A Russian controlled puppet placed in the White house was the stuff of Cold war paranoia and pop culture

Joseph Stalin must be grinning in his grave.

Putin has done what the Soviets long dreamed of accomplishing.

Once the stuff of cold war paranoia, spy novels and movies, the Russians have infiltrated our democracy and put a puppet in the White House.

After today’s summit in Helsinki, Trump has made it clear  who is pulling his strings – Donald Trump belongs to Moscow. Not only has Trump divided the U.S. and Western Europe, the President of the United States sided with Russia against  his own intel agencies when it came to proof of Russia’s meddling in our elections and their attempts to undermine American democracy.

Donald Trump: “My people came to me, (DNI) Dan Coats came to me and some others, they said they think it’s Russia. I have President Putin; he just said it’s not Russia.

I will say this:  I don’t see any reason why it would be.”

The accusations of Russia’s interference in our presidential election has sent a big chill down my spine, as childhood memories of the Cold War are quickly defrosted. The terror of the Red Menace infiltrating our country is brought back and is chillingly familiar.

It is a familiar cold war doomsday scenario brought into the 21st century.

Red Menace

The fear of Russian intervention, not only militarily but politically was a common thread throughout my mid-century childhood. American’s were convinced hidden communists were lurking everywhere, secretly infiltrating our government, including our very own state department.

Like those two scheming cartoon villains Boris Badenov and Natasha Fatale those no goodnick spies carrying out Fearless Leaders secret evil plots, Russians were sinister, sneaky plotters carrying out covert actions  just waiting to overthrow a government…including our own.

Russian Menace

Now that evidence mounts that the  Russians stole the White House  for Donald Trump, the candidate handpicked by Comrade Putin, it is a scenario eerily straight out of the any number of post war cautionary tales.

Even the techniques they used, misinformation and manipulation of the press, creating divisiveness while pitting citizens against each other to weaken us,  are the exact same devices we were warned  were favored by  the Soviets  to undermine us:

“His aim is to make you hate your fellow-man and keep you blind to the important things in life. He wants to make you forget the importance of your right to vote as you please—to say what you please—to go where you please.”

Is This Tomorrow?

“Is This Tomorrow” published by Catechetical Guild Educational Society 1947

One famous 1947 comic book entitled “Is This Tomorrow – America Under Communism” was an over the top tale typical of the time  alerting us of the dangers of a Russian takeover. Over 48 colorful pages it illustrated   just how easy it would be for the Reds to take over the U.S.

File this under Truth is Stranger Than Comic Fiction Department.

It Can’t Happen Here:

The comic opens with a dire warning to the young reader:

IS THIS TOMORROW is published for the one purpose – TO MAKE YOU THINK! To make you more alert to the menace of Communism. “Is This Tomorrow” published by Catechetical Guild Educational Society 1947

“Is This Tomorrow” published by Catechetical Guild Educational Society 1947

Taking their orders directly from Moscow, the story revolves around a group of American Communists led by  a man named “Jones” and his propaganda advisor “Brown” a sinister Steve Bannon character who explains how they will manipulate the American media as a precursor to their Kremlin approved takeover of the U.S.

“Is This Tomorrow” published by Catechetical Guild Educational Society 1947

“Is This Tomorrow” published by Catechetical Guild Educational Society 1947

“Is This Tomorrow” published by Catechetical Guild Educational Society 1947

They manipulate strike leaders, and stoke racial, class and religious hatred to help weaken America for the Communists eventual takeover.

“Is This Tomorrow” published by Catechetical Guild Educational Society 1947

“Is This Tomorrow” published by Catechetical Guild Educational Society 1947

“Is This Tomorrow” published by Catechetical Guild Educational Society 1947

“Is This Tomorrow” published by Catechetical Guild Educational Society 1947

Race baiting and taking advantage of the things that divided this country worked to their advantage.

“Is This Tomorrow” published by Catechetical Guild Educational Society 1947

After the plot to assassinate the president and vice president is successful, the party operatives  have successfully infiltrated the  government  and Jones controls the Speaker of the House (who now is the new president ). Behind the scenes Jones  becomes the”Chief Advisor” and expands the Executive Powers.

“Is This Tomorrow” published by Catechetical Guild Educational Society 1947

“Is This Tomorrow” published by Catechetical Guild Educational Society 1947

Destabilizing journalism as a check on the power of government is quickly implemented. Anyone critical is swiftly punished and unfavorable newspapers are denied newsprint until they agree with the party line. Telephone system and radio network are now nationalized.

“Is This Tomorrow” published by Catechetical Guild Educational Society 1947

“Is This Tomorrow” published by Catechetical Guild Educational Society 1947

INCREDIBLE?

“Did our story seem incredible? It is unbelievable—that such a small group could ever dream of enforcing its will upon the majority. But remember that a group for smaller than the number of Communists living and working in America today seized control of Russia in 1917.

No one can refuse to believe what he knows to be true. And we do know that every method shown in this presentation has been used by the Communists in their rise to power in other countries. Starvation, murder, slavery, force—those are the tools the Communists use to carry out the doctrine of Communism.

The Communists are preparing to seize control of America in any crisis. This crisis, real or contrived—will be there signal to move in… and make their bid for power.

This crisis might begin with a flood in Pennsylvania—a drought in the Middle West. Or it might begin with a general strike in some of our large industrial cities—New York—Detroit—Chicago—San Francisco.

It happened in Poland, Hungary, Yugoslavia, and country after country, the world over.

WHERE DO YOU COME IN?

You are the one with whom the Communist is struggling right now. His aim is to make you hate your fellow man and keep you blind to the important things in life. He wants to make you forget the importance of your right to vote as you please—to say what you please—to go where you please—to worship as you please. The Communist really wants you to forget all your rights to individual freedom and liberty.

But you cannot assume your individual rights without assuming individual responsibility.

If you want to keep on living, you must know who the Communists are—and their methods of working. You must recognize the Communist Party line in action and separate Communist propaganda from the factual news of the day.

You are on the defensive in this battle. You owe it to yourself to know all about the invader. He knows more about you than you suspect.

Laughable  for its inplausibility, it’s not quite so funny now.

Are the Russians coming? It look like they are already here.

© Sally Edelstein and Envisioning The American Dream, 2018. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Sally Edelstein and Envisioning The American Dream with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.