Page 24 - The Chief Culprit
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The Struggle for Peace,
and Its Results
We rely entirely on the hope that our revolution will unleash a European revolution. If
the rising people of Europe do not crush capitalism, we will undoubtedly be crushed
ourselves. Either the Russian revolution creates a whirlwind of struggle in the West, or the
capitalists of all nations will strangle our revolution.
—L T, , S A-
R C S, O ,
orld War I ended on November 11, 1918. Within forty-eight hours, on the
morning of November 13, an attempt was made to bring about a second world
Wwar. At that time the concepts and names “World War I” and “World War II”
did not yet exist. e war of 1914–18, because it was a collision of gigantic empires, was
called the Imperialist War. It was also called the Great War, because it surpassed all previously
known wars in magnitude, expenditure, and number of participants. No previous wars had
known such extended fronts, such intense battles, such massive losses, or such great social
and economic consequences. e barbarity of a global slaughterhouse was so obvious that an
overwhelming majority of people considered a repeated occurrence of such madness impos-
sible. For this reason, the war of 1914–18 had another name, which is now forever forgotten,
the Last War. Many thought that the gory absurdity of the Great War would sober all its
participants, and eternally eradicate the desire to fight.
Nevertheless, a small group of people existed in Russia, who dreamed that a second
world war would be crueler, that the bloodshed would encompass not only Europe and
part of Asia but all the other continents as well. ese people called themselves Bolsheviks,
or Communists. Vladimir Lenin headed the group, and called their organization a political
party. However, the infrastructure, tactics, and strategies of Lenin’s group did not resemble
those of a political party, but of a small, well-organized, conspiratorial cult. Lenin’s party had
a perceptible structure, parallel to which ran a secret, invisible organization. Just like a mafia
organization, Lenin’s party had open and entirely legal associations and undertakings, along
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