the majority of Russian people into doctrinaire Marx ism. Rather, by a sort of pseudo-nationalism, the minor ity controls the majority. In the hands of the power- hungry Communist leaders this nationalism is a solid, terrifying reinforcement to international piracy. The Communist Party in Russia has had forty years to establish its identity with the motherland. All in formation to the people is screened by the government and passed through government-controlled press, radio, and television. This means the people hear only what the Party wants them to hear. The Party has built up the national wealth and international prowess of Russia. The country has been industrialized, mineral resources are being exploited, the waste lands of the northeast are being developed. Russia claims to be the scientific giant of the world. The people enjoy greater educational opportunities and more material prosperity than ever before. Though there are dissatisfactions, frustrations, resentments because of curtailed liberties, the Russian people stand behind the Party in its international movements because it repre sents the motherland — Russia. The Communists have achieved for Russia the world prestige that any people covet. I myself naively hoped that the destruction of the power of Communist leaders by the Western world in satellite countries would bring'the Russian people rally ing to the cause of freedom. However, because of Russian nationalism, this is no longer possible. So thoroughly have the Communists exploited the natural patriotism of the people that when the Communist Party finds itself in danger, the Russian people feel that the whole mother land is threatened. America has now two enemies in Rus sia: an aggressive communist ideology, and an expan sionist Russian nationalism more subtly dangerous be cause actually they are one. This same strategy is used by Communists in the subversion of other nations. Into chaotic new countries the Communists come, offering a disciplined political organization, a manageable economic system, and ex perienced leadership in education and industrialization. The Communists claim to work for the good of the peo ple, building the nation, bringing it both internal sta bility and international significance. We saw this hap pen to Cuba in the past year. But soon the new nation begins to experience the destruction of basic human values. “ The good of the people” turns out to be a superficial economic good, ministering to the advancement of the state rather than the individual. Furthermore, soon the state is subjecting all its foreign affairs to the Russian policy-makers. It be comes more and more pro-Russian in its international outlook. How is this accomplished? For more than two dec ades the Communists have •hand-picked key youth in every land. Each one is given free transportation to Rus sia and free schooling upon his arrival. These youth never leave Russia until they are converted Communists. At no time during their training is it suggested that they should renounce their own citizenship and become Russian. They are not to become Russians, but are to become Communists, whose ultimate loyalty will be to the Party leaders in Russia. Their task will be the con version of their own countries’ governments to Com munism, and their eyes always will be upon Russia as the heart of world revolution. When the Communist leaders are satisfied that the young trainees have fully accepted Marxism and are totally dedicated to the Communist cause, then and then only do they return them to their own countries. Each
young radical upon his arrival in his homeland becomes active in patriotic movements, and wins his countrymen to the movement he supports. Korean youth were not told to make North Korea Communist. They were told to save it from the Ameri can imperialists. Thousands of Vietnamese youth gave their lives to save Vietnam from the French — they thought. Actually, they were conquering it for Com munism. As I write, Laotian farm boys are leaving the hoe to take up the gun. Ask them what they are fighting for and they will tell you they must save their beloved land from American imperialism. They are patriotic, they are nationalistic; but they have been deceived. Their nationalism will destroy the nation, for they are helping Communist-trained Laotian leaders to win the country for Communism. Mao-Tse-Tung and his cronies, all educated in Rus sia, used the same method to take over China. Their patriotic propaganda was so clever that thousands of Chinese youths joined the Communist army. Here again they were told that they were saving China from the West. I was captured by the Chinese Communists in 1948. A nineteen-year-old lieutenant ordered my family and me out of our home. During the two months, he and his men lived in our house, I had opportunity to ques tion him. The young lieutenant had been a Communist only eleven months. I asked him why he had put down his books and taken up arms to fight for a foreign power. He didn’t know what I meant. I told him that he was not fighting for his motherland, but for international Communism, which was determined to enslave the whole world, and that, when it was over, a Russian would be sitting on the top of the Communist hierarchy. The young soldier was incensed. The Russians were China’s best friends, he declared. They alone supported China in its struggle to rid itself of imperialism’s chains. The lieutenant spoke for thousands of others who helped Communist-trained Mao Tse-Tung conquer China, The bait the Communist used to trap and deceive these youths was patriotism. Russian or Communist-manipulated nationalism is dangerous for the free world. Does it follow that Am erican nationalism is the answer to this dangerous foe? Is the Christian to let himself become absorbed in an anti-Communist American nationalism? There is no ques tion but what the building of a new patriotism in the hearts of our youth would strengthen our nation. How ever, the deliverance of the world from Communist chains will not be brought about merely by a fresh upsurge of Americanism. If America is to be spared, it will be be cause God’s people call upon Him for mercy that they might be given time to glorify Him through the further spread of the Gospel both at home and abroad . American foreign policy advocates self-determination for all peoples. We want man’s inherent longings for liberty and law to be realized in the developing govern ments of new nations. America stands for the extension of the freedoms expressed in our Bill of Rights. As Christians, we have’ obligations to God, govern ment, church, and world. We dare not shirk our political responsibility. “Honor all man,” says Peter. “ Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the King.” Honoring the king or government includes praying for and obeying, submission and service. Today the Communists are using nationalism to spread an inhuman and atheistic system across the globe. Let us as Christian Americans renew our dedication to God and to- our country as it opposes this evil.
MARCH, 1962
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