Joel A Lewis Youth Against Fascism.pdf

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