Joel A Lewis Youth Against Fascism.pdf
Joel A Lewis Youth Against Fascism.pdf
Joel A Lewis Youth Against Fascism.pdf
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YOUTH AGAINST FASCISM<br />
"Aid Spain" campaigns helped American youth to gain a sense of international solidarity<br />
and a deeper understanding of world affairs. The YCLUSA stated that while<br />
Spanish youth protected democracy on the battlefield, that American "YCLers must fight<br />
with collection-cans, parties and dances to send money to Spain, and with letters, pens<br />
and soapboxes to lift the embargo on Spain." Such campaigns attracted new members<br />
who "joined because of the intensified activity… in behalf of the stubbornly democratic<br />
people of Loyalist Spain." The YCL not only sent financial aid, but also purchased<br />
"medical supplies, cigarettes and sweets" in order to "raise the morale" of the troops<br />
fighting fascism. 243 The YCL believed that their activities for Spain helped to inspire<br />
other American youth movements to support the Spanish Republic and democracy. The<br />
YCL praised the 1938 convention of the YWCA for passing a unanimous resolution that<br />
supported "lifting the embargo against Spain and in encouraging aid to the Loyalist<br />
cause, in the effort to maintain democracy in the YWCA and in the world at large." 244<br />
The YCL contended that such youth aid could help Spain to "emerge victorious" and that<br />
"America's youth will be saved from the task of shedding their blood in defense of<br />
American and world democracy." 245 Through aid and self sacrifice, the YCLs in Britain<br />
and the United States felt they could give effective aid to the Spanish Republic and rally<br />
public sentiment in support of Spanish democracy.<br />
Internationally, communist youth portrayed the Soviet Union as the greatest ally of<br />
Spain, democracy and the youth. While the Leninist Generation urged youth to defend<br />
the Soviet Union, Popular Front propaganda asserted that Soviet foreign policy was<br />
designed to protect democracy and youth throughout the world. The YCLGB contended<br />
that Soviet support of Spain and Czechoslovakia showed British youth how "the vast<br />
resources of Socialist Russia" supported by "the most powerful military in the world"<br />
could be utilized for their own defense and the international defense of democracy. 246<br />
The YCL justified the need for Soviet offers of military aid by asserting that the British<br />
military was ill-equipped and would be unable to withstand any attacks by the fascists. 247<br />
After the Munich Pact the YCL asserted, "At a word from the British Government, the<br />
strength of the Red Army can be ours, its power and vigour and its armament can be<br />
added to our defence against fascist aggression.... We need a Government that will make<br />
it ours." 248 One Challenge article entitled "This Army is Ready to Defend You" bluntly<br />
asserted that the Red Army would defend British youth, even if the National Government<br />
would not. (See Appendix) 249<br />
The American YCL spoke of how the Soviet Union was prepared to take "its place<br />
alongside of America against the barbarian forces… in Spain" and to offer a "firm<br />
handshake from 180,000,000 people, one sixth of the earth, and its mighty Red Army." 250<br />
For their assistance to Spain, the YCL praised that "one great nation that remained true to<br />
the principles of democracy, the firm ally of Republican Spain throughout the war—the<br />
Soviet Union." 251 Other articles boasted of how the "strength of the Soviet Union and the<br />
Red Army" were the only consistent allies that could be relied upon to check fascist<br />
126