RUSSELL REFUTES PHILIP TOYNBEE ON VIETNAM WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL
[The British weekly New Statesman published a letter from Philip Toynbee in its October 14 issue questioning the validity of the War Crimes Tribunal initiated by Bertrand Russell. A letter from Bertrand Russell replying to Toynbee was published in the next issue, October 21. The text of the two letters follows, the captions . (the | same in each instance ) being supplied by the New Statesman. ]
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Vietnam Guilt
Sir, Wherever the initial responsibility may lie for the present situation in Vietnam -- and I believe myself that it lies far more heavily with the Americans than with anybody else -- it is surely clear that the tragedy continues because both sides would see the whole country destroyed rather than let it fall into the hands of the | other. Because of their absurd anti-communist ideology, because American face must be saved, because of the personal vanity of Lyndon Johnson, the Americans are ready to pulverise villages and inflict the torture of napalm on men, women and children. Because of their absurd communist ideology, because North Vietnamese and Vietcong face must be saved, because of the personal vanity of the 'hawks' of Hanoi, the communist forces refuse to offer any but totally unacceptable terms to the invading Americans.
It is true that both sides have a case -- a case which has been put over and over again by professional anti-communists and professional fellow-travellers respectively. But surely the case against both sides is far heavier than any case that can be made for either of them. If the Americans have killed more people -- and therefore been guilty of more 'war crimes' -- this is only because their criminal instruments are the more effective. The other side has certainly done its level best to match the horrors inflicted by their enemies. And in the light of this situation Lord Russell's war crimes tribunal is at best an irrelevance; at worst yet another attempt by the partisans of one side to simplify the issue -- and therefore to confuse it.
Philip Toynbee
Barn House Brockweir, Nr Chepstow
Vietnam Guilt
Sir, Mr Philip Toynbee, in his letter last week, exemplifies the group of intellectuals who gave full support to Stalin during the ugliest and most morally vile period of his rule and, consequently, have occupied themselves ever since with discovering such propensities in others. In one sense, I can sympathise with Mr Toynbee's fear to identify himself with a cause again as he was so terrifyingly wrong before. But that same insensitivity which led such people to identify the revolution and socialism with Stalinism now permits Mr Toynbee to decry the unequivocal support given by me to the Vietnamese.
Mr Toynbee says there must be two sides to this war. Why? Why should we equivocate about the monstrous injustice involved in the US crime against a small people? Why should the Jews shovelled into gas chambers suffer also the disgraceful moral ambivalence of those who sought justification for Nazi barbarism? There are not two sides in Vietnam. Jose Marti said: 'He who witnesses a crime in silence, commits it.' 'We,' said Eichmann, 'only provided the lorries'. Marti and Eichmann man the barricades of a moral divide, and between them such even as Mr Philip Toynbee must choose. Vietnam is an acid test for this generation of Western intellectuals.
Bertrand Russell
Penrhyndeudraeth Merioneth
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TEXT OF JOINT KOREAN-CUBAN STATEMENT ON VIETNAM
(The following is the full text of the joint statement issued by top officials of the governments of Cuba and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea after conversations held in Korea from October 26 to October 29. .
LOf particular interest in the joint statement is the appeal to the "socialist countries, the communist and workers parties, all the anti-imperialist forces in the world" to unite and actively assist the Vietnamese people. The concrete proposals are that the "socialist countries should dispatch international contingents of. volunteers to aid the fighting Vietnamese people"; and that the struggle against U.S. imperialism should be "waged in a more organized manner and. escalated on a world scale." In addition the statement appeals for “international anti-imperialist joint action" and the © formation of an "anti-imperialist united front."
[The English text is the one issued ty the November 2 issue of The Fhe People's Korea published in Tokyo.] .
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At the invitation of the Central Committee of the Korean Workers' Party and the Government of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, a party and government delegation of the Republic of Cuba led by Comrade Osvaldo Dorticos Torrado, President of the Republic of Cuba, paid a goodwill. visit to the ‘Democratic. People' s _Republic of Korea: from October 26 to 29,-1966. .
During its stay in Korea the party and government delegation of the Republic of Cuba held talks with the leaders of the Korean Workers' Party and the Government of the Democratic People! s Republic of Korea.
Present at the talks on behalf of the Central: Committee of the Korean Workers' Party and the Government of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea were Comrade Kim Il Sung, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Korean Workers' Party and Premier of the Cabinet of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea; Comrade Choi Yong Kun, Member of the Political Committee and its Presidium and Secretary of the Central Committee of the: KWP and President of. the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK; Comrade Kim I1, Member of the Political Committee and its Presidium and Secre~ tary of the Central Committee of the KWP and First Vice-premier of the Cabinet; Comrade Pak Keum Chul, Member of the Political Committee and its Presidium and Secretary of the. Central Committee of the KWP; Comrade Li Hyo Soon, Member of the Political Committee and its Presidium and Secretary of the Central Committee of the KWP; Comrade Kim Kwang Hyup, Member of the Political Committee and its Presidium and Secretary of the Central’ Committee of the KWP and Vice-premier of the Cabinet; Comrade Kim Chang Bong, Member of the Political Committee of the Central Committee of the KWP and Vice-premier of the ; Cabinet and Minister of National Defense; Comrade Pak Sung Chul, Member of the Political Committee of the Central Committee of the KWP and Vice-premier of the Cabinet and Minister of Foreign Affairs; and Comrade Pak Yong Kook, Candidate Member of the Political Committee and Secretary of the Central Committee of the KWP.
Present at the talks on. behalf of the Central Committee of. the Cuban Communist Party and the Revolutionary Government. of the Republic of Cuba were. Comrade: Osvaldo Dorticos Torrado, Member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Cuban Communist Party and President of the Republic of Cuba, and. Comrade Raul Castro Ruz, Member of the Political Bureau and Second Secretary of the Central Committee of the.CP of Cuba. and Vice-premier and Minister of Revolutionary Armed Forces of the Revolutionary Government; and Comrade Sergio Dei Valle, Member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the CP of Cuba and Vice-minister of Revolutionary Armed Forces of the Revolutionary Government.
The talks proceeded in a friendly comradely atmosphere.
At the talks views were exchanged on the current situation and questions arising in the international communist movement, questions on strengthening friendship and solidarity of the peoples of the two countries and other questions of common concern.
The two sides reached complete identity of views on the questions discussed.
In face of the growth of the revolutionary movement of the peoples and forces of socialism, the imperialists headed by U.S. imperialism are aggravating the international situation to the extreme by: desperately trying to find a way out of their imminent doom. in aggression and war.
The two delegations are of the unanimous view that the policies drawn up by the two countries to cope with the development of the current international situation are correct.
The Cuban delegation pays high tribute to the successes the Korean people have scored in socialist revolution and socialist construction under the leadership of the Korean Workers' Party headed by Comrade Kim I1 Sung. The Korean people have converted their once backward country into a developed socialist industrial- ~agricultural state through the Chullima movement.
In face of the situation created in recent yéars, the Korean Workers' Party is further consolidating, politically, economically and militarily, the revolutionary base in the northern half of the country by carrying on economic construction in parallel with defense upbuilding.
The military line of the Party, the main content of which is to place the entire people under arms, turn the whole land into a fortress, train the army into an army of cadres and modernize it, is being pushed through successfully.
The Cuban delegation considers that all this constitutes a solid material guarantee for the self-dependent unification of Korea and makes the eastern post of the socialist camp an impregnable fortress.
The Cuban delegation denounces ‘the U.S. imperialists who, usurping ‘the signboard of the United Nations, are occupying South Korea and pursuing a police of converting it into a colony and military base and are preparing a new war against the Korean people, and fully supports the struggle of the Korean people for the self-dependent unification of the country.
The U.S. troops must be withdrawn from South Korea without delay, the United Nations must dissolve the so-called "United Nations Commission for the Unification and Rehabilitation of Korea" and the question of Korea's unification should be solved by the Korean people themselves by peaceful means on a democratic basis, without any interference from outside.
The Korean delegation highly praises the Cuban people who, under the leadership of the Cuban Communist Party headed by Comrade Fidel Castro, are defending the gains of revolution and building socialism with success, standing face to face with U.S. imperialism and courageously repelling its ceaseless aggression and subversive manoeuvres of all forms, with a rifle in one hand and a hammer and sickle in the other.
The victory of the Cuban revolution was the first victory of socialist revolution in Latin America. As the continuation of the Great October Revolution in Latin America, it was a historical event marking a new turn in the revolutionary struggle of the people there. .
The Republic of Cuba is the advance post of the socialist camp in the Western Hemisphere.
Frightened by the victory of the Cuban revolution and its support to the liberation movement of the Latin-American people, the U.S. imperialists are persisting in their vicious machinations to strangulate . the Cuban revolution.
Under such condition, the Korean delegation regards it a sacred internationalist obligation of all the socialist countries and the Latin-American peoples to defend the Cuban revolution. To defend the Cuban revolution is to defend the socialist camp, develop the revolutionary movement in Latin America and defend the interests of the world revolution.
Today the Cuban people, all armed and united as one, are ready to smash resolutely any aggression of the imperialists, holding high the banner of revolution and under the slogan, "Motherland or death! We will win!"
The Korean delegation sternly denounces the uninterrupted aggressive manoeuvres of the U.S. imperialists against Cuba and actively supports the just struggle of the Cuban people. The U.S. imperialists must discontinue at once all their aggressive moves against Cuba.
Both delegations consider that the struggle against U.S. imperialism is the main international task of all the progressive people of the world at the present juncture. The U.S. imperialists are perpetrating aggression and subversive activities against the socialist countries and national independent countries, brutally suppressing the revolu-
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tionary struggle of the Asian, African and Latin-American peoples and harassing peace everywhere in the world.
While escalating the war in Vietnam stage by stage, the U.S. imperialists are hard at work to expand the flames of war to the vast area of Asia.
The struggle of the Vietnamese people against U.S. imperialist aggression is the focus of the anti-imperialist struggle at present. The U.S. imperialists' aggression not only against the Vietnamese people but also against the entire socialist camp, a challenge to the national liberation struggle of the Asian, African and Latin-American peoples and a menace to world peace.
Both sides consider that the socialist countries, the communist and workers' parties, all.the anti-imperialist forces in the world should unite and actively assist the Vietnamese people in their war of resistance against U.S. imperialism for national salvation and shatter the imperialist aggression.
The war of resistance against U.S. imperialism for national salvation waged heroically by the Vietnamese people is an example for the world people in the struggle for peace, national independence and socialism.
Both delegations express full, militant solidarity with the fraternal North and South Vietnamese people who are winning brilliant victories and displaying unexampled heroism in the sacred struggle against U.S. imperialists' aggression and once again declare their firm determination to send volunteers at any time the Vietnamese people request it.
The Vietnam question must be solved only on the basis of the four-point demand of the Government of the Vietnam Democratic Republic and the five-point principle of the South Vietnam National Front for Liberation. The U.S. imperialists must stop at once the war of aggression in South Vietnam and the bombing of the Vietnam Democratic Republic and withdraw forthwith the U.S. troops and the troops of their satellite countries and the South Korean puppet troops as well as all their weapons. The Vietnam question must be solved by the Vietnamese people themselves.
The two sides condemn the U.S. imperialists who have recently called their satellite countries and puppets to Manila and hatched a plot to further escalate the Vietnam war under the deceptive slogan of "peaceful negotiations."
The two delegations consider that under the condition in which the U.S. imperialists are escalating the war of aggression in Vietnam stage by stage, the struggle against U.S. imperialism and for assisting the Vietnamese people should likewise be waged in a more organized manner and escalated on a world scale.
The two delegations unanimously hold that for this it is necessary, first of all, to achieve international anti-imperialist joint action and form an anti-imperialist united front.
To preserve peace and ensure the victory of the cause of national independence and socialism, we must deal blows at the U.S. imperialists everywhere they are in the world and on all fronts and bind them hand and foot so that they cannot ride roughshod.
When the U.S. imperialists are thus dealt decisive blows, their fate will be like the sun setting in the west and the revolutionary movements will upsurge further in Asia, Africa, Latin America and the rest of the world.
The two delegations express firm solidarity with the Asian, African and Latin- American peoples fighting against imperialism, colonialism and neo-colonialism and or national liberation.
The two sides support the struggle of the Japanese people against U.S. imperialism and the monopoly forces of Japan and back the peoples of Laos and Cambodia in the struggle against the aggression and intervention of U.S. imperialism and its stooges.
Both sides strongly condemn the Indonesian right wing reactionary forces who, under the instigation of U.S. imperialism, are suppressing and massacring communists and democratic forces of Indonesia, and express solidarity with the struggle of the progressive forces including the Indonesian communists for national independence and the democratic development of the country. ,
The two sides express support to and solidarity with the armed struggles and revolutionary movements now being waged in many countries of Latin America including
Venezuela, Guatemala-and Colombia.
The two sides express support to and solidarity with the national liberation struggles of the African people including those of Portuguese Guinea and Angola.
The two sides consider that for safeguarding world peace, struggle must be waged against the allies of U.S. imperialism, particularly against the regeneration of Japan~ ese and West German militarism into hotbeds of new war in Asia and Europe, along with the struggle against U.S. imperialism, number one enemy of the world people.
The two delegations consider that it is important at the present juncture to strengthen the unity of the socialist camp and the cohesion of the international communist movement.
Only when united and consolidated, can the socialist camp. and the international communist movement effectively check the imperialist policies of aggression and war and give a powerful impetus to the acceleration of the world revolutionary movement. ;
The unity of the socialist camp and the solidarity of the international communist movement must be based on the principles of Marxism-Leninism and proletarian internationalisn.
All parties should abide by the norms governing the mutual relations. among the fraternal parties and fraternal countries, which were laid down in the Declaration and Statement of the 1957 and 1960 Meetings of Representatives of Various Communist and Workers' Parties. These norms governing the mutual relations among the parties must be based on the independency of each party.
The Parties and Governments of Korea and Cuba have always adhered to the norms of the mutual relations among the fraternal parties and fraternal countries and have striven and are striving for the unity of the socialist camp and the solidarity of the international communist movement.
The Korean Workers' Party and the Cuban Communist Party will continue to abide by the principle of seeking solidarity, firmly upholding independency in the relations with the fraternal parties and fraternal countries.
The two parties will resolutely fight for upholding the purity of Marxism- Leninisn.
The two delegations express satisfaction with the fact that the relations between the parties, governments and peoples of Korea and Cuba formed in the struggle against U.S. imperialism, the common enemy, are excellent and are daily strengthening and developing on the principles of Marxism-Leninism and proletarian internationalism.
The visit of the party and government delegation of the Republic of Cuba to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea has greatly contributed to further strengthening the fraternal friendship and solidarity between the two Parties, two Governments and two peoples.
The two delegations are convinced that the result of the talks between the two delegations will contribute not only to developing the friendly relations between the peoples of Korea and Cuba who are fighting against imperialism and for the common revolutionary cause but also to consolidating the unity of the socialist camp and cohesion of the international communist movement.
The Cuban delegation, in the name of the Government and Communist Party of Cuba, invited Comrade Kim Il Sung and Comrade Choi Yong Kun to visit Cuba. The invitation was extended also in the name of Comrade Fidel Castro.
Comrade Kim Il Sung and Comrade Choi Yong Kun accepted the invitation with thanks.
YOU_CAN TAKE McNAMARA'S WORD FOR IT
On November 5, three days before the U.S. elections, McNamara announced from Johnson's Texas ranch that "Today a slowdown in our rate of troop deployments to that country [