840.00b/10–647: Telegram
The Chargé in the Soviet Union (Durbrow) to the Secretary of State
2993. Embtel 2987, October 5.1 Declaration of recent meeting in Poland of important representatives Soviet and satellite CPs plus French and Italian constitutes world-wide directive for Communist operations Europe and open revival European section Comintern.2
Begin Summary: Citing differences in ultimate war aims Soviet Union and “democratic countries” on one hand and US and Great Britain on other and obstacle to imperialism presented by former, declaration asserts “thus were formed two camps—imperialist and anti-democratic camp which has as its basic objective establishment of world domination of American imperialism and destruction of democracy, and anti-imperialistic and democratic camp which has as its basic objective undermining of imperialism, strengthening of democracy and liquidation of remnants of Fascism”. Struggle of these two camps is taking place against background of general crisis of capitalism which explains extraordinarily aggressive activity of US and its associates in imperialistic camp. Truman and Marshall plans are but European manifestations of a world-embracing expansionist policy. [Page 596] Particularly important place in arsenal of imperialism belongs to treasonable activities of right wing Socialists (i.e. non-Communist left) such as Blum, Attlee3 and Bevin, Schumacher,4 Renner5 and Saragat.6 “In these circumstances anti-imperialistic democratic camp must muster its forces, work out an agreed platform of action, work out its tactics against principal forces of imperialistic camp, against American imperialism, against its English and French allies, against right wing Socialists above all in England and France”. Only acceptable Socialists are those of Commi-Sooialist blocs in countries of “new democracy”. The CPs, continues declaration, have special task of carrying banner of national independence and sovereignty of their countries. If they fulfill their responsibilities no plans for enslavement of Europe and Asia can be realized. Finding parallel in Munich declaration announces that “principal danger for working class now lies in underestimation of its forces and in overestimation of forces of imperialistic camp” and calls for CPs to lead resistance to this imperialistic expansion on all levels “governmental, political, economic and ideological, to unify their efforts on basis of general anti-imperialist and democratic platform and gather about themselves all popular, democratic and patriotic forces”. End Summary.
Declaration unmasks any pretense CPs can accept one world doctrine other than their own Stalinist totalitarian concept and constitutes open avowal of fundamental hostility to independence of western Europe. It is patently a declaration of political and economic war against US and everything US stands for in world affairs.
Brutal castigation of Socialists except those subjugated in bloc fronts cannot but antagonize and consolidate Socialist ranks except for those left-wingers who will feel compelled to hew even closer to CP line. This move must be predicated on belief that no further advance of Kremlin’s objectives can be achieved by parliamentary compromises with Socialist or other parties and that time has come solidly to close Communist ranks in effort attain optimum position from which either militantly to exploit future opportunities or defend themselves against anti-Communist forces. Kremlin would appear to believe situation western Europe particularly France will so deteriorate next few months that either door will open for them to make serious bid for power by extralegal means or that they will be confronted with need for solid Communist phalanx to defend themselves against a resurgence of Gaullism and other anti-Communist forces. With consolidated [Page 597] lines Communists will more effectively carry on their sabotage of Marshall plan through controlled trade unions in France and Italy and be prepared to take advantage of its possible failure or the predicted American economic crisis either of which will leave Europe at mercy of their militant operations.
Recent statements by Cyrankiewicz, Tito and Dimitrov7 calling for creation solid world-wide peoples front coupled with resurrection Stalintern provides basis for alternative world organization in event developments impel Kremlin withdraw from UNO. (Embtel 2975, October 3.)
Correspondents here report both Tass and Soviet radio committee yesterday denied any knowledge of declaration even after its exclusive appearance in Pravda8 and correspondents’ stories held by censorship for several hours. This gives credence to belief that publication was perhaps hastily decided upon or more likely that every effort has been made to characterize these events as being a purely party affair despite fact that such prominent members of Soviet Government as Zhdanov and Malenkov9 played leading role.10
Department pass Paris as Moscow’s 346, London 328, Rome 84, Belgrade 18.
- Not printed.↩
- An editorial in Pravda on October 10 marked the first direct comment on the inter-party meeting in Poland at which the Cominform was created, according to Chargé Durbrow in telegram 3015 from Moscow on October 10, not printed. The editorial declared that the establishment in no way implied the “reconstitution of single world-wide Communist organization with centralized leadership such as Comintern was in its day”. This new organization had a clearly regional character which was limited to Europe. The Chargé summed up the then prevalent impression: “Editorial would seem to reveal some surprise at violence Western press reaction on this subject. Its belabored argumentation regarding true nature this new Communist formation lends support to Embassy’s growing conviction that said formation is but the first of a series of regional Communist grouping of new character, and constitutes in brief an immergent [emergent?] ‘Eurintern’.” (861.00/10–1047)↩
- Clement R. Attlee, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.↩
- Dr. Kurt Schumacher, leader of the Social Democratic Party in western Germany.↩
- Dr. Carl Renner, President of the Republic of Austria.↩
- Giuseppe Saragat, a leader in the Socialist Party in Italy.↩
- Georgy Dimitrov was Premier in Bulgaria and president of the Communist Party there.↩
- The text of the Declaration of the Formation of the Cominform was published in Pravda for October 5, 1947. Translations of this communiqué, and of the Declaration of the Conference concerning the International Situation, and the Resolution on the Exchange of Experience and Coordination of the Activity of the Parties Represented at the Conference, were sent in despatch 1709 from Moscow on October 8. (861.9111/10–847) The Embassy in Warsaw also sent full translations in despatch 256 on October 7. (800.00b Communist International/10–747) An official translation of the Declaration on the Formation of the Corn-inform is printed in the Annual Register, 1947, pp. 521–525.↩
- Georgy Maximilianovich Malenkov was a Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Soviet Union and a member of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the All Union Communist Party.↩
- Zhdanov made a long speech on the international
situation before the organization meeting of the Cominform which was published in
Pravda on October 22, 1947. A 17-page
Joint Press Reading Service translation was sent to the Department
in despatch 1760 from Moscow on that day, not printed. This report,
which was bitterly critical of the United States, was in four
sections: I. Post-War-World Situation; II. New Relationship of
Political Forces after the War, and the Formation of Two Camps—the
Imperialist and anti-Democratic Camp on the One Hand, and the
anti-Imperialist and Democratic Camp on the Other; III. The American
Plan to Enslave Europe; and IV. The Functions of the Communist Party
in Cementing Democratic, anti-Fascist, Peace-loving Elements to
Combat the New Plans for War and Aggression.
Malenkov had also made an extended speech before the gathering which had established the Cominform which was an information report concerning the activity of the Central Committee of the All Union Communist Party. It was printed in full in Pravda for December 9, 1947.
↩