VIETNAM WAR. CONFLICT OF IDEOLOGY.(updated)

 

By K P PASWAN.

Vietnam war was started by J. F Kennedy, the president of US to counter the USSR under Nikita Khrushchev and China, under Mao Zedong. The war resulted in heavy causalities and there was mass agitation in US, against a war being fought with a poor country. When China adopted Communism, George S,Trueman,the war time president of USA did not launch war against China, and instead maintained friendship with a ruthless Stalin, the strongman of USSR, and this friendship was not appreciated by  Great Britain. Cold war was brewing, affecting the entire world. USSR achieved spectacular parity with US in military power. Mutual mistrust between super powers led to cold war which was being fought diplomatically and by spreading conflicting capacity of nuclear strength of two super power. Vietnam war veterans in US are given extraordinary importance. A few Congress members and even Senators fought in Vietnam. But the deadly war in Vietnam failed to ravage the nation as there were no high-rise buildings and there were no manufacturing units worth the name.

When we consider more deadly war in the Middle East, Kuwait and in Afghanistan, than we find Vietnam war, does not stand anywhere. War in central Asia destroyed ancient civilization and modern cities. In Central Asia, the US declared war against the terrorists and their organization which is not based on political ideology like Communism, but upon religious based terrorism.

Post war Vietnam is being seen as a possible danger to China along with South Korea. American and German MNCs are preferring Vietnam for starting new economic activities.  Modern Vietnam is an emerging economy and it is no longer a friend of China, as it used to be when Hochi Minh fought the US troops with help from China. Vietnam suffered badly in terms of human lose, but it soon arose on its own leg, and manufacturing activities are going on with full swing. But devastation caused in the Middle East is beyond repair. Besides countering Communist ideology, several politicians’ diplomats and even Generals had their own contribution to a war, which was fought under the shadow of Cold war. These eminent personalities were,

TRUEMAN. The second world war time president of US was, lamenting that even at the age of 80, he campaigned for the young JF Kennedy as a Democratic candidate for the presidency of US, who was losing war not to Vietnam but to a powerful USSR and less powerful China. He witnessed the fall and division of Hermit kingdom, into two parts South and North Korea. His friendship with Stalin of USSR was disliked by many of European allies. The famous president was scared of his General Douglas MacArthur. who was commanding the US forces in far east.

J F KENNEDY. The first Catholic president of US, believed that America be patient abroad, if it democratically solved problems at home, something that USSR could not do cold war struggle with US. His politics and personal life were much discussed matter of his time His policy,handling of the war in Vietnam,  invited criticism from across the political spectrum . He thought that US was losing its technical supremacy in every field to USSR, but neither the mighty CIA or his Secretary of State informed that, USSR under Nikita Khrushchev was unable to provide even modern medicines and nutritious foods to people, and they cannot travel in space beyond Moon, because the USSR lacked the technology to reach beyond Moon. Nobody informed the beleaguered president of US, that the Communism was breathing heavily, as was proved by Mao Zedong ’export of culture revolution to different countries of the world. It is still not known, how many countries imported Culture Revolution from China.

 Gen Westmoreland, the US General heading, the US forces in Vietnam never questioned, why the Americans were fighting in an impoverished and peace-loving Buddhist country. There were no uniformed Vietnamese soldiers, there were only Guerrillas, who used to appear from the dense forest to launch missiles attack, and quickly disappeared in the forest. Poor Vietnamese were being killed and the Guerrillas nicknamed as Vietcong were killing American soldiers with their old weapons supplied by USSR. But the Vietcong never made tall and false claims of their lose. The world new the mounting losses of American and Viet Cong fighters through printing media.

Nikita Khrushchev, the PM of USSR was threatening that USSR would bury the West deep into the grave, little knowing that the USSR was itself digging its own grave, but he was celebrating the loss of US in Vietnam as the Vietcong under Ho Chi Minh, were fighting the US with weapons borrowed from USSR and China. His belligerence invited criticism across the political spectrum. His withdrawal of Missiles and soldiers from Cuba was described as most humiliating, but he continued his policy of communist the entire world.

ElSE WORTH BUNKER. Perhaps the most dynamic and experienced American Diplomat of his time. He was wondering why, diplomacy was failing in Vietnam? He was aware the pathetic conditions of economy in USSR, which was serving neither the poor nor the corrupt enforcer of Marxism upon the unwilling people. But the ace diplomatic knew that KARMA, the meaning of which, he learned, while he was American ambassador in India for a brief period was playing its own part. Perhaps KARMA as mentioned in Hindu scriptures and widely understood in a Buddhist country like Vietnam, was standing like a firewall between Cold War and diplomacy in Vietnam.

JAWAHARLAL NEHRU. He was democratically elected PM of an independent India. He was perhaps greatest statesman of contemporary international politics. He was facing  threat from Mao Zedong, who embolden by Americans lose in Vietnam was bound to betray the founder of modern India. Pt Nehru also known as Messenger of Peace remained neutral and earned the wrath of USA. But Pt Nehru always thought of  welfare of people of India and his policy of non-alignment was acclaimed everywhere.

HO CHI MINH. A fragile man of average height, and confirmed communist, the president of tiny Vietnam was facing a monster (US), He had only one ambition, to lift the poverty from his country and nothing else. He was an ordinary mortal, unaware that his immediate neighbor China under a belligerent Mao Zedong would send his own violent philosophy  of removing poverty from Vietnam. Capital was necessary to create infrastructure, but there was no money. For industrial growth foreign investment was essential for a weak economy, but there was not foreign investment worth the name People were devout Buddhist and no threat to any country in the region. So Unwillingly, he fell into the trap of Communism, which, Hochi Minh thought that Communist ideology was for the poor and of the poor. His supporters known as Vietcong fought the most powerful nation in the solar system, with weapons borrowed and purchased from USSR. Vietnam suffered, but it refused to die and the country did not turn its small cities into ghost towns  as being witnessed in the Middle East. A large number of Buddhists resorted to self-immolation, to express solidarity with Hochi Minh. But they remained helpless, when the Vietcong were being pounded and the Guerrillas were killing uniformed soldiers. Vietnam and China had and still has one thing in common and that is presence of deadly Wet Markets. But the lethal Coronavirus did not emerge from the Wet Markets of Vietnam. Young Vietnamese have no memory of deadly war, but older people still remember the heavy bombing by US.

FINAL WORDS.  All the eminent personalities as mentioned were interlinked with each other. But were unable and helpless to prevent the war. However the humiliating retreat of American soldiers from Vietnam proved  one thing, that US can sustain a prolonged war and any country not even USSR or China would involve themselves in a war with US, which may cause  irreparable collateral damage to opposing forces.

PUTIN A KILLER OR CONFUSED POLITICIAN.(updated)

 

BY K P PASWAN.

President Joe Biden has called Russian president a Killer, because he is in the habit of eliminating his opponents by poisoning them. It was alleged that Alex Navalny, a dissident of Putin was poisoned by him, but Navalny was saved by timely treatment in Germany. Alexei Navalny is serving a three years sentence in a Russian prison. Nearly one decodes ago Putin was accused of poisoning a Russian defector, living in exile in UK, in this case, Putin’s dissident lost his life.

 NO MORE SUPER POWER. Now coming to Putin and his beloved Russia, we bear into mind that Russia is not a superpower, it lost the credential to Xi JINPING. Truth is that Russia is not even a regional power. While the world is reeling under over population, Russia is facing decline in population, due to some biological reasons, for which there is no explanation. When Russia, once known as USSR was at its zenith of military power, Putin was a hard-core KGB agent in East Germany and his distant neighbor was Angela Dorothy Merkel, the present Chancellor of West Germany. As an efficient KGB agent, Putin outwitted West German intelligence, so much so that West German intelligence remained a mute spectator, when the killer squad from Palestine massacred Jewish sportsmen during Munich Olympic

KGB OUT, MEN OF FORCE IN.

With the collapse of USSR, KGB also ceased to exist but it was replaced by a group of Generals and dreaded former KGB agents. The new entity is known as Men of Force and is completely under the control of Putin, who once himself shone as KGB agent This resulted in have a regime in Moscow, that looks increasingly antagonistic to the West and appears prone to ill-conceived and dangerous decisions, it is so because that, they have not forgotten their past achievements, even those achievements, meant, further shrinking of Russian economy. They are dedicated to Putin and they are more dedicated to spoils, that come with power. Western sanctions have isolated the economy and also isolated hard core Communists.

OPEN DEMOCRACY. Despite of a Killer Putin in power, Russia is now an open democracy and Putin is striving his best to do something for the poor. But he is racing against time, and it appears that the so-called supporters of open democracy, will not allow him to rest and sleep, unless he allows his opponents to fight like hell. Can Putin be forgiven? The US will continue to prosper without needing a helping hand from China. But US needs Putin  for a much greater role in international politics.

 Russian oil has made a leading player in central Asia, but economic success does not guarantee return of democracy. Back in 1990, the country had no money, no food and no nothing, but now, it had under its possession destructive nuclear weapons. Within the country, the surging politics and stagnant economy is palpable.  Putin has used his unlimited powers to pursue economic reforms with vigor and maintains that economic growth and stability comes ahead of political freedom. Pro democrats think that their problem is political system that hinges on one man named Putin. The issues, that worries both the Pentagon and Beijing, that whether Putin has the courage to long terms political reforms, which if succeeded would lead to shrinking of economy as most of the opponents of Putin, are corrupt, who in the name of democratic ideas are actively engaged in extorting money from young entrepreneurs. Opposite is the case of China where the nasty dictator Xi Jinping has not allowed the pro democrats to pollute the extraordinary economic achievements. Compelling political and economic situations cannot be managed by a former ruthless KGB agent. But what is the remedy and alternatives?

Administration under Boris Yeltsin, was devoted to free market, reforms of economy and collaborations with the west. Boris Yeltsin was not an ex KGB agent, in fact, he was not even a Communist in real sense. But under Putin, the government and corporations went to the members of Putin’s which formed the core of new politburo. Most members of the ruling class in Russia send their children to study in the West and they keep their fortunes in Western banks. Political and economic sanctions have allowed Putin to tighten his grip on power. Putin has urged the elites to store their wealth in Russia, instead of stashing them in offshore bank accounts. Now the fortunes of elites are tied closely to Russia, which means they are tied to Putin, the only way a new leader could emerge from among them is, if Putin himself starts to groom a successor. By constitutional manipulations, Putin avoided a leadership crisis, by making provisions through constitutional amendments, to remain in power for a long time. 65 years Putin is rumored to have developed Parkinson,so in a system, where all institutions have eclipsed by one personality, there is no way to know what happens, when he is gone? Putin has made everybody afraid of his departure. So if Pentagon was hoping of a Putin’s opponents with the help of West, would mount a palace coupe, they will be disappointed in the current system, there is a joke in the White House, what happens if Putin has a hard attack? Putin himself does not know the answer.

Russia under Putin is no longer a threat to NATO or the EU. Several states of Eastern Europe, once occupied by USSR have become independent and have joined EU and NATO, and are enjoying the fruits of real economic development. But these small sovereign states still admire Russia for some other reasons.Russians oil and gas companies have bought up large chunks of energy industries in eastern Europe and trying to buy more. When Russia seemed weak and friendly that was a minor worry. Now it is a big one Business footholds can soon become political bridgeheads, which coupled with weak politics creates a vulnerability to Russian influence—peddling and mischief making. Does it mean a new cold war? No, it means more confusion in the mind of Putin.

 A foreign threat, even a bogus one will help keep the electorate pliant whatever Putin decides to do. For example, Putin recently enjoined his ministers to protect the interest of Russians against the ethnic gangs (Mostly Muslims) who controls the street markets. Russia has turned its attention to the Middle East. Al Assad of Syria cannot survive without the help of Russia and fearing the fate of Vietnam war, US was forced to cooperate with Russia to drive out ISIS and ensured All Assad as president of a ravaged nation. Latest missiles supplied to Turkey and India by Russia, irked Pentagon and these two countries were warned not to purchase deadly weapons from Russia. Than there is Iran which is determined to inflict heavy damage to the Jewish state and US. Iran has moved closer to Russia and China, thus challenging the monopoly of US in Central Asia. Saudi Arabia is unlikely to support either Russia or China, and this step of the desert kingdom will strengthen US in its attempt to side-line China which is creating economic and political problems in the Middle East.

Putin is not a terrorist. He tried to remove the tarnished image of Russia by introducing first Vaccines for Covid 19, but once again Putin violated scientific laws by giving approval to emergency use of Vaccines without stage three trial. But a report in LANCET, Russian vaccines was found effective, but the damage was already done. Putin has been accused of interfering in the presidential election in USA. There are enough evidences to indict Putin and further actions are awaited from White House. Putin is also worried that China has displaced Russia from a super power to an ordinary nation which possess deadly nuclear arsenals. Russia faces 4000 kms porous border with China and Xi Jinping has claimed certain areas of Russia of its own.

 EVALUATION. Putin may be a bad guy,but he is not a killer.  He is needed by US to drive out jihadist and taming overambitious Iran and a frustrated Turkey. Russia can play an important role in a bi polar international politics. His departure may  not result in the birth of Western style of democracy in Russia.

RISE AND FALL OF USSR.(Updated)

 

BY K P PASWAN.

There was neither rise nor fall of USSR. In fact, it is the rise and fall of Communist ideology, and the USSR became worst victim of this ideology. Russia is a country with rich past and very rich in  natural resources. Russia was under monarchy for a long time. The monarchy also known as CZAR was responsible for the expansion of the empire. Czars were ruthless, while subjugating the vanquished, but they were also interested in general welfare of the people. The CZARINA like Catherine the Great, was not only an expansionist, but she cared for the people. It was only at the end of 19^th century that Czar dynasty was taken over by Romanov, who indulged in lavish style and the Czarina was rumored to have developed intimate relations with a soothsayer named Rasputin.

 Romanov dynasty was also known as the last Czar of Russia. Romanov was  cruel monarch with few or no friends, inside and outside of the than Soviet Union. Under Romanov, Soviet Union was facing grave economic and political problems beyond any solution. Widespread poverty led to death of common people by starvation, and thereby paving the way for the rise of Communism, a theory, propounded by Karl Marx for the poor and of the poor.

RISE OF BOLSHEVIKS.

 Lenin, a hardcore follower of Karl Marx, founded Bolshevik, a violent group of revolutionaries to fight the Czar and was waiting for an opportunity to eliminate the ruling dynasty of the Soviet Union.  He obtained sympathy of people by violent agitation against the Czar. The Czar tried to save himself and his family, but nobody came forward for help. The Czar had matrimonial relationship with the ruling monarch of Germany and even Great Britain, but these two countries turned their heads away, as the Czarina was completely under the influence of a soothsayer named Rasputin. So the Bolsheviks (Revolutionaries) captured the Czar and his family and butchered them like animals. Even small children were not spared. So Soviet Union was borne and renamed as USSR. The followers of Karl Marx founded their own bastion on the ruins of a helpless dynasty.

 COMMUNISM. Communism was in fact a failed and unverified political philosophy. Karl Marx wrote the DASS CAPITAL, when there was exploitation of laborers, engaged in manufacturing activities. But the nature of industries in Great Britain was really based on the exploitation of workers. However, it was going to change, and it actually changed from worst to better.  Karl Marx predicted the rise of Communism in country like Great Britain and other prosperous countries of Europe, but Communism was first introduced in a country like Russia, which was poorly industrialized.

So faithful disciples of Karl Marx were forced to revise the theory, and the revised theory of Communism was put to test in Soviet Union. Arrival of communism created panic in Soviet Union. And if Lenin was going to introduce Marx philosophy, then it was imperative to remove panic. So in the name of purge, Lenin started butchering people, who questioned the authority of communists. Lenin indulged in massacre, just to impose communism and autocratic rule to remove poverty. In horrendous killing, he did not make any difference between rich and poor. Nothing was allowed to escape from USSR, and the country became Iron Curtain or a Black hole in scientific term, from which no information escaped. In Communist system of government, there is not even scant scope for any democratic idea and personal liberty, run contrary to the bizarre communist philosophy, in which every thing belongs to state and there is no place for private property.

 Agriculture has been the mainstay of common people in Russia, but all attempts to improve agriculture ended in failure. However in the field of military, Lenin laid the foundation of a dangerous military power, which ultimately alarmed the military power of USA and escalated Cold War.

 MILITARY POWER. After death of Lenin, his successors, badly mismanaged the national economy. It was left to Stalin, another ruthless politician to do something constructive for poor people. But Stalin found himself preoccupied in war going on in Europe. Rise of Hitler in Germany changed the political spectrum across the world and in this game of war, Russia became a pawn in the hands of an autocrat like Stalin, who in the name of Russian nationalism, threw political, economic and military energy into the war,thus compromising the general welfare of the people. Stalin made a mockery of Karl Marx’s concern for the poor, Stalin proved to be a ruthless killer of post war era, those who were slightly suspected of opposing his policy were eliminated. There was impressive boon in oil production, but instead of utilizing those money for general welfare, funds were diverted to manufacture nuclear arsenal and probing outer space. USSR witnessed alarming growth in inflation and soaring prices of essential commodities, increased the misery of common people.

RELIGION. For Karl Marx, religion was like an opium, but his disciples Hegel and Angel discovered that Dialectical materialism lacked scientific explanation, it did not appeal to scientists of all over the world, so they declared God is the only hope of hopeless and soul of soulless. Stalin tried to curb religions in Soviet unions by employing all the tricks, but the Orthodox Christian refused to melt away and more than 1500millions Muslims became more fundamentalists. Stalin got nuclear bomb  which led Russia to climb high but with a sudden fall.

Nikita Khrushchev was not a seasoned politician, he was an important member of Stalin’s coterie of ambitious politicians and he ( Khrushchev) acted as comedian to create hilarious scenes for Stalin. But Khrushchev fortified himself by erecting a strong firewall against USA. He was laid to believe that, USA wanted Russia to cease to exist as a nation, because Russia has enormous wealth and the Americans think that Russians have no right to this and don’t deserve this natural wealth. Khrushchev's Cuba missiles handling led his  popularity down and repeated crop failure led to his unceremonious exit.

His successor, Brezhnev in particulars was weak and unable to understand the changing equation in international politics. A closed political system has its own weakness, With the spread of modern communication, based on latest technology, pathetic conditions of common people of Russia were made known to the world and Chernobyl nuclear blast unraveled faulty application of nuclear technology. Uni polar politics was fast turning into a bipolar with all the permanent members of the security council boasting of their nuclear arsenal. Khrushchev's friend, Mao Zedong of China, also developed nuclear bomb and tried to establish a parallel Communist power, challenging the Russian hegemony in contemporary politics.

 When Gorbachev assumed the power of Generally Secretary of communist, Russia, he had no advance planning for keeping the status of USSR within the four walls of communist ideology. Open democracy was the only way out, so with the fall of communism, Berlin wall collapsed and the USSR also collapsed. During his period Russia probed outer space, by sending space craft to encircle the earth, and for a while it appeared that US was lagging behind USSR, but a contemporary history based on version of certain Russian defectors, to West and USA revealed economic stagnation and crop failure in Russia.The Americans viewed such steps akin to militarisation, and that led Japan to become an imperialistic power. Russia under communist rule also run into troubles for maintaining close ties with repressive regimes in entire world.

CORRUPTION.. Russia’s early days experiment with Communism witnessed, taxes  being paid not to the government, but directly to corrupt Govt officials. Oil money always flooded communist Russia and this money was spend on increasing military and manufacturing ultra-modern murderous weapons just to bring the entire world under communist rule. Russia was bound to collapse and it really collapsed under heavy weight of Marx philosophy. One of the remedies was to arrange a bridging loan from another country in good credit, such an arrangement might or might not be legal, it would be make for terrible politics, but Russia was so proud of its achievement as a nuclear power, that instead of arranging loam, it further compromised the welfare activities meant for poor.

EVALUATION. Russia is ceased to become a super power, it is not even a regional power.  Russia is more open, than under the rule of Communists At least Russia under Vladimir Putin is not starving. Rise and fall of USSR means, fall of a unproven political ideology.