LITUANUS LITHUANIAN QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF ARTS AND SCIENCES   Volume 32, No. 2 - Summer 1986 Editor of this issue: Antanas Klimas ISSN 0024-5089 Copyright © 1986 LITUANUS Foundation, Inc.

Combat on Communist Territory. 

Edited by Charles Moser. Regnery Gateway, Inc. 
Free Congress Research and Education Foundation. Lake Bluff, IL, 1985. 241 pages.
(Available in hard cover and in soft cover; price not marked).

This very unique book, the very first of its kind, is arranged as follows: Foreword. Introduction, then the following chapters, or articles: "The War in Lithuania and the Ukraine Against Soviet Power" by Frederic Smith (2-21); "Defending Freedom in Nicaragua"by Jeffry St. John (22-71); "Mozambique's Hidden War" by Edward P. Cairn (72-105); "The Struggle for Afghanistan"-by Nasir Shansab (106-127); "Cambodia: Freedom's Frontier in Southeast Asia" by Al Santoli (128-151); "Operation Urgent Fury: The Liberation of Grenada" by Timothy Ashby (152-169); "The Anti-Socialist Movement in the USSR" by Igor Glagolev (170-189); "Toward a Theory of Anti-Communist insurgency" by Charles A. Moser (190-211); "Free Congress Recommendations" by Charles A. Moser and Andrew J. Gatsis (212-228); Contributors (229-230), and Notes (231-241).

In the Introduction written by the Editor, Charles A. Moser, the main purposes of this book are stated as follows:

(1) "First and most important, it takes contemporary anti-communist insurgencies seriously, offering objective surveys of the historical development and theoretical foundations of several such movements, making accessible information not easily available elsewhere in many cases, (p. VII).

(2) The chapter on the battle against communist tyranny in Lithuania and the Ukraine after World War II is included not only in order to pay historical tribute to its heroes, but also to demonstrate how long a determined resistance can continue against the weight of an established and ruthless communist state, and in the face of the indifference of its natural allies, (p. VII).

(3) Finally, we hope that this book may stimulate a discussion which will bring the United States and other Western powers to modify their traditional status quo stances, to comprehend that it is in the interests of the Free World generally to provide moral, political and material support to anti-communist insurgencies everywhere, (p. VII).

The present reviewer thinks that these aims, or purposes of the book are very well supported and elaborated in the various chapters/articles. The chapters on Lithuania, the Ukraine, and Afghanistan are particularly well written. In this short review, of course, we cannot go into the detailed discussion of each chapter, but in total, the book presents the facts that millions of people do actively oppose the communist rule very well. It will be very difficult for the Soviet and other communist governments to keep silent on these issues.

What is surprisingly new in this book are the "Free Congress Recommendations," the chapter written by the Editor, Charles A. Moser and Andrew J. Gatsis. At the beginning of the chapter, they state:

Though it is difficult to generalize about all anti-communist insurgencies, we must do so if we are to present recommendations for action by governments-here we have in mind primarily the government of the United States, but also the governments of other free nations as well by private organizations, and even by individuals, (p. 212).

Particularly interesting are the recommendations under the subchapter, (called "Political Dimensions" (pp. 214-218).) |l feel inclined they are so new, so challenging that I will list all of them (there are fifteen of them) here:

1) The West should encourage the establishment of provisional governments.

2) Freedom Fighter leaders should be publicly received by leaders of free governments.

3) The Freedom Fighter movements should be backed in international forums.

4) Western governments should work for recognition of the insurgency within the country by urging the formation of interim coalition governments.

5) The Freedom Fighters should be invited before official legislative bodies in Free World countries.

6) The Free World should assist in organizing and funding coordinating meetings among leaders of the various anti-communist insurgencies in the world.

7) Freedom Fighter movements should be encouraged, and where necessary assisted, to formulate political platforms setting forth their aspirations.

8) The Freedom Fighter movements should formulate a general theory of anti-communist insurgency.

9) The Freedom Fighters should be assisted in establishing information centers in major cities abroad.

10) Private organizations should come into being in the West to support the Freedom Fighter movements.

11) The media should provide frequent coverage of the anti-communist insurgencies.

12) International news broadcasts beamed to the Soviet Union and its satellites should place special emphasis upon anti-communist insurgencies.

13) Films and documentaries on anti-communist insurgencies should be prepared for general public distribution in the West

14) Books should be published on the anti-communist insurgencies.

15) We must elaborate a theory of the transition from a communist society to a post-communist one. 

(The numbering is mine, The Reviewer).

Only the future will show which of these recommendations may achieve prominence, at least in the media

We can only hope that many people will read this book and help to create a serious discussion on all of these very challenging points.

B.S.V.