26-10-2014, 10:05 AM
Paul Rigby Wrote:By Operation Splinter Factor, I meant the book by Stewart Steven, whose thesis, very obviously the product of some very selective anti-Angleton briefing, sought to persuade us of a very big lie - to wit, that the CIA ran a very active and very large campaign to liberate Eastern Europe from Soviet control.
In fact, in so far as I can make sense of what happened, precisely the reverse was true: the objective of the CIA was to provoke repression and continued Soviet military occupation, the better to continue the US assault on the traditional Western European colonial powers - chiefly Britain and France - while refashioning Germany to Washington's purposes.
The major CIA interventions were therefore designed to scupper those leaders and factions within Moscow who sought to loosen control or, as in Beria's case, withdraw from Eastern Europe. The CIA targeted Beria's men in embassies across the world to thwart their patron's initiatives and charm offensives; and when Beria fell - thanks in large measure to the Berlin uprising which united Red Army, the Communist Party and the CIA in one of the more remarkable confluences of interest in the early post-WWII phase of the Cold War - these were thought, with good reason, easy pickings for defection operations.
My take on this is not shared, as far as I can tell, by any historian of note, and there is, thus, no readily available link.
Interesting what you say about Beria's men. There are/were definitely factions and differences in the USSR and in the other socialist states. Most westerners tend it see it all as a monolithic entity set on taking over the world and that is so far from the reality. Socialist and communist groups were internally not always unified let alone between parties. Eg in Hungary the Soviets were forced kicking and screaming into coming to Hungary. The initial response was for the Hungarians to sort it out for themselves. They didn't need the head ache, disruption, expense and resources expended to go to Hungary. But the socialists in the coalition who were aligned most closely with the USSR CP had threatened to resign from the ruling coalition if the Soviets didn't come. Remember also that Hungary was a belligerent on the axis side during the war and owed huge reparations to Yugoslavia and the USSR and other neighbours. There were also treaties invoked by the Hungarian government which required the involvement of the USSR. Remember also that there was also a previous Hungarian soviet republic which was destroyed when Romania and Yugoslavia invaded on behalf of the monarchists and reactionary classes. Nor was the 56 'uprising' spontaneous. It was funded and organised by the US and Catholic church and a likely stay behind network action. An early colour revolution if you like. Which isn't to say that it was all peace love and Woodstock in Hungary politically, there were political differences and difficulties and competing class forces at work, but they could have been solved peacefully if left to their own resources and with out western interference. Some wanted a socialism like Yugoslavia and the non-aligned movement others like neutral Austria which had recently signed a neutrality treaty. Not a simple black and white case of the big bad wolf seeking to oppress the peace loving Hungarian people. There were counter demonstrations of people wanting to support the existing system and there were unknown snipers shooting at the demonstrators which we see happening today in the colour revolutions. My information is not from Wikipedia (which has pretty woeful coverage of the event) but from participants.
Magda Hassan Wrote:I need to read up more on the whole Wilson government.
Treat yourself for Christmas and start here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Smear-Wilson-Sec...0586217134[/QUOTE]
Thank you! I will. They have a good used copy for £0.01. Which is great. Plus $13 postage which is not so great but beats swimming there and back to get it without postage. I bought a couple of other books. One by Robin Ramsey on New Labor and one by Steven Dorrill on Intel services in the 1990's. Also just pennies plus some hefty postage.
"The philosophers have only interpreted the world, in various ways. The point, however, is to change it." Karl Marx
"He would, wouldn't he?" Mandy Rice-Davies. When asked in court whether she knew that Lord Astor had denied having sex with her.
“I think it would be a good idea” Ghandi, when asked about Western Civilisation.
"He would, wouldn't he?" Mandy Rice-Davies. When asked in court whether she knew that Lord Astor had denied having sex with her.
“I think it would be a good idea” Ghandi, when asked about Western Civilisation.