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In the case of American recognition of the USSR, Ukrainian groups in the United States did their best to focus attention on the famine. A delegation was even sent to President Roosevelt to ask for an investigation of conditions in Ukraine before granting recognition. Public pronouncements were made and demonstrations held, with the usual attack from American communists. In the same period, a number of relief organizations, as well as government and church officials, tried to raise the curtain of silence that concealed the famine, unfortunately without much success. While these actions were annoying to Moscow, they proved to be no hindrance to its objectives, for on November 16, 1933, the U.S. gave diplomatic recognition to the USSR; on September 18, 1934, the Soviet Union was admitted into the League of Nations, and signed a series of treaties with various countries. Had the facts about the famine been better known to the outside world, Soviet diplomatic successes may not have come as readily as they did. It should also be pointed out that at that time the Nazis came to power, and this diverted world attention from the famine.
It should also be pointed out that while some information was being published in the US, a lot of it was being published in Jewish newsletters, so it was discounted out of hand.
Well known American writers like Walter Duranty went to the Soviet Union and wrote glowing reports back home, saying everything was anti-soviet propaganda.
The US ambassador to Russia (don't remember his name) was a Roosevelt stooge who was more interested in acquiring art and being an important member of the Moscow high society than he was about doing his job. He attended Moscow show trials and he reported how fair and great the trials were.
And US citizens simply could not comprehend a government purposefully starving millions of its own citizens to death.
The New York Times thought the murder of 10 million people was NOT news!! Even today, they refuse to give the Pulitzer Prize back for their reporting about the murder of 10 million people. Editorials in newspapers through out the United States have called for the New York Times to apologize and trash the "Prize".
Even today....the New York Times refuses to return the prize or apologize for their role in the murder of 10 million people.
Search Walter Duranty and the Ukrainian famine for more information on the role of the New York Times in one of the most dreadful events in human history.
It should also be pointed out that while some information was being published in the US, a lot of it was being published in Jewish newsletters, so it was discounted out of hand.
Well known American writers like Walter Duranty went to the Soviet Union and wrote glowing reports back home, saying everything was anti-soviet propaganda.
The US ambassador to Russia (don't remember his name) was a Roosevelt stooge who was more interested in acquiring art and being an important member of the Moscow high society than he was about doing his job. He attended Moscow show trials and he reported how fair and great the trials were.
And US citizens simply could not comprehend a government purposefully starving millions of its own citizens to death.
Was that Avery Brundage? He gave all his art to the De Young Museum in San Francisco, or the Asian Art Museum, or both. He was involved with approving the US participation in the Olympic Games held in Germany in the period leading up to WWII. Featured in a recent film about that. He felt that human rights concerns about treatment of the Jews should be irrelevant to participation in a world sporting event.
Well, you've answered your own question. The Soviet Union tried to cover up the event. Many western correspondents didn't cover it or tried to explain it away (see: Walter Duranty). By the time it was conclusively confirmed years later via academic scholarship, in the 1950s and 1960s, it was old news. Also by that time, since academia was tilting solidly left, if not Pro-Communist, then at least anti the Anti-Communists, the Ukrainian famine was not a topic in which most academics were interested to research and to teach.
Quote:
Originally Posted by TheWiseWino
In the case of American recognition of the USSR, Ukrainian groups in the United States did their best to focus attention on the famine. A delegation was even sent to President Roosevelt to ask for an investigation of conditions in Ukraine before granting recognition. Public pronouncements were made and demonstrations held, with the usual attack from American communists. In the same period, a number of relief organizations, as well as government and church officials, tried to raise the curtain of silence that concealed the famine, unfortunately without much success. While these actions were annoying to Moscow, they proved to be no hindrance to its objectives, for on November 16, 1933, the U.S. gave diplomatic recognition to the USSR; on September 18, 1934, the Soviet Union was admitted into the League of Nations, and signed a series of treaties with various countries. Had the facts about the famine been better known to the outside world, Soviet diplomatic successes may not have come as readily as they did. It should also be pointed out that at that time the Nazis came to power, and this diverted world attention from the famine.
May I add that before the internet this information was not well known other than those who
studied Eastern European History or Ukrainians. The first time I saw it publicly televised
was on PBS back in 1984 (actually I recorded it on VHS) and it was produced in Canada.
After WWII, those who immigrated to Canada and US cities (mostly in Cleveland, NYC,
Philadelphia, Rochester, Detroit, Buffalo, Chicago and Pittsburgh) would have a yearly
day of remembrance about this atrocity.
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