The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #162418   Message #3865312
Posted By: Iains
09-Jul-17 - 05:00 PM
Thread Name: BS: INTERNATIONAL BRIGADES Urge MP support
Subject: RE: BS: INTERNATIONAL BRIGADES Urge MP support
One aspect of this motion that I cannot get my head around is the wording "That this House recalls the most valiant effort made eighty years ago by the volunteers of the International Brigades at the Battle of Brunete, during the Spanish Civil War, in July 1937; records its gratitude to all those who fought, including over 330 members of the British Battalion, and to those who were killed or wounded; recognises their inspirational example as pioneer combatants against the forces of fascism; and pledges that it will draw from their sacrifice in the continued fight against fascism, racism, xenophobia and TOTALITARIANISM.
Yet ""The Communist party of Great Britain took responsibility for organising the recruitment of volunteers in Britain, and leading communists held positions as officers and "political commissars" with the British battalion in Spain."
Now correct me if I am wrong but was not Stalin's Communist Soviet Union a shining example of a totalitarian regime?

Somewhere the logic of all this shows a serious breakdown. Perhaps someone can enlighten me!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communist_Party_of_Great_Britain

There is an interesting quote from the link:- From 1939 until 1941 the CPGB was very active in supporting strikes and in denouncing the government for its pursuit of the war. B. Farnborough says, "During the entire period up to the fall of France the British Communist Party functioned as a propaganda agency for Hitler.
I have no strong thoughts either way about those who volunteered. It was their choice. However I cannot see how I could support the motion
for the reasons above.