4StalinWorld

How did the world react to this genocide?

Stalin had kept the genocide a secret while he organized and executed his plan. It was the Soviet Union policy, that if ever questioned about the famine: one must deny everything. Inside the Soviet Union, if a person was even to mention the words "hunger" or "famine" or "starvation", they would be arrested. If there was anyone claiming that there was a famine, one could also be accused of "spreading anti-Soviet propaganda".

In Moscow, six British engineers that worked in the Soviet Union, had been arrested and charged with sabotage, espionage and bribery. They were also threatened with the death penalty. Journalists were strictly warned that if they let any news out about the famine, they would be shut out of the trial completely. The Prize winning reporter Walter Duranty of the New York Times who sent one dispatch stating "... all talk of famine now is ridiculous." Outside of the Soviet Union, the government of the West adopted a "passive attitude" (meaning they new about the famine, but took no action in stopping it.) toward the famine, although most of them had become aware of the true suffering in the Ukraine though confidential diplomatic channels.

This picture shows children affected by the famine.

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2008/07/26/article-1038774-0213677A00000578-562_468x286.jpg http://www.historyplace.com/worldhistory/genocide/stalin.htm

LM

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