First Speech of Comrade I.V. Stalin

Comrade Stalin said that he had heard many eulogies addressed to the Red Army. Of course, one can acknowledge, without boasting, that it is truly a valiant, courageous, and glorious army, but it still has many shortcomings. This is a large army; it is waging a large war. Together with the people directly servicing its rear, it numbers approximately 12 million persons. These 12 million people are different people. One should not think that they are all angels.

The Red Army has entered Czechoslovakia, and now the Czechoslovaks will get to know it better, will learn of its shortcomings as well. The Red Army is advancing, winning great victories, but it still has many shortcomings. The Red Army has come a long way in battle from Stalingrad to the gates of Berlin.

Its soldiers traveled this road not as tourists; they traveled it under fire, and they defeated the Germans. They think they are heroes. Almost all soldiers of the Red Army, at any rate the majority of the Red Army's soldiers, think this way. The less cultured people are, the more they think about this.

They consider themselves heroes and think that they can permit themselves excesses. They think that they will be forgiven these excesses because they are heroes. They have traveled a long and difficult road under enemy fire, and each of them thinks that tomorrow an enemy bullet may strike him down. Comrade Stalin said that these soldiers frequently behave outrageously, assault girls.

Comrade Stalin said that he wants the Czechoslovaks not to be too enchanted with the Red Army, so as not to be too disappointed later.

He, Comrade Stalin, wants the Czechoslovaks to understand the psychology, to understand the soul of the ordinary soldier of the Red Army, to understand his experiences — that, risking his life constantly, he has traveled a long and difficult road. Comrade Stalin said that he raises his glass so that the Czechoslovaks would understand and forgive the soldiers of the Red Army.

Second Speech of Comrade I.V. Stalin

Comrade Stalin said that he raises his glass to the new Slavophiles. He, Comrade Stalin, is himself a new Slavophile. There were old Slavophiles, one of the leaders of whom was the well-known Russian publicist Aksakov. They acted in the times of tsarism, and these Slavophiles were reactionaries. They stood for the unification of all Slavs in one state under the aegis of the Russian tsar.

We, the new Slavophiles, stand for a union of independent Slavic states.

The First World War played out on the backs of the Slavic peoples. We see that the second world war too is being fought on the backs of the Slavic peoples. England and Germany are fighting, while the Slavic peoples shed their blood.

France did not fight; she let the Germans into her territory, and one can say that she was not subjected to occupation. Belgium and Holland did not fight — they submissively lay down before the Germans and threw up their paws. England? England is on islands, and her position is special. Who suffered from German brigandry, from German occupation? Czechoslovakia, Poland, Yugoslavia, the Soviet Union. Bulgaria attempted to avoid this, tried to save herself, but not everything turned out well for her. On the whole it turns out that "the masters fight, while the serfs get their hair pulled."

Comrade Stalin said that he hates the Germans. But nonetheless he, Comrade Stalin, must acknowledge that the Germans are a strong and capable people. They have good cadres — military, industrial, and others. After the defeat they will suffer in this war, they will attempt to revive within the next 15 years.

Comrade Kalinin exclaimed: "Revenge!"

Comrade Stalin said that yes, the Germans will attempt to take revenge. Comrade Stalin said that those who think the Germans will be unable to do this are mistaken. Some Englishmen are again talking about a balance of forces. If the English will be half-friends of Germany, they will be mistaken and will lose on this. We are now beating the Germans, we will beat them, and then too, if and when they dare to raise a new war and let it loose. But in order to prevent the Germans from rising again and starting a new war, a union of Slavic peoples is necessary.

We, the new Slavophiles, are Communists — Bolsheviks, if you like. People think that we want to establish the Soviet system everywhere. This is not so. When the Red Army came to Bulgaria, some tried to establish Soviets there, but we said that this should not be done. We want each people to have the system it deserves. We do not intend to introduce the Soviet system in Czechoslovakia.

Addressing Benes, Comrade Stalin said that he, Benes, probably has doubts on this score. Comrade Stalin said this is Benes's right. But he, Comrade Stalin, wants the Czechoslovaks to understand that he is speaking sincerely and that he is saying what he thinks.

In conclusion of his speech, Comrade Stalin raised his glass to the union and friendship of independent Slavic peoples, large and small.

AP RF. F. 45. Op. 1. D. 393. L. 57-59.

Note

At the head of the Czechoslovak delegation, E. Benes was in Moscow from March 17 to 31, 1945, en route from London to his homeland. During this visit a new Czechoslovak government was formed, and its program of action was worked out and adopted. On March 28, in the Catherine Hall of the Grand Kremlin Palace, a dinner was given in honor of the President of the Czechoslovak Republic. On March 31, Benes, the government formed in Moscow, and the Soviet ambassador to Czechoslovakia V.A. Zorin departed for the liberated territory of Slovakia, to the city of Kosice.

In addition to the present record, made by the secretary of V.M. Molotov, B.D. Podtserov, another record of the same speeches is known, made by V.A. Malyshev:

"Comrade Stalin, after a number of toasts by the guests to the Red Army, said the following: 'Everyone praises our Red Army. Yes, it deserved it. But I would like our guests, having been enchanted with the Red Army, not to be disappointed later.

The fact is that there are now approximately 12 million persons in the Red Army. These people are far from angels. These people have become hardened during the war. Many of them have traveled 2,000 kilometers in battles: from Stalingrad to the middle of Czechoslovakia.

They have seen on their path much grief and atrocities. Therefore do not be surprised if some of our people in your country conduct themselves not as they should. We know that some, insufficiently conscious soldiers pester and insult girls and women, behave outrageously.

Let our Czechoslovak friends know this now, so that the enchantment with our Red Army might not give way to disappointment.'

The second speech of Comrade Stalin was about the Slavophiles.

Comrade Stalin said the following: 'Now there is much talk of Slavophilism and the Slavophiles. We are often compared with the old Slavophiles of tsarist times. This is incorrect.

The old Slavophiles, for example Aksakov and others, demanded the unification of all Slavs under the Russian tsar. They did not understand that this was a harmful and unworkable idea. The Slavic peoples have different social, everyday, and ethnographic structures, have different cultural levels and different social-political arrangements. The geographical position of the Slavic peoples also hinders unification.

We, the new Slavophiles-Leninists, the Slavophiles-Bolsheviks, Communists, stand not for unification but for a union of Slavic peoples. We consider that regardless of differences in political and social position, regardless of everyday and ethnographic differences, all Slavs must be in union with one another against our common enemy — the Germans.

The entire history of the life of the Slavs teaches that this union is necessary for us to defend Slavdom.

Take at least the last two world wars? Why did they begin? Because of the Slavs. The Germans wanted to enslave the Slavs. Who suffered most from these wars? Both in the First and the Second World War, the Slavic peoples suffered most: Russia, Ukraine, Belorussia, the Serbs, Czechs, Slovaks, Poles.

Is it not the same in this war? Did France suffer more? No. The French opened the front to the Germans. The Germans slightly occupied the northern part of France, and did not even touch the southern part. And Belgium and Holland immediately threw up their paws and lay down before the Germans.

England got off with minor destruction. But see how seriously Ukraine, Belorussia, Russia, Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia suffered. Even Bulgaria, which wanted to dodge and maneuver, got caught.

So it is the Slavs who suffered most from the Germans. Now we are beating the Germans hard, and many think the Germans will never be able to threaten us again. No, that is not so.

I hate the Germans. But hatred should not prevent us from evaluating the Germans objectively. The Germans are a great people. Very good technicians and organizers. Good, born, courageous soldiers. It is impossible to destroy the Germans; they will remain.

We are beating the Germans, and the matter is approaching its end. But one must bear in mind that the Allies will try to save the Germans and come to an agreement with them. We will be merciless toward the Germans, while the Allies will try to deal with them more gently. Therefore we, the Slavs, must be prepared for the Germans to be able to rise again and come out against the Slavs. Therefore we, the new Slavophiles-Leninists, so insistently call for a union of Slavic peoples.

There is talk that we want to impose the Soviet system on the Slavic peoples. These are empty words. We do not want this, since we know that the Soviet system cannot be exported at will to other countries; for this the corresponding conditions are required.

We could have established the Soviet system in Bulgaria; people wanted it there. But we did not go along with this. In the Slavic countries friendly to us, we want to have truly democratic governments.

Having concluded a union, the Slavic peoples can render one another economic and military assistance. We can do this now with success.

Therefore I drink to the union of the Slavic peoples.'"

(Istochnik. 1997. No. 5. P. 127-128.)