An extremely rare protest photo against War and Fascism at the Plaza in Los Angeles from 1935. Photo measures 7x9 inches and depicts 300 persons in a free speech area of the Plaza this afternoon in a meeting called by the United Front Aginst War and Fascism




A united front is an alliance of left-wing working-class organizations. Historically, a united front referred to tactical alliances between social-democratic and Communist parties. While each affiliate of this front remains independent, they work together around common issues (most often through work in mass organizations such as labor unions). While working together with social democrats and other reformists on everyday issues, Communists inside a united front would continue to promote a revolutionary platform. A united front differs from a popular front, an alliance that also contains moderate middle-class and upper-class parties.

 History

Following the Russian Revolution, similar revolutions in Berlin, Munich and Hungary were violently suppressed. Following the defeat of these revolutions, Vladimir Lenin and others in the Communist International (Comintern) endorsed the united-front tactic as a way of staying involved in struggles during non-revolutionary periods. This policy was generally opposed by Left Communists, who opposed any work with social democrats and other reformists. Lenin responded with his well-known critique, Left-Wing Communism: An Infantile Disorder.

In 1927, three years after Lenin's death, the Comintern (now largely under the leadership of Joseph Stalin) adopted the "Third Period" policy, which rejected any collective work with social democrats or other non-Communists. However, after the Nazi suppression of both the Social Democratic Party and the Communist Party of Germany in 1933, dissident Communists such as Leon Trotsky blamed the Third Period policies for dividing and weakening the German left, thus allowing the Nazis to win power.

Following the suppression, the Comintern reversed its policies completely and adopted the tactic of the Popular Front in 1934. The Popular Front would unite social democrats and Communists with non-working-class parties in alliances against fascism. Trotsky and others criticized the Popular Front as going too far in the opposite direction from the Third Period. The critics believed the middle- and upper-class parties that joined in popular fronts would betray any attempt at revolution or socialism. Trotskyists used the example of the Spanish Civil War, during which the radical National Confederation of Labor (CNT) and Workers' Party of Marxist Unification (POUM) were suppressed by a Popular Front government. Trotskyists and some communists continued to support a united-front tactic containing only working-class parties, and they used the united front as the basis for the "French Turn" of the 1930s.

Following World War II, the tactics of Stalinist and Maoist political parties tended to resemble either the Third Period or the Popular Front. Trotskyist groups continued explicitly to support the united-front tactic, but they were often criticized for using this as a pretext for entryism. An example of a contemporary united front policy is Anti-Fascist Action.

The American League Against War and Fascism was a Comintern[1] affiliate organization formed in 1933 by CPUSA and pacifists united by their concern as Nazism and Fascism rose in Europe. It published "The FIGHT against War and Fascism" broadsheet.

Henry F. Ward, a Methodist minister and chairman of the American Civil Liberties Union, became chairman of the League. Communist publications were widely distributed throughout churches. It was a major campaign by the CPUSA to infiltrate the churches and enlist church members into the League.

Reverend Hermann F. Reissig of the League stated that church members had the duty 'neither to commend nor to vindicate religious beliefs or organizations. Our function is to use religious forces in the defense of the masses of people."

The executive committee which did actually planning was known as the Natal Bureau. On 9 August 1935 the Bureau issued a plan targeting trade unions and religious groups for special attention. Roman Catholics were the first target. The plans targeted the International Association of Catholic Alumni, League of Catholic Men, Knights of Columbus, Catholic Association for International Peace, and various Catholic women's groups. Jewish religious, cultural, fraternal and Zionist groups also were listed as targets. Among Protestants, attention was to be given to the YMCA ministerial associations, local parishes, and adherents of the Lutheran and Reformed faiths, 'because of their German traditions and friendships.' "

By 1935 the League claimed membership of 3,291,906 Americans, which rose and to 7,836,691 by the outbreak of the European war in 1939. There were actual number of dues paying members was about 20,000. The League claimed 241 affiliated groups, eighty of them being in New York City.

In 1937 it became the American League for Peace and Democracy. Helen Silvermaster was associated with this group.[2]

The League dissolved after the signing of the Hitler-Stalin pact in 1939. Its communist elements then influenced the founding of the American Peace Mobilization front.

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On Jun-10-07 at 14:33:23 PDT, seller added the following information: