Once upon a time there was a nation, free and proud. It was armed and ready for war. Its warriors were battle-ready and disciplined. But the leaders of this nation were socialists, and they were opposed to their own country's armed forces. In secret collaboration with a foreign power, they ordered their country's disarmament. They eliminated military units, they slashed military spending, and promoted commanders who were willing to disband their own armed forces.
Here was a patriotic and warlike nation which had no hope of freedom or independence, because it lacked one simple advantage: It lacked leaders who were ready to defend the country's sovereignty. The educated strata of society, from which these leaders were drawn, had been indoctrinated to oppose national defense on ideological grounds. Instead of caring for their country, their ideal was to care for the international working class. In other words, they believed in something that has no real existence; and they were willing to betray their country in order to serve this unreal thing.
Is this a fairy tale? Not at all. The country I refer to is real, and its people suffered much more than the loss of their independence. They were conquered, and 10 million citizens from this country were systematically exterminated little more than a decade later. The final count of those exterminated throughout the period of enslavement (lasting 70 years), is staggering. The nation I refer to is Ukraine; and recent archival discoveries put the number of Ukrainians killed within the borders of the Soviet Union (between 1917 and 1991) at approximately 50 million.
I should like to quote a few passages on the betrayal of Ukraine by its leaders. The text is taken from Pavlo Shtepa's history, which I believe has not been translated into English until now. The title of Shtepa's book is difficult to render, but may be understood as [the study of] Moscow-ism. What the author refers to is a new type of power formation, centered on Moscow. It is a malignant formation, which spreads its tentacles methodically and irresistibly in every direction, employing agents in many countries. "Through secret coded telegrams," says Shtepa, "a [Ukrainian] socialist minister, Nikolai Porsh, reported to Lenin in 1917 what was planned and carried out by the UPR government in Kiev." Moscow needed detailed information on Ukrainian plans. This could best be provided by a reliable "partner" inside the Ukrainian government. Since socialists were prevalent in Ukrainian politics at the time, many sources were available to Lenin.
Based on Porsh's information, says Shtepa, "Lenin ordered his agents, who were socialists in the Ukrainian government, to demobilize the Ukrainian army while the Russian army mobilized to invade." In all respects, this is a simple strategy. Find willing partners inside a target country; tell them, in a friendly way, to disarm the country. Since socialist ideals have become popularized, such people are plentiful in politics. When they gain enough of a foothold within a political system, they are driven to act on principles that roughly approximate to national suicide.
How do these people justify their actions? In the case of Ukraine, Shtepa tells us: "The bankrupt leaders of the Ukrainian Central Council (UPR) excused themselves by claiming that Moscow was militarily stronger than Ukraine, and for purposes of defense Ukraine did not have the right national consciousness." As elegant as this excuse may sound, it admits a central fear on the part of socialist leaders; namely, that they cannot stay in power if the people beneath them remain under arms; for the people must eventually hate such rulers, and attempt to overthrow them. As it happened, Ukraine's people were ready to fight for their freedom, but their socialist leaders , in Shtepa's words, "opposed every expression of Ukrainian independence, and every spontaneous manifestation of Ukrainian autonomy." Local communities throughout Ukraine got together and demanded a national army. They formed regiments and sent them to Kiev. The country's socialist leaders, however, would not support an army that favored national independence. According to Shtepa, "They viewed such 'separatism' as an attempted reversal of their collaborationist strategy.... So they relied on peaceful disarmament propaganda, refusing to provide food or shelter to Ukrainian troops."
The Ukrainian people, nonetheless, raised troops and sent them to the government. Shtepa tells the story of the Bogdan Khmelnitsky Regiment from Poltava, under command of Captain Ivan Zabudsky. According to Shtepa, this regiment had 4,000 soldiers armed with heavy machine guns and armored vehicles. "When the regiment came to Kiev and entered the courtyard of the barracks," wrote Shtepa,"it received orders to assemble in the regimental yard. The regimental deputy commander, Alexander Shapoval, appeared before the troops." Shapoval told the troops that he was their new commander, and he suggested they return home. These men were veterans of the Great War, tough soldiers capable of withstanding every hardship. But now, says Shtepa, "They wept like children from disappointment, refusing to surrender their weapons." But it quickly became clear that they would not be fed or housed. At that very moment, a Russian force led by Soviet Col. M. Muravyov, was marching on Kiev.
Does this story sound impossible? It happened to a proud people and so it can happen to you. Leadership is everything, and if you elect the wrong leaders -- which you may have done already -- then you are finished as a country. There will be no escape from the destruction you have foolishly brought upon yourselves. If 50 million Ukrainians were killed during the Soviet tyranny in Ukraine, imagine how many would die if the same fate overtook your country. Do you think we are protected from such an outcome?
As these words are written, Moscow is preparing for some kind of "strategic event." The Russian navy has begun to aggressively hunt American, French and British ballistic missile submarines. Chinese military districts have been mobilizing. North Korea is positioning its defenses as if to withstand a tremendous counter-blow. Israel has purchased a large quantity of fuel, as if a Middle East war is about to break out. Something grim is on its way. Will our leaders be vigilant, or are they "partners" of Moscow?
Time may be running short.
