Criticism of "The Soviet Story" (was Re: Film The Soviet Story with director Edvins Snore on Jan. 27)

[Grover Furr-FM]

Dear Julia:

I wrote:

>  Re: the film "The Soviet Story": I recommend
>
>  Aleksandr Diukov. "The Soviet Story". Mekhanizm lzhi.
>
>  You can download it at several places on the internet, including
>  here:
>
>  http://actualhistory.ru/polemics-the-soviet-lies
>
>  "The Soviet Story" is a shameless fabrication. Meanwhile, it is true
>  that official honors are given to Nazi collaborators in the Baltics
>  and Ukraine.

You wrote:

>  I would think twice before using Alexander Diukov as an "objective"
>  authority on this issue. This is the man who wrote in his blog
>  (http://a-dyukov.livejournal.com):
>  <http://a-dyukov.livejournal.com%29:> 'Я человек спокойный, нопосле
>  просмотра 2/3 фильма у меня было одно желание: лично убить режиссера и
>  сжечь нахер латышское посольство'.

I recommended this book, and still do, because I actually READ it. To be 
honest, after reading it I felt much like Diukov evidently did. I don't 
like Nazi apologetics any more than Diukov does.

Diukov's analysis makes a strong argument that "The Soviet Story" is 
precisely that.

The governments of the Baltics and Ukraine, abetted by right-wing 
nationalist historians, have been attempting to equate the Soviets with 
the Nazis.

It is clear that they are doing this the better to excuse Nazi 
collaboration by Baltic and Ukrainian "nationalist" -- meaning 
far-right, pro-Nazi armed nationalist groups. This includes 
participation in the Holocaust of Baltic and Soviet Jews, as well as of 
millions of non-Jews.

In the interest of full disclosure, let me say that Diukov's online 
journal, _Aktual'naia istoriia_ (http://actualhistory.ru/) published an 
article I coauthored. Vladimir Bobrov, my co-author, and I did not alter 
our research to get it published; nor were we asked to do so. Diukov and 
his associates acted in a completely professional manner in dealing 
withi our submission.

Of course it is true that the results of our research are compatible 
with Diukov's bias, which is a pro-Soviet one. By the same token, it 
would be very unlikely that our research would be published in the great 
majority of Soviet- and Russian-studies journals that have an 
_anti_-Soviet bias. Sadly, that's how things are in the politically 
polarized world of Soviet / Russian history.

But the fact that "The Soviet Story" is fiercely anticommunist does not 
mean that it is "credible" any more than Diukov's fiercely 
anti-anti-communist bias (he is certainly not a communist himself) mean 
that _his_ writing is "credible." Truth, not political bias, is what's 
important, and the truth does not consistently favor the anticommunists 
any more than it always favors the pro-communists.

That said, I find Diukov's book to be pretty objective, given the norm 
in this politically loaded field.

Sincerely,

Grover Furr
Montclair SU

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