The War with Poland

To the Red Warrior on the Polish Front


Transcribed and HTML markup for the Trotsky Internet Archive by David Walters

* * *

Red warrior on the Polish front! The eyes of the entire country are now upon you. The working people have set you to guard the Soviet Ukraine and Soviet Russia. These two sister countries want peace more than anything else, so as to devote all their forces to labour. After your brothers in the East, North and South had smashed Kolchak, Yudenich and Denikin, we all hoped to return to the peaceful plough, to the axe, the blacksmith’s hammer and the lathe. But the world bourgeoisie decided to make one more, final and desperate effort to overthrow us, or, at least, to hold back our advance toward a life of freedom and justice. The aggressors and oppressors of all lands let loose upon us the Polish bourgeoisie, who not so long ago were crawling on their bellies before the Tsar and gratefully licking his hand for every sop he threw them, but are now trying to tear out the throat of workers’ and peasants’ Russia, which frankly and magnanimously recognised Poland’s freedom and independence.

We wanted peace, but they would not give it to us. They wanted war – so they shall have war.

Red warrior on the Polish front! All Russia of the working people is behind you. The workers of the whole world look toward you with hope and love, for you are defending freedom against oppression, labour against exploitation, justice against dishonour.

April 29, 1920


1 1

Last updated on: 26.12.2006