p 32 Jim McConnell's Autobiography 1877 - 1957

Jim McConnell's Autobiography 1877 - 1957

Canadian pioneer farmer in Ontario, Saskatchewan and British Columbia

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32.

(eds. note: This entire page covers the history of Russian socialism; there is NO personal/Canadian historical information on this page.)

For almost 20 years Lenin and his confederates had patiently waited for an opportunity. His peasants were armed. They could see the careless inefficiency of their Government, and their time to strike had arrived. Many of us have heard or read of Lenin's first general command, "Go home and take from the overlords that which they have robbed from you". For the first time in their lives the proletariats were in control and they were swift to carry out retribution in all parts of R.ussia for the wrongs and evils they had suffered. They did not stop at the lower or middle classes, but went right to the top. Even the Czar and his family were put to death by the hand of the angry peasants.

Here in Canada we heard of the Bolshevicks taking command in Russia, but none of us realized or understood the immensity of the revolution that was taking place in Russia -- overpowering and destroying the ruling classes and the wealthy. This was a time when every man did that which was right in his own eyes.

Now Lenin began to set up his Communes, as he had planned to enable the proletariat to rule and govern the land. All private capital was eliminated, and all products from labour beyond maintenance became the property of the State. About this time, Capitalist countries began looking with jealousy at the new regime in Russia where the common people could get along without private capital getting the largest share of the peoples' money.

An army was sent into Russia to put down the rebellion. However, it soon became apparent to all that this new regime planned by V:min was taking over in all parts of the country and the foreign troops were quietly withdrawn. The first clash between Communism and Capitalism had taken place almost unnoticed, as the war with Germany was still undecided.

I cannot believe that Lenin ever planned on a foreign policy. His one great purpose was to set up a Socialist way of living in Russia. whereby aU the people could live happily together and enjoy equal opportunity and privileges. Lenin lived long enough to see the complete destruction of the Russian Moqarchy, and to see the setting up of State controL But at Lenin's passing Stalin took over and all positions of power were seized and held by men like himself. ruthless. ungodly tyrants. with- out any fear of God in their hearts. They now had the wealth and power of the whole country to work with and they used it to educate the people in the Communist way, and to develop the resources of the country. Knowing now that there would be opposition from outside the country. Stalin and his communist leadrs immediately began to build up a powerful army, trained and equipped for war.

I am convinced that even when Lenin died he was not aware that he had set up a Dynasty in Russia, ruthless, ungodly, and striving for mastery, who would, as the opportunity offered, take over one country after another and seek for world mastery. This opportunity came or was forced upon Russia when in 1939 Hitler crashed Europe with the second world war taking over in rapid succession: Poland, Holland, Denmark, Norway and France. He halted only at the English Channel when his airforce proved inferior to the British defence planes, and he feared the striking power of the British navy.

Expecting an easy victory in Russia, Hitler's troops turned now eastward. Russia suffered terrible losses, as she slowly retreated and a scorched earth policy was used. The Russians burned or destroyed everything as they retreated. Hitler's army fought its way to Stalingrad. Most of the city was destroyed, and the defenders were killed or disabled, but from here, the Russian army refused to give ground. Under cover of darkness, fresh troops were rushed in, and they dug in and waited for fighting planes and machine guns to arrive from their allies -- the United States and Britain.

About this time the German striking and fighting power weakened as her air

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