Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!uwm.edu!psuvax1!psuvm!UMKCVAX1!CARBUCKLE From: CARBUCKLE@UMKCVAX1 (Valentine M. Smith) Newsgroups: bit.listserv.history Subject: ussr Message-ID: Date: 13 Feb 90 17:39:00 GMT Sender: History Reply-To: History Lines: 54 Approved: NETNEWS@PSUVM.BITNET Gateway Original_To: @HISTORY From: VAX1::CARBUCKLE "Valentine M. Smith" 13-FEB-1990 11:38:30.46 To: @SOVIET CC: Subj: USSR(#40) As I am quite ill, and should not even be here, this will be brief, and perhaps later today, I'll be up for a followup. The question of Stalin's rapacious killing of all kinds of elements of his society is as Prof. Ryle suggests- his heirs had no more interest in disclosing his crimes than those he was destroying at the time. Breshnev had no desire to reveal this, Khruschev did only so that he could break THE cult of personality and solidify his own rule. Even now, despite the exquisite scholarship of both Solzhenitzin and Medvedev, there are huge gaps in what is known and what is concealed. There is no Freedom of Information Act in the Soviet Union. What if the survivors of all those crimes demanded redress? So the numbers remain obscured, and in the end result, whether this set of brutal acts is called genocide or purges or annihilation of any who opposed him, the numbers will remain a matter of debate. I suggested 25-30 million victims, 1924-53, excluding the war proper. Yet, I know the number could be as low as 10-15 million, or maybe as high as fifty million, depends a great deal on who you read. Sorry to go on about this, but the question has been discussed while I was off being ill yesterday. I suggest the Bush assertion that the unified Germany, whenever that occurs, must be a part of NATO is very short-sighted, as is the idea that the US and USSR can or will dictate that. Ditto on the number of troops either side can have in Europe, WHEREVER! I suggest ther best solution is NO troops of either side in Europe, how's that for radical thinking? IF NATO and WArsaw Pact are to survive, let them be manned by troops from the participant countries, and that's all. In Tadzhikistan, the numbers of dead and injured have reached 7 and 79 as of 0630 this morning, look for the numbers to rise. Yesterday, ABC reported that the Soviets were ready to talk with the Poles about troop withdrawals. I suggest that Bulgaria, Hungary and Czecoslavakia would like such talks just as urgently. Bulgaria's rival groups are really struggling with their future, and appear as of yet to be unable to work out any agreement. More on this tonight, I hope. Baker met with THIRTY FIVE opposition groups when he was there the other day. How can anyone arrive at a solution with so much factionalism? They allegedly told Baker, on aid to Bulgaria, "No money for the Communists!" There appears some hope that the US and USSR could normalize trade for the first time in fifty years. Intersting, too early to tell. Lastly, as I'm about to fall out, The Presidium testerday called for a strengthened Soviet Presidency, there was released the CPSU stance on private property, and there is rumored a movement in Moldavia to be free from the USSR. My notes ask the question, to go back to Romania or to be an independent nation?