WAR
WAR
The most monstrous consequence of imperialism lies in its world wars. Humanity has been dragged into the maw of war during entire decades. More than half of the 20th Century has been devoted to the slaughter. In the first world war 70 million men were killed for nothing, in the second. 110 million. This is only those in combat. The victims had 10 million dead and 20 million wounded, the second resulted in 32 million dead and 35 million invalids. But we are not finished yet. There are material losses to be considered. In Europe during the second war there were 26.3 million houses destroyed, 14.5 million public buildings, and industrial installations, and more than 200,000 railways. Just in the USSR the fascists set fire to and destroyed 1,710 cities and more than 70,000 villages, with a result of 25 million people rendered homeless.
In spite of the propaganda of a "lightning strike", the duration of attacks did not grow less, but increased. The first war lasted 51.5 months, and the second 72 months. Imperialism is ready to engage in all sorts of ferocity and cruelty and crimes in order to defend capitalist slavery. The threats contain a certain measure of blackmail and bluff. Threats and provocations combined with the arms race hold great danger of war.
It is the ordinary people, workers and peasants and agricultural workers who suffer the brunt of the carnage. Unemployment pushes them to join the armed forces to their death or disability. Soldiers are now more ware that "patriotism" means death and have formed resistance groups against endless wars. Proof that the reactionary and aggressive spirit of empire is a constant threat of war. Formerly there were places in the world that were inaccessible, and therefore safe from war, but with modern technology every corner of the planet is liable to bombing and destruction. English writer Lyddel Hart has said," war has stopped being a war between two armies. It has been converted into a simple process of general destruction." Not only do wars carry with them the death of those directly involved, but have catastrophic consequences to people who are not involved, to the environment, and to plants and animals generally, due to the toxic fallout and especially after the use of nuclear bombs. A third world war, with atomic and hydrogen armaments, would be, quite literally, the end of the world as we know it.
Empire is dedicated to crushing all attempts at national liberation of the peoples and to adapt the old colonial system to today's demands, waging war, if necessary (Central and South America, Pakistan, Iraq, Syria). This explains how the cold war continues, even if by another name. The main task of empire is to poison the political atmosphere with "austerity" and demonization of socialist attempts by governments. The main task of this new cold war is to artificially maintain a state of tension, the denial of cooperation and diplomacy, and an unending posture of pressure on socialist countries. This new cold war interferes with commerce between countries by means of sanctions, embargoes and economic blockades, the halting of cultural and scientific exchanges, spying and sabotage even against so-called friendly countries. Empire abhors competition even by other capitalist countries, let alone socialist ones, and tries to turn them into docile followers of its commands. Under the pretext of the "communist menace" Empire has built the most extensive system of military blocs and strategic bases in foreign territories. (NATO), dedicated to economic, military matters and the "fight against subversion". Let us not forget that capitalists by definition are but a minority, and if all the groups of farmers, peasants, workers, intellectuals and small entrepreneurs were to unite they would create an irresistible storm that would sweep the poisonous system off the pages of history. Pandemics, world wars, are vehicles of disaster that can have the consequence of uniting those who have been so harmed by capitalist supremacy and lead to a society of peace, health and science.
War affects the most vulnerable, who supply the cannon fodder, who pay the highest taxes to pay copious amounts to the military, and are the subject of confiscation and theft of property for storaage houses and military bases for "the war effort", and whose environment is poisoned for decades after.
Science is also a casualty of war. Universities become appendages of the military, and any investigation that does not help the capitalist war effort is discarded. Artistic creation is also limited, as is what is taught in schools, where students are taught "patriotic" literature, and superstition, fatalism, decadence and lack of faith in the future.
At the same time movements for world peace grow exponentially, movements that include important and distinguished leading figures on the world scene, as well as millions of ordinary folk. The working masses and their organizations fight more than ever for peace, for international collaboration, and for peaceful coexistence. But that is not enough. Most people are unaware of the great danger, and are apathetic.
Even so, times have changed. While those who lobbied for peace were few, now they are legion. Socialist countries and working classes of all countries, including capitalist, are no longer fooled by calls to "patriotism". They have come to realize that it is a scam, and are determined not to let the Empire embark on a new folly. People are no longer fooled by calling Venezuela a "dictatorship", or Iran a "supporter of ISIS" as propaganda for a new invasion. Wars are not inevitable. They are caused by greedy people who make whole fortunes out of war on the backs and misery of the population. How much better would it be to consign war to the ash heap of history, and to develop humankind and nature in a progressive way so that every single person, animal or bade of grass can realize its full potential.
The most monstrous consequence of imperialism lies in its world wars. Humanity has been dragged into the maw of war during entire decades. More than half of the 20th Century has been devoted to the slaughter. In the first world war 70 million men were killed for nothing, in the second. 110 million. This is only those in combat. The victims had 10 million dead and 20 million wounded, the second resulted in 32 million dead and 35 million invalids. But we are not finished yet. There are material losses to be considered. In Europe during the second war there were 26.3 million houses destroyed, 14.5 million public buildings, and industrial installations, and more than 200,000 railways. Just in the USSR the fascists set fire to and destroyed 1,710 cities and more than 70,000 villages, with a result of 25 million people rendered homeless.
In spite of the propaganda of a "lightning strike", the duration of attacks did not grow less, but increased. The first war lasted 51.5 months, and the second 72 months. Imperialism is ready to engage in all sorts of ferocity and cruelty and crimes in order to defend capitalist slavery. The threats contain a certain measure of blackmail and bluff. Threats and provocations combined with the arms race hold great danger of war.
It is the ordinary people, workers and peasants and agricultural workers who suffer the brunt of the carnage. Unemployment pushes them to join the armed forces to their death or disability. Soldiers are now more ware that "patriotism" means death and have formed resistance groups against endless wars. Proof that the reactionary and aggressive spirit of empire is a constant threat of war. Formerly there were places in the world that were inaccessible, and therefore safe from war, but with modern technology every corner of the planet is liable to bombing and destruction. English writer Lyddel Hart has said," war has stopped being a war between two armies. It has been converted into a simple process of general destruction." Not only do wars carry with them the death of those directly involved, but have catastrophic consequences to people who are not involved, to the environment, and to plants and animals generally, due to the toxic fallout and especially after the use of nuclear bombs. A third world war, with atomic and hydrogen armaments, would be, quite literally, the end of the world as we know it.
Empire is dedicated to crushing all attempts at national liberation of the peoples and to adapt the old colonial system to today's demands, waging war, if necessary (Central and South America, Pakistan, Iraq, Syria). This explains how the cold war continues, even if by another name. The main task of empire is to poison the political atmosphere with "austerity" and demonization of socialist attempts by governments. The main task of this new cold war is to artificially maintain a state of tension, the denial of cooperation and diplomacy, and an unending posture of pressure on socialist countries. This new cold war interferes with commerce between countries by means of sanctions, embargoes and economic blockades, the halting of cultural and scientific exchanges, spying and sabotage even against so-called friendly countries. Empire abhors competition even by other capitalist countries, let alone socialist ones, and tries to turn them into docile followers of its commands. Under the pretext of the "communist menace" Empire has built the most extensive system of military blocs and strategic bases in foreign territories. (NATO), dedicated to economic, military matters and the "fight against subversion". Let us not forget that capitalists by definition are but a minority, and if all the groups of farmers, peasants, workers, intellectuals and small entrepreneurs were to unite they would create an irresistible storm that would sweep the poisonous system off the pages of history. Pandemics, world wars, are vehicles of disaster that can have the consequence of uniting those who have been so harmed by capitalist supremacy and lead to a society of peace, health and science.
War affects the most vulnerable, who supply the cannon fodder, who pay the highest taxes to pay copious amounts to the military, and are the subject of confiscation and theft of property for storaage houses and military bases for "the war effort", and whose environment is poisoned for decades after.
Science is also a casualty of war. Universities become appendages of the military, and any investigation that does not help the capitalist war effort is discarded. Artistic creation is also limited, as is what is taught in schools, where students are taught "patriotic" literature, and superstition, fatalism, decadence and lack of faith in the future.
At the same time movements for world peace grow exponentially, movements that include important and distinguished leading figures on the world scene, as well as millions of ordinary folk. The working masses and their organizations fight more than ever for peace, for international collaboration, and for peaceful coexistence. But that is not enough. Most people are unaware of the great danger, and are apathetic.
Even so, times have changed. While those who lobbied for peace were few, now they are legion. Socialist countries and working classes of all countries, including capitalist, are no longer fooled by calls to "patriotism". They have come to realize that it is a scam, and are determined not to let the Empire embark on a new folly. People are no longer fooled by calling Venezuela a "dictatorship", or Iran a "supporter of ISIS" as propaganda for a new invasion. Wars are not inevitable. They are caused by greedy people who make whole fortunes out of war on the backs and misery of the population. How much better would it be to consign war to the ash heap of history, and to develop humankind and nature in a progressive way so that every single person, animal or bade of grass can realize its full potential.
posted by ANTONIO at 11:28 AM
<< Home