Historically during the armed clashes between oppressor and oppressed classes, the rulers' armies have always gone into battle well armed and well trained. In spite of this, many of these armed forces have hesitated to attack the workers and in many cases have become neutralized.

But when tenacious, consistent communist political work has been developed with the soldiers, when there are communist organizers within these bodies, in decisive moments these revolutionary bases will be capable of bringing the mass of the soldiers not only to become neutral but to join the ranks of revolution, to fight shoulder to shoulder with the workers, farmworkers, students, and others.

Mass Protest Against Racist Police Murder, Ferguson, Missouri

Historically Soldiers Have United with Workers for Revolution

These are not illusions. This is the history of the class struggle. There are many examples. The Paris Commune of 1871, when soldiers joined with the workers and took power. In Russia in 1917, communist Bolshevik soldiers brought the bulk of the Czarist army to join with industrial workers to take state power. In China in the mid twentieth century, soldiers and workers united, overthrew the Chinese oppressors, and took power.

There are many other examples in different countries where soldiers have refused to shoot the oppressed. Why? Because they belong to our class. But if the work of spreading communist political consciousness is not carried out, then the bosses, with threats or lies, can win the soldiers to their side. For all of these reasons it is urgent and necessary to carry out this military work. Not doing this will lead to failure.

Is it possible to win the soldiers to communist ideas?

Is it possible to win the soldiers to communist ideas? We already know that several communist parties achieved this. Like workers, soldiers live under a brutal dictatorial regime, justified by military discipline implemented by corrupt officials, in many cases associated with drug gangs, paid assassins, etc. Soldiers are ordered to risk their lives and kill other class brothers and sisters for the bosses' profits.

In many countries the living conditions of the soldiers are rotten. The food is bad, the officials charge for the uniforms, etc. Protest can mean a beating, humiliating punishment, imprisonment, even death. This happens in all bosses' armies today, at different levels, but in all armies the soldiers are unhappy.

In the US, in addition to the big rebellions of soldiers during the Vietnam War, today we know stories of soldiers who join together to protest being mistreated, soldiers who get together to talk about communism, soldiers who are forced to go to war, and soldiers who know that the recruiters' promises are lies.

Soldiers Unite Against Brass Today

For example recently a group of soldiers was punished when they arrived late to a formation because another official sent them late. The sergeant wanted to punish them very severely. He gave them a paper to sign accepting their guilt. One soldier told the others, "I'm not going to sign it. I'm going to tell them that it was other officer's fault, not ours."

There was a struggle with him that he shouldn't act alone, but instead collectively. Then all the soldiers agreed not to sign the paper. And they didn't. They turned in a blank piece of paper. The next day the officials demanded to know why they hadn't signed. The soldiers answered that it was not their fault that they were late. Days later it was announced that the punishment was suspended.

Build ICWP Among Soldiers Now from Ferguson to Iraq

This shows that there is fertile ground to recruit soldiers to ICWP, which, different from the past communist parties, this time is fighting to take power to build communism directly.

The bosses have problems like in Ferguson where the police are incapable of stopping the rebellion. The bosses have had to call out the soldiers of the National Guard, the majority of whom are workers or the children of workers. With political struggle, these soldiers can understand that they should side with the rebels. If our Party had a base among the workers in Ferguson and beyond, and among the soldiers in the National Guard, there is no doubt that this rebellion could lead to an armed insurrection for communism.