[Marxism] Interesting Stuff on Stalin: Molotov Recollects

[Sukla Sen <suklasenp@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

http://www.marxists.org/archive/molotov/1991/remembers-abs.htm

[Abstracts from] 
Molotov Remembers: Inside Kremlin Politics 

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Interviews: 1972-1983 (this abstract) 
First Published: 1991 (Russian); 1993 (English) 
Source: Molotov Remembers, conversations with Feliks
I. Chuev; edited by Albert Resis. Ivan R. Dee
(Publisher) 1993. Note: These abstracts were taken
from the English version, which is an abridged form of
the Russian version. The English version has 437
pages, while the Russian version is 735 pages. No
explaination nor notice is given for why the English
version has been so thoroughly abridged. 
Translated: Not cited. 
Transcription/Markup: Brian Basgen 
Fair Use: Molotov Reference Archive (marxists.org)
2005. This document has been reproduced in accordance
to § 107 of Title 17 in US Copyright Law.
Particularly, we wish to convey to reader's that the
above mentioned book has an enormous wealth of
insightful and revealing information on Soviet
history. Enclosed is a sample of such material. 


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They write now that Stalin trusted Hitler, that Hitler
deceived him with the pact of 1939, lulled his
vigilance. Stalin trusted him... 

Such a naive Stalin. No. Stalin saw through it all.
Stalin trusted Hitler? He didn't trust all his own
people! 

[No date cited] page 23 


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At what point did the fate of the Revolution hang in
the balance? 

The transition to the New Economic Policy.... 

Our policy was flexible but forward-looking. Just at
that point the workers' opposition started up. Among
workers as well as among peasants, an entirely new
party began in fact to take shape. They accused us of
jettisoning our line, of renouncing socialism, of
renouncing leadership of the working class, of
drifting with the current toward capitalism.... 

But otherwise Soviet power would have been lost. 

7-31-1972, page 247 


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To stage a purge of the party is very dangerous. The
best people are the first purged. Many people who are
honest and speak frankly are expelled while those who
keep everything in the dark and are eager to curry
favor with the party chiefs retain their positions. 

2-3-1973, page 255 


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Dzerzhinksy was a radiant, spotless personality.
Yagoda was a filthy nobody who wormed his way into the
party and was only caught in 1937. We had to work with
reptiles like that, but there were no others. No one!
Now you understand why so many mistakes were made.
They deceived us, and innocent people were sometimes
incriminated. Obviously one or two out of ten were
wrongly sentenced, but the rest got their just
desserts. 

1-9-1981, page 257 


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The fact that we survived, that socialism endured and
after the War moved forward, all of this, in my
opinion, is our greatest accomplishment of this
period. Yes, in this achievement the epidemic of
repressions itself played a crucial role.... Someone
had to remain untainted by all repression. So Stalin
took the lead.... I was one of his chief supporters. I
have no regrets over it. 

12-9-1982, page 259 


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It is said that Stalin and Molotov considered only
themselves to be true Leninists. 

There was no alternative. Had we not regarded
ourselves as Leninists, and had we not attacked those
who wavered, we could have been weakened. 

10-14-1983, page 260 


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"I recall as a child," said Shota Ivanovich, "that it
was terrible, it was horrible when NKVD agents
appeared. It was a fear, I imagine, analogous with
that inspired by the Gestapo." 

Of course. 

8-16-1977, page 261 


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I would even say that their confessions contained only
10 percent absurdities, perhaps less. They confessed
to certain things on purpose in order to show how
preposterous the whole trial was. That was a struggle
against the party.... The confessions seemed
artificial and exaggerated. I consider it
inconceivable that Rykov, Bukharin, and even Trotsky
agreed to cede the Soviet Far East, the Ukraine, and
even the Caucausus to a foreign power. I rule that
out. 

12-4-1973, page 264 


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The heart of the matter is this. I believe we had to
pass through a period of terror, because we had
already waged a struggle for more than ten years. The
terror cost us dearly, but without it things would
have been worse. Many people who should not have been
touched suffered. But I believe that Beria on his own
could not have done it. He carried out the orders,
very harsh orders, issued by Stalin.... Stalin
insisted on making doubly sure: spare no one, but
guarantee absolute stability in the country for a long
period of time ? through the war and postwar years,
which was certainly achieved. 

4-29-1982, page 278-79 




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