Dear comrades,
The present seminar on the “60 years of victory over Nazi-Fascism. The Communists’ contribution.” is an oportune initiative of great political importance, as is the fact that it takes place in Moscow. We thank our Russian comrades for the organisation of such initiative and the invitation addressed to us.
Sixty years after the defeat of Nazi-fascism, the political power of imperialistic countries and the media – at the great capital’s service - are committed in a vast campaign of deception with the intention of rewriting History and covering up the facts. It is concealed that fascism was created by the ruling classes of a capitalistic system then facing a profound crisis. It is concealed that this system was sustained and financed by the great monopolistic capital, being used as a terrorist instrument of combat against its peoples, against workers, and their class movements, against communists and the prospect of a socialist revolution. Imperialism is trying to erase from history the shameful connivance of the bourgeois liberal democracies (of which the non-intervention policy during the Spanish Civil War and the handover of Checoslovaquia to German imperialism were examples) who, hoping that Nazi-fascism would turn itself exclusively against the Socialist Soviet Union, acquiesced in the rising of the most barbarous forms of domination inflicted on the people, in all History of capitalism. At the same time imperialism tries to erase the decisive and fundamental contribution provided by the USSR, by its people, by the Communist Party and by the Red Army for the annihilation of Hitler’s war machine that, during the first years of the conflict, appeared to be invincible.
It is concealed the significance of the sacrifices endured by this national and patriotic resistance – in Leningrad, Stalingrad, Moscow and thousands of other towns of the Soviet Union. It is concealed the crucial role carried out by workers and the peoples in the resistance and combat against Nazi-Fascism.
It is concealed the communists’ primary role in the organisation of this resistance – whereas the ruling classes of most European countries oscillated between collaborationism and capitulation. In the occupied soviet regions as well as in France, Italy, Yugoslavia and in many other occupied countries, communists always complied with their historical responsibilities organising the armed peoples’ resistance against fascist aggression and occupation, as it already had happened in the past, in defense of the republic and democracy in Spain. Their contribution was, therefore, decisive
for the final defeat of Nazi-Fascism. This is an historical fact that can never be erased by any deceitful campaign.
It was life itself, the evolution of the situation that required the use of all kinds of resistance - including the armed people’s resistance – given the unlimited violence of fascist milititarism. Today, as it happened six decades ago, theorisations on “non-violence” as a universal concept remain shallow, detached from reality and (from) the hazards of nowadays. Portugal didn’t take part in the military actions of the Second World War. Salazar’s fascist regime hesitated between its political and ideological affinities with the fascists powers - with whom he cooperated closely -, and Portugal’s traditional obedience to the British imperialism (mentioned by Lenine in Imperialism – Higher Stage Of Capitalism).Aware of its economical and military weakness, fearful of the people’s opposition and knowing, also, that a miscalculated alignment could lead to the loss of the colonies, the Portuguese fascist regime shield itself in the country’s geographic position to stay out of the military conflict.
Portuguese communists, in clandestineness since 1926, continued their patriotic and international struggle against the fascist regime. Having conciseness that their best contribution to the struggle of the working class, of the communists and the anti-fascist forces worldwide, consisted on resisting and fighting against Salazar’s regime, the Portuguese communists undertook a profound process that included not only, the PCP’s reinforcement, but also, the anti-fascist combat in our country. In Portugal, the Second World War years’ were the period of time during which the Communist Party reorganised itself and became a significant national Party. A Party deeply associated to the people’s fights and the first to exposure and combat deprivation produced by the regime’s cooperation with Nazi Germany (mainly through the supply of food); a Party that carried out important strikes and struggles intended to defend the peoples’, the workers and all Portuguese citizens’ rights. It was the anti-fascist resistance that forged the Portuguese Communist Party and strengthened its prestige amongst workers, intellectuals and the Portuguese people. A resistance that resulted in the death of several PCP’s leaders at the hands of fascism. And it was also our Party’s reinforcement that contributed decisively to tighten all democratic and anti-fascist doctrines, in Portugal.
The Victory over Nazi-Fascism had profound consequences on the Portuguese society. It was celebrated throughout the country, in enormous public demonstrations that secluded and weakened the regime. There were many protesters who marched in the streets showing a wood stick with no cloth that symbolised the soviet flag, at the time forbidden in Portugal. As a result, fascism was forced to make some concessions, namely: the right to hold elections on national trade unions and to gradually stop sending Portuguese political prisoners to the concentration camp of Tarrafal, located at the African islands of Cape Verde. However, these concessions were followed by a fierce reinforcement of the anti-communist repression.
Consequently, the illusions nourished by many segments with regard to a possible role of the bourgeois democracies in favour of Portugal’s democratisation, were soon shattered: the anti-communist and anti-soviet alliances created by imperialism (particularly, north-American imperialism) shortly after the IInd World War, included Salazar’s fascist Portugal, one of the founder countries of NATO. Strengthened by this support, the Portuguese fascist regime would survive for another three more decades. It came finally to an end in the 25th of April of 1974, thanks to the struggle of the Portuguese people and to those of the colonies’.
In the beginning of the XXIst century, the World now faces a situation that, despite natural differences arousing out of new realities and (of the) changes meanwhile occurred, presents, nevertheless, significant similarities with the situation that preceded the Second World War. Once more, the capitalist system is faced with a severe economical crisis resulting from its own logic of operation and from its internal contradictions. Once more, militarism and war are used as instruments to impose the primacy of imperialistic powers. Once more, the class solidarity of great capital (which is consensual on reinforcing exploitation and repression, as well as, on actions of abusive intervention and aggression against sovereign nations) co-exists with inner rivalries (disputing the control of power sources and raw materials, of markets and spheres of influence). Once more, a large imperialistic power has undertaken an offensive trying to impose, by force, its worldwide range domination and to use its military authority to stop the historical tendency for its economical decline. Once more, International Law is despised, national sovereignties and nations’ rights are violated; the most brutal techniques of terrorist violence are practised – torture, assassinations, indiscriminate repression on the people, the use of unconventional war weapons and the constant, destabilizing and abusive intervention in Nations and States affairs. Just like six decades ago, this hegemonic offensive, now undertaken by the USA, divides the ruling classes of European countries who oscillate between collaborationism, submission and hesitating, contradictory signs of aloofness. It is of the utmost importance that all the progressive forces, from all around the world, know how to fully benefit and promote the contradictions arising within the ruling classes of the main capitalistic powers - however, in this respect, it would be a mistake to harbour in such contradictions any expectations or to submit our action to the leadership of these imperialistic forces. The key to reverse the present correlation of forces and to prevent and overthrow war and aggression policies - which, today, like in the past, sustain, inevitably, the capitalistic and imperialistic domination -, relies on the organised combat and resistance of the working classes and the people’s, against imperialism’s and capitalism’s aggressions. For the completion of this task, communists have a decisive and irreplaceable role.
The present situation is difficult and full of hazards. Difficulties, both objective and subjective, resulting from socialism defeats’ in Europe, along with the global offensive of great capital, are still felt. The organised struggle of the working classes and their movements became more difficult due to economical changes, associated with changes in forms of production and with capitalistic globalisation processes. We are experiencing an era of intensive ideological attack, in which the media are used with all its influence and power.
But, still, we believe that the resistance against the hegemonic offensive by imperialism’s it is possible and necessary.
The XVIIth Congress of the Portuguese Communist Party held few months ago, was an opportunity to reaffirm PCP’s communist nature and Marxist-Leninist identity, affirming itself as the Party of the working class and of the Portuguese workers who strive for a socialist society. In the early elections held last February, the right wing parties, who had sustained one of the most conservative governments since 1974 and who participated in the imperialistic military attack on Iraq, were severely defeated. Our Party strengthened its voting and, therefore, its parliamentary representation. These are victories that demonstrate that it is possible to overcome, with success, the major difficulties of present times. We are aware that new and difficult battles lay ahead. But we believe that it is vital to have confidence in the workers and the people’s struggles. When, during the dark months of 1941, it seemed inevitable that the black wave of fascism would sweep away everything within its path, the communists’ determination and confidence was decisive so that, a few years later, Mankind could celebrate the defeat of Nazi-Fascism. That confidence and determination are, once again, necessary.
The same confidence and determination inspired by the victory of the Soviet people in the Second World War and that keeps us steadfast in the strive for a socialist future, the only way possible of saving the world from barbarism and returning hope and justice to the peoples and workers.
For all these reasons, dear comrades, we pay, once more, our tribute to the soviet communists and the soviet people for the Great Victory over Nazi-Fascism and we congratulate, most particularly, the CPRF and the parties of the countries who were once part of the former USSR here represented, for that great accomplishment in History.
May the flags of Victory, peace, social progress and socialism remain high above!
Long live proletarian internationalism.
