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GEOGRAPHY AND POPULATION
The USSR, which occupies one sixth of the earth's sur-
face, is hermetically sealed by satellite buffer states except
along its southwestern border. This gives it a strategic
advantage almost without parallel. Soviet industry is widely
Chart I
dispersed and difficult to attack, although the European
region, including the Ural mountains area, comprises over
two million square miles and contains about three-quarters
of Soviet industrial and agricultural production.
WHY DO THE RUSSIANS ACT THE WAY THEY DO?
The population is large (200 million), youthful (in 1939
The entire power system of the USSR impels itto engage
more than fobrn since 1917), and accustomed to discipline.
in a struggle with the US. There is consequently no prospect
However, with over 40% of the population non-Russian,
that the USSR will abandon the struggle on its own volition.
separatism is potentially troublesome. In World War II a
number of minority groups, including large elements among
As the successor to the Russian Empire, the USSR
the Ukrainians, were not reliable.
inherits a tradition of expansionism. As a totalitarian
dictatorship, it is ever driven to new conquests, internal and
The USSR is so closely tied up with the world Communist
external. As the center of the world Communist movement,
movement that the Kremlin cannot permit either a weakening
it is irrevocably identified with an increasing struggle for
of world Communism or a relaxation of its own control
world revolution. The USSR thus joins together a national
without an adverse effect on its power position. Since
center of state power with an international crusade.
Communism above all is a militant ideology, any subduing
of the class struggle serves to soften the rank and file of
Because Soviet leaders believe the fall of capitalism
foreign Communists and to breed restlessness over the
and the triumph of Communism are inevitable, it cannot be
Kremlin's control.
assumed that they regard their role as a passive one. Soviet
leaders believe that these events are inevitable because of
Only through permanent conflict can Moscow retain a
what humans do, not irrespective of what they do. Thus,
militant foreign organization. A temporary rapprochement
Communists have no choice but to seek power militantly.
would weaken the movement and reduce the effectiveness of
Moscow's control. A genuine reconciliation between the
Stalin has always looked on the USSR as the base of
USSR and the capitalist powers would completely disrupt,
world revolution. While the solidification of Communist
if not disintegrate, world Communism. To avoid this sacri-
rule at the base was an immediate goal, he always insisted
fice the Kremlin must remain involved in a perpetual process
that victory could be effected only as the remainder of the
of generating friction with non-Communists, thereby inten-
world was brought under proletarian rule. Thus "quietism"
sifying non-Communist counteraction, which in turn creates
and "passivity" are automatically rejected.
a greater urgency for increased Communist militancy.
Particiated
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"ocrText": "Restricted\nGEOGRAPHY AND POPULATION\nThe USSR, which occupies one sixth of the earth's sur-\nface, is hermetically sealed by satellite buffer states except\nalong its southwestern border. This gives it a strategic\nadvantage almost without parallel. Soviet industry is widely\nChart I\ndispersed and difficult to attack, although the European\nregion, including the Ural mountains area, comprises over\ntwo million square miles and contains about three-quarters\nof Soviet industrial and agricultural production.\nWHY DO THE RUSSIANS ACT THE WAY THEY DO?\nThe population is large (200 million), youthful (in 1939\nThe entire power system of the USSR impels itto engage\nmore than fobrn since 1917), and accustomed to discipline.\nin a struggle with the US. There is consequently no prospect\nHowever, with over 40% of the population non-Russian,\nthat the USSR will abandon the struggle on its own volition.\nseparatism is potentially troublesome. In World War II a\nnumber of minority groups, including large elements among\nAs the successor to the Russian Empire, the USSR\nthe Ukrainians, were not reliable.\ninherits a tradition of expansionism. As a totalitarian\ndictatorship, it is ever driven to new conquests, internal and\nThe USSR is so closely tied up with the world Communist\nexternal. As the center of the world Communist movement,\nmovement that the Kremlin cannot permit either a weakening\nit is irrevocably identified with an increasing struggle for\nof world Communism or a relaxation of its own control\nworld revolution. The USSR thus joins together a national\nwithout an adverse effect on its power position. Since\ncenter of state power with an international crusade.\nCommunism above all is a militant ideology, any subduing\nof the class struggle serves to soften the rank and file of\nBecause Soviet leaders believe the fall of capitalism\nforeign Communists and to breed restlessness over the\nand the triumph of Communism are inevitable, it cannot be\nKremlin's control.\nassumed that they regard their role as a passive one. Soviet\nleaders believe that these events are inevitable because of\nOnly through permanent conflict can Moscow retain a\nwhat humans do, not irrespective of what they do. Thus,\nmilitant foreign organization. A temporary rapprochement\nCommunists have no choice but to seek power militantly.\nwould weaken the movement and reduce the effectiveness of\nMoscow's control. A genuine reconciliation between the\nStalin has always looked on the USSR as the base of\nUSSR and the capitalist powers would completely disrupt,\nworld revolution. While the solidification of Communist\nif not disintegrate, world Communism. To avoid this sacri-\nrule at the base was an immediate goal, he always insisted\nfice the Kremlin must remain involved in a perpetual process\nthat victory could be effected only as the remainder of the\nof generating friction with non-Communists, thereby inten-\nworld was brought under proletarian rule. Thus \"quietism\"\nsifying non-Communist counteraction, which in turn creates\nand \"passivity\" are automatically rejected.\na greater urgency for increased Communist militancy.\nParticiated"
}