March 07, 2003

Iranian expatriate journalist Amir Taheri

Iranian expatriate journalist Amir Taheri on the origins of the first Peace Movement:

today marks the 50th anniversary of Josef Stalin's death.

The Soviet dictator was the father of the first "peace movement," which for years served as an instrument of the Kremlin's global policy.

Stalin's "peace movement" was launched in 1946 at a time when he had not yet developed a nuclear arsenal and was thus vulnerable to a U.S. nuclear attack. Stalin also needed time to consolidate his hold on his newly conquered empire in eastern and central Europe while snatching chunks of territory in Iran.

Pablo Picasso, a "fellow traveler" with the French Communist Party, designed the famous dove of peace as the emblem of the movement. French poet Paul Eluard, another fellow traveler, composed an ode inspired by Stalin. The "peaceniks" were told to wear white shirts, release white doves during their demonstrations and shake their clenched fists against "imperialists and revanchistes."

Soon it became clear that the "peace movement" was not opposed to all wars, but only to those that threatened the U.S.S.R., its allies and its satellites.


Taheri adds: "The "evil empire" of communism has gone for good, but the deep anti-West sentiments that it promoted over the decades remains." British Spin has a lengthy post examining the effects of this dynamic among the leaders and organizers of the current British peace movement.

(via Cinderella.)

Posted by Dr. Frank at March 7, 2003 09:30 AM | TrackBack