Moscow-Brewed LSD

A strong man sits in the midst of his mortal enemies while they revile him and discuss plans for his annihilation, but being totally deaf he “bows and smiles at whatever they may say.” This is the striking image of the West, and the United States in particular, evoked by Louis Francis Budenz in his new book, The Bolshevik Invasion of the West.

In a somewhat disorganized yet persuasive recital of events in the last 30-odd years, since American diplomatic recognition of the USSR, he shows that the deafness—and blindness as well—have been self-induced, to sustain a comforting euphoria and evade the realities of the Communist challenge. Moscow and Peking have spoken openly of their major objective with respect to the United States: “slitting the American throat or getting it to perform that ceremony itself.” They have demonstrated their unswerving commitment to this purpose in action. But we have deliberately closed our ears and eyes to the distressing sounds and sights. We are forever discerning “thaws,” moods of moderation, symptoms of “convergence” of the two worlds, to justify policies of conciliation, concession and appeasement.

EL

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Eugene Lyons

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A strong man sits in the midst of his mortal enemies while they revile him and discuss plans for his annihilation, but being totally deaf he “bows and smiles at whatever they may say.” This is the striking image of the West, and the United States in particular, evoked by Louis Francis Budenz in his new book, The Bolshevik Invasion of the West.

In a somewhat disorganized yet persuasive recital of events in the last 30-odd years, since American diplomatic recognition of the USSR, he shows that the deafness—and blindness as well—have been self-induced, to sustain a comforting euphoria and evade the realities of the Communist challenge. Moscow and Peking have spoken openly of their major objective with respect to the United States: “slitting the American throat or getting it to perform that ceremony itself.” They have demonstrated their unswerving commitment to this purpose in action. But we have deliberately closed our ears and eyes to the distressing sounds and sights. We are forever discerning “thaws,” moods of moderation, symptoms of “convergence” of the two worlds, to justify policies of conciliation, concession and appeasement.