January 3 in Russian history

1940

Mussolini wrote a letter to Hitler, disproving the recent German agreements with the Soviet union:

Nobody knows better than I do, with my fourty-years long experience, that the politics, especially the revolutionary politics, sometimes demands tactical manoeuvres. In 1924 I recognized the Soviets. In 1934 I signed the treaty of trade and friendship with them. So, I understood, especially considering the fact that the Ribbentrop's prediction of the non-interference of Britain and France did not prove to be correct, that you had to avoid the second front. For this, you had to reconcile with the huge territories in Poland and Baltic countries being gained by Russia who didn't strike a single blow in that campaign.

But I, who was born a revolutionist and who never betrayed the revolution, tell you that you cannot permanently sacrifice the principles of your Revolution to the tactical exigencies of a certain political moment. I feel that you cannot abandon the anti-Semitic and anti-Bolshevik banner which you have been flying for twenty years and for which so many of your comrades have died; you cannot renounce your gospel.

…

I feel it my duty to add that any further step in the relationships with Moscow would cause catastrophic consequences in Italy, where the anti-Bolshevik sentiments are universal, absolute, hard as granite and inviolable. Permit me to believe that this will not happen. The solution of your Lebensraum problem is in Russia and nowhere else.

…

Germany’s task is this; to defend Europe from Asia. That is not only Spengler’s thesis. Until four months ago Russia was world enemy number one; she cannot have become, and is not, friend number one.

…

The day when we shall have demolished Bolshevism we shall have kept faith with our two Revolutions. It will then be the turn of the big democracies, which cannot survive the cancer which is gnawing at them and which manifests itself in the demographic, political and moral fields.

I especially enjoyed this brave and pompous "revolutionist". They're so eloquent, these revolutionists, aren't they? :)