A Page From History : Lessons of China

A Warning to Nehru

“International politics like nature abhors vacuum” said Louis Fisher. “Each of the “Big Three” either wishes to occupy as much of the vaccuum as possible, or prevent others from occupying it.” The collapse of the nationalist Government in China has resulted in the communist victory in the ‘Cold War’. The Communists, all over the globe were seen jubilant. The vaccuum has been occupied by Russia.
The Consequences
The success of the ‘Cold-War’ followed by the “Sinn-Soviet Treaty”, which has brought over a boon of International counter balance-of-power in favour of Russia and bestowed upon her control over a sea of human-wealth, has shuddered the Anglo-American strategists. The American base on Okenawa has been improved. Hectic preparations are going on in the Pacific. The fate of Wastern Europe—the pivot of Anglo- American foreign policies—is still in the melting pot. The American dollors allocated, as a defence measure under the Marshal Plan are at stake, and South-East Asia appears to be the next target of ‘Cold war’ menace. ‘Indo-China’ as Mr. Acheson the U.S. Foreign Secretary has said ‘will be an irresistible invitation to Communist China’.
Why did the Chiang Government collapse?
China should be able to say to America and England said Gandhiji. “We will fight our battle of Independence single-handed without your aid, that I will call Independence”. She had continued her “struggle” for several years no doubt; yet even the best possible Anglo-American help could not save her from the catastrophe. Of course Chiang-kai-Shek’s China met with some initial success. But it was success strewn with untold tragic failures, being payed at present with compound interests. Pearl Buck the prominent American journalist in an interview with Principal Sreeman Narayan Aggarwal of the Sakseria Commercial College, Wardha said “The failure of the nationalist government was mainly due to its corruption and inefficiency. The high officials including Chiang-kai-shek led a luxurious life cut off from the masses.” He could not penetrate into the future womb of realities. Power had hypnotised his vision.
The gloomy aspect in Bharat
And where will the governmental policies of Pandit Nehru’s Bharat lead her to? The Kashmir policy, the squander-mania, the ruthless oppression of political opponents, the utter contempt and disregard for the ideals and culture of the land which alone can help in maintaining and elevating the moral standard of the people, the shameless destruction of the hopes created by election mani-festoes are some of the things which portend China's fate for Bharat. The spread of com-munism in Bharat will not be so much a product of idealogical superiority as of a deadly reac-tion towards the administrative corruption. The clouds of gloom do not subside here. They are rather thickened. The Congress leader-ship which till, yesterday, was glorified by enthusiastic hearts, which instilled courage to stake and dedicate all for the country, which attracted mammoth gatherings for decades together; and which piloted the ship of the country's Independence has exhausted all that youthful vigour, that penetrating Psycho-analytical vision; that unprece-dented popularity—which form the backbones of a dynamic party. The outcome has direc-tly contributed towards the stagnation of the congress. The village masses are repea-tedly heard yearning for the bygone autocratic-alien•Rule. It is a mockery of freedom. It shows lack of proper atmos-phere, indispensable enthusiasm and much needed warmth, in the people's hearts for the pre-sent day leaders. A Timely Warning It is no use shutting eyes to the facts and singing self complacently with Sardar Patel that “Bharat is not China” , There is no solid basis for such ipfidence. he American Journalist, . (Refer col. 3)
Pearl Buck, seeing the imminent danger, has advised, Bharat cannot afford to blind herself to the lessons of China.” “I sincerely feel” she continued “that you congress Government should learn a timely lesson from the tragic failures of Chiang-kai-shek. Your leaders must live a very simple and honest life and should maintain a living contact with the masses. People should feel all the time that something good is being done to the them by the Government and their leaders.” Therefore let Nehru and his Government catch the opportunity by the forelock; let it rise above the benighted party interests; let it exercise its influence to take all the people and parties into confidence; let simplicity and economy be its watchword and finally let it organise an all party common front to face the manifold problems confronting the nation and combat the cold war directed against her by communists from within and Pakistan from without.                                                        -Sudarshan