1. Stalin and the Western Threat

1.
Stalin and the Western Threat

The Formation of the Communist Information Bureau (Cominform) (1947)

Despite his instrumental role in defeating Fascism, the head of the Soviet Union, Joseph Stalin (1879–1953), deeply mistrusted his Western allies. Convinced that their ultimate goal was to destroy communism, Stalin moved rapidly to establish a buffer zone of satellite states in eastern Europe. At a meeting in September 1947, communist leaders consolidated the Soviets’ hold in the East by establishing a centralized association of communist parties—the Communist Information Bureau (Cominform). As the following document justifying their actions reveals, the Cominform embodied Stalin’s belief that only by coordinating their efforts could the Soviet Union and its clients defeat the “imperialist” threat. Stalin’s Western rivals worked to put their own counterstrategies in place, thus hardening the battle lines of the cold war.

From United States Senate, 81st Congress, 1st Session, Document No. 48, North Atlantic Treaty: Documents Relating to the North Atlantic Treaty (Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1949), 117–20.

The representatives of the Communist Party of Yugoslavia, the Bulgarian Workers’ Party (Communists), the Communist Party of Rumania, the Hungarian Communist Party, the Polish Workers’ Party, the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (Bolsheviks), the Communist Party of France, the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia and the Communist Party of Italy, having exchanged views on the international situation, have agreed upon the following declaration.

Fundamental changes have taken place in the international situation as a result of the Second World War and in the post-war period.

These changes are characterized by a new disposition of the basic political forces operating in the world arena, by a change in the relations among the victor states in the Second World War, and their realignment.

While the war was on, the Allied States in the War against Germany and Japan went together and comprised one camp. However, already during the war there were differences in the Allied camp as regards the definition of both war aims and the tasks of the post-war peace settlement. The Soviet Union and the other democratic countries regarded as their basic war aims the restoration and consolidation of democratic order in Europe, the eradication of fascism and the prevention of the possibility of new aggression on the part of Germany, and the establishment of a lasting all-round cooperation among the nations of Europe. The United States of America, and Britain in agreement with them, set themselves another aim in the war: to rid themselves of competitors on the markets (Germany and Japan) and to establish their dominant position. This difference in the definition of war aims and the tasks of the post-war settlement grew more profound after the war. Two diametrically opposed political lines took shape: on the one side the policy of the USSR and the other democratic countries directed at undermining imperialism and consolidating democracy, and on the other side, the policy of the United States and Britain directed at strengthening imperialism and stifling democracy. Inasmuch as the USSR and the countries of the new democracy became obstacles to the realization of the imperialist plans of struggle for world domination and smashing of democratic movements, a crusade was proclaimed against the USSR and the countries of the new democracy, bolstered also by threats of a new war on the part of the most zealous imperialist politicians in the United States of America and Britain.

Thus two camps were formed—the imperialist and anti-democratic camp having as its basic aim the establishment of world domination of American imperialism and the smashing of democracy, and the anti-imperialist and democratic camp having as its basic aim the undermining of imperialism, the consolidation of democracy, and the eradication of the remnants of fascism.

The struggle between the two diametrically opposed camps—the imperialist camp and the anti-imperialist camp—is taking place in a situation marked by a further aggravation of the general crisis of capitalism, the weakening of the forces of capitalism and the strengthening of the forces of Socialism and democracy.

Hence the imperialist camp and its leading force, the United States, are displaying particularly aggressive activity. This activity is being developed simultaneously along all lines—the lines of strategic military measures, economic expansion and ideological struggle. The Truman-Marshall Plan is only a constituent part, the European sub-section, of the general plan for the policy of global expansion pursued by the United States in all parts of the World. The plan for the economic and political enslavement of Europe by American imperialism is being supplemented by plans for the economic and political enslavement of China, Indonesia, the South American countries. Yesterday’s aggressors—the capitalist magnates of Germany and Japan—are being groomed by the United States of America for a new role, that of instruments of the imperialist policy of the United States in Europe and Asia.

The arsenal of tactical weapons used by the imperialist camp is highly diversified. It combines direct threats of violence, blackmail and extortion, every means of political and economic pressure, bribery, and utilization of internal contradictions and strife in order to strengthen its own positions, and all this is concealed behind a liberal-pacifist mask designed to deceive and trap the politically inexperienced. . . .

Under these circumstances it is necessary that the anti-imperialist, democratic camp should close its ranks, draw up an agreed program of actions and work out its own tactics against the main forces of the imperialist camp, against American imperialism and its British and French allies, against the right-wing Socialists, primarily in Britain and France.

To frustrate the plan of imperialist aggression the efforts of all the democratic anti-imperialist forces of Europe are necessary. The right-wing Socialists are traitors to this cause. With the exception of those countries of the new democracy where the bloc of the Communists and the Socialists with other democratic, progressive parties forms the basis of the resistance of these countries to the imperialist plans, the Socialists in the majority of other countries, and primarily the French Socialists and the British Labourites . . . by their servility and sycophancy are helping American capital to achieve its aims, provoking it to resort to extortion and impelling their own countries on to the path of vassal-like dependence on the United States of America.

This imposes a special task on the Communist Parties. They must take into their hands the banner of defense of the national independence and sovereignty of their countries. If the Communist Parties stick firmly to their positions, if they do not let themselves be intimidated and blackmailed, if they courageously safeguard democracy and the national sovereignty, liberty and independence of their countries, if in their struggle against attempts to enslave their countries economically and politically they be able to take the lead of all the forces that are ready to fight for honor and national independence, no plans for the enslavement of the countries of Europe and Asia can be carried into effect.

This is now one of the principal tasks of the Communist Parties.

It is essential to bear in mind that there is a vast difference between the desire of the imperialists to unleash a new war and the possibility of organizing such a war. The nations of the world do not want war. The forces standing for peace are so large and so strong that if these forces be staunch and firm in defending the peace, if they display stamina and resolution, the plans of the aggressors will meet with utter failure. It should not be forgotten that the war danger hullabaloo raised by the imperialist agents is intended to frighten the nervous and unstable elements and by blackmail to win concessions for the aggressor.

The principal danger for the working class today lies in underestimating their own strength and overestimating the strength of the imperialist camp. Just as the Munich policy untied the hands of Hitlerite aggression in the past, so yielding to the new line in the policy of the United States and that of the imperialist camp is bound to make its inspirers still more arrogant and aggressive. Therefore, the Communist Parties must take the lead in resisting the plans of imperialist expansion and aggression in all spheres—state, political, economic, and ideological; they must close their ranks, unite their efforts on the basis of a common anti-imperialist and democratic platform and rally around themselves all the democratic and patriotic forces of the nation.

Resolution on Interchange of Experience and Coordination of Activities of the Parties Represented at the Conference

The Conference states that the absence of contacts among the Communist Parties participating at this Conference is a serious shortcoming in the present situation. Experience has shown that such lack of contacts among the Communist Parties is wrong and harmful. The need for interchange of experience and voluntary coordination of action of the various Parties is particularly keenly felt at the present time in view of the growing complication of the post-war international situation, a situation in which the lack of connections among the Communist Parties may prove detrimental to the working class.

In view of this, the participants in the Conference have agreed on the following:

1. To set up an Information Bureau consisting of representatives of the Communist Party of Yugoslavia, the Bulgarian Workers’ Party (Communists), the Communist Party of Rumania, the Hungarian Communist Party, the Polish Workers’ Party, the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (Bolsheviks), the Communist Party of France, the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia and the Communist Party of Italy.

2. To charge the Information Bureau with the organization of interchange of experience, and if need be, coordination of the activities of the Communist Parties on the basis of mutual agreement.

3. The Information Bureau is to consist of two representatives from each Central Committee, the delegations of the Central Committees to be appointed and replaced by the Central Committees.

4. The Information Bureau is to have a printed organ—a fortnightly and subsequently, a weekly. The organ is to be published in French and Russian, and when possible, in other languages as well.

5. The Information Bureau is to be located in the city of Belgrad [sic].

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  1. According to the document, how and why did the relationship between the Soviet Union and its Western allies change during the postwar period?

    Question

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    According to the document, how and why did the relationship between the Soviet Union and its Western allies change during the postwar period?
  2. What does the document mean when it describes the United States as an “imperialist” power?

    Question

    DuUNIMkuXl81a7BJhUfTYaSVlRFjpA9vaHQVG0RBBEnfS2GLhMoianFxuQ4x6RKg3rpp4gYVhWjne72oNsnH1adYF/sZAN81k3zQf2x5GZMfoI4dfdfdP+ZDX0NyWGduWThgGqN/LTWTDX4dz3PyRSv70CbWFevcOWFd+C9M7Wa4HbWzlk87lg==
    What does the document mean when it describes the United States as an “imperialist” power?
  3. What course of action does the document set forth to undermine this power, and to what end?

    Question

    sBM9TTqM8dacJWBjVMdFBN+dn0AoFJs7JT5NlqRxB5xC4iIa8Qv+fOPmamZCk63xnhquYnzQsdgXlnxgL5/ybpkwTPgK2LaPvmzP5r6TWoFLhJ69yFkorBANbxK2SbTse8+lsJYZwlHxyHQkx5ClJurKegDLrYyDUuzFOj+nJjbwq4Vks9UOJQ==
    What course of action does the document set forth to undermine this power, and to what end?
  4. How does this document distort the reality of Soviet actions in eastern Europe?

    Question

    r0xuEfQ3TCXU7tNC3LV4MBD2Agj0kS6nB408Em7RPFn1c2oZn3bHaJ0VpzrhCqT/+grxl8Udvn7baM+9/EaFuuDPdLdxusAVxdtORFu3d42AfoXVTGVWbGvyn6Xu8wfZc5OPo4KO3j67j27iZHfZA8qSPt8O5+r9WoHWwQ==
    How does this document distort the reality of Soviet actions in eastern Europe?