s role in the Spanish civil war of 1936–39, a war that became a ruthless rehearsal for World War Two.
Volunteers from more than 50 countries arrived in Spain to take sides. This book records the actions of New Zealanders involved, including those who worked for the Spanish cause at home by raising funds, lobbying politicians, writing poems and spreading propaganda.
Kiwi Compañeros includes contributions from some of New Zealand’s leading writers and historians. It draws on personal letters, recently released military documents and previously unpublished photographs to tell an all-but-forgotten story.”
While you have to admire the courage and commitment of these people, it is important to remember, they were all cogs in Stalin's murderous war machine.
Would any author dare glorify the one or two Kiwis who collaborated with Hitler?
What's the moral difference?
Why is serving one evil cause better than serving another?
posted by Trevor Loudon at
7/09/2009 10:17:00 PM
16 Comments:
"What's the moral difference?"
Mostly that nobody with a few clues about history could make such a ludicrous statement as to describe those who resisted fascism in Spain as "all cogs in Stalin's murderous war machine" and expect to be taken seriously.
Cheers
Sam Buchanan
Thanks for the ad for my book, Trev. But I'm disappointed that you fail to mention the New Zealanders it describes who supported the Franco side in the civil war. Their views and actions may be more to your political taste than those of the International Brigaders. In which case, why not a little plug for them?
Mark Derby
Whereas Sam still labours under the delusion that those who went to fight for the Republican cause were fighting for freedom, when all they were doing was defending Socialism
Who armed the Republcans?, who trained and advised them?. Will Sam answer the question honestly?
EXOCET
Hi Trevor,
I hope you are well and that your religious movement, ZAP, and your party, ACT, are faring well.
With regard to your post, I think you are very confused about the composition of the Republicans. Are you familiar with the complexities of the Republican forces in terms of factions? You clearly are not, unfortunately.
I would advise you to get a copy of Homage to Catalonia by that excellent democratic socialist, George Orwell, who was part of the International Brigades and who like many others, strongly opposed Stalinism. The POUM, anarchist and other left-wing elements within the Republicans were not Stalinists.
Indeed, apart from your typical ignorance and cheap throwaway lines that distort history, I think your comments are offensive to the Kiwi patriots who fought for freedom on foreign battlefields.
How do you dare criticise the sacrifice that so many thousands of Kiwi men and women made, my family included, on the battlefields of the Ottoman Empire, France, Spain, Germany, Egypt and elsewhere?
If New Zealanders who fought on the Republican side in the Spanish Civil War to prevent the fascists taking over Spain were "cogs in Stalin's murderous war machine", then surely New Zealanders who fought on the Allied side in World War Two to prevent the fascists taking over the rest of Europe were also "cogs in Stalin's murderous war machine". What's the moral difference?
"...surely New Zealanders who fought on the Allied side in World War Two to prevent the fascists taking over the rest of Europe were also "cogs in Stalin's murderous war machine. What's the moral difference?"
They were cogs in Churchill's war machine. That is the moral difference. But since most leftists consider Stalin to be the moral superior to Churchill that isn't saying much of anything.
I am 100% certain the sentence in the piece where you ask the question "would any author dare glorify the one or two kiwis who collaborated with Hitler?" will never be4 allowed a truthful answer in NZ.The truth is too terrible for ordinary NZers to know, it was not one or two NZers who collaborated with Hitler ,it was the whole damned Govt (the first NZ Labour party of Peter Fraser), NZ Labour govt of the day made Chamberlain look like a warmonger with the snivelling appeasement of Nazi Germany, this was in all international forums where NZ had a voice.NZ even went as far as signing a bi-lateral trade agreement with Nazi Germany in 1937, so it is safe to assume German soldiers were wearing uniforms made with NZ wool.The political climate in NZ at that time was almost as anti-semetic as that in Germany, the Labour party seemed to believe in the propaganda put forth in the "Secret protocols of the Elders of Zion".
Contrary to the rewritten history we have all had shoved down our throats about Fraser and Savage being great wartime leaders of moral integrity , they were snivelling apppeasers of the worst kind, and enthusiastic to pursue a soviet union type model as the preferred enlightened system for NZ to follow.
By all accounts they have been pretty successful as NZ has been viewed by many as being only second to the soviets in the sort of socialism we have embraced.
NZers just seem to love that third worlder ideology.
Meanwhile, while everyone is busy distracted with the rewriting of the history books ,the shaved apes are taking over everything.Western civilization will cease to exist in its current form and the builders and founders of civilization will be nothing more than serfs in this new age of primitivism and savagery.
The Sam Buchanans of this world will end up like all of the useful idiots in history, dead or a slave.
We as NZers owe a great debt to the puppeteers behind the likes of Key,Bolger,Clark,Goff and all the other pretenders who have ensured our end.
Happy serfdom everyone.
Who armed the Republcans?, who trained and advised them?. Will Sam answer the question honestly?"
You'd be better going to library and reading a book than asking me - it's a pretty big subject.
Basically weapons came from all over - Mexico, France, Great Britain, the Soviet Union, some stuff made in Spain - such as the STAR SMG and improvised grenades - some aircraft from the United States, some stuff captured, armoured cars fabricated on truck chassis in Barcelona workshops...
"Sam still labours under the delusion that those who went to fight for the Republican cause were fighting for freedom"
No I don't. You are making things up again.
"The Sam Buchanans of this world will end up like all of the useful idiots in history, dead or a slave."
Agreed. Predicting that I will die some time is a bit of a given though.
Cheers
Sam
I knew Tom Spiller (featured in the book) personally Trev and can tell you he had great integrity and was a good marxist in later years too. Something the insects in ACT will never understand. Internationalism is the highest service possible for working class activists.
Hey Ollie.
465 votes.
LOL.
Good luck next election.
Historical revision while taking drugs would be an appropriate title for this post.
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Not all the republicans were communist. Be informed before speak.no teneis ni puta idea de lo que hablais ignorantes
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