– N. Gribachyov, Literaturnaya Gazeta –
The little Belgrade chieftain-cannibal does not yet wear hawk feathers in his hair or paint his cheeks and buttocks with tribal war markings, but he is already zealously dancing the cannibalistic dance to the rhythm of the propagandists’ drums. Imagining himself a “great warrior,” he is preparing to march out in search of heads.
So why are the drums beating in Belgrade? With a frenzied and very militant rattling of propaganda drums, the Belgrade chieftain is trying to divert attention from everything happening in the country — first and foremost from the fact that both he and his gang are entirely in the service of their overseas masters and warmongers.
But the inescapable reality immediately exposes the little chieftain and his court.
The American journalist Olson, reporting on the failure of Tito’s “five-year plan,” warns that Yugoslavia is now fully ripe for American “aid” — in other words, for complete colonization. And so that the Wall Street bankers have no doubts about the benefits of this “aid,” Olson notes: “Yugoslavia is an excellent business venture, promising two dollars in return for every dollar invested.” Tito’s Yugoslavia, in Olson’s view, is also a “business” because it already has thirty divisions and occupies key strategic positions.
Upon hearing this, the Belgrade propagandists once again struck up their drums, delighting their chieftain’s militant spirit. In the brochure Western Europe Today, published by the State Department, it is noted that equipping nine French divisions cost the Americans one billion dollars. “Never mind the French,” Tito shouts. “I’m ready to supply you with twenty divisions for just fifty million dollars.”
But even at that price, the bosses and their travelling salesmen don’t jump in right away. Taking advantage of such a bargain-basement sale of the people’s wealth — and their very lives — they set up a lively bidding scene in Belgrade, a backwater market of sorts, running on barter. Churchill’s personal representative, Bailey, suggests that Tito further convince the “public” in England and America that his regime truly deserves the trust it is now being shown in London and Washington.
And the little Belgrade chieftain rushes to carry out all their demands.
“Grant amnesty to all supporters of King Petar and Mihailović’s Chetniks… Let them freely return to Yugoslavia.”
“Amnesty granted. Let them return. Welcome back!”
The West German puppet Adenauer, under American direction, is ready to sign a trade agreement with Yugoslavia, but he sets a condition:
“Release 1,500 German prisoners of war…”
All these Germans are known war criminals who committed brutal atrocities directly on Yugoslav territory and are subject to strict prosecution.
But why bother with such trifles when in Tito’s Yugoslavia war criminals and fascists in general feel right at home — like fish in water?
The order is given, prison locks click open and the executioners are released with a ceremonial march, almost with full military honours.
“Now, about the weapons,” the Titoites remind them.
“You’ll get them,” the Americans reply. “But first, let our planes fly freely over Yugoslavia.”
Tito’s gang has no objections to this either. Permission granted. The planes fly.
“So, when do we get the weapons?
“You’ll get them, of course. Just build, with your own labour, a military highway from Trieste to Zagreb to Belgrade, a dozen or two airfields, and anything else we may need.”
The highway is under construction. Hundreds of thousands of Yugoslavs have been driven into this forced labour. Airfields are being built as well. Just one of them, near Batajnica, cost the Yugoslav people one billion dinars.
The population is sinking into poverty, while the military budget is growing rapidly. Last year, 33 per cent of the budget was spent on military preparations — this year, 51 per cent is planned.
The Americans are pleased. An endless stream of weapons is flowing in from the so-called “surplus” in West Germany, left over from Hitler’s defeated army. “Every Senka gets the hat that fits,” as the old Russian proverb goes. Among the flow of “American aid” come V-2 missiles and German military specialists…
The shamans’ drums thunder in Belgrade. The little Belgrade chieftain is zealously dancing his cannibalistic dance.
Perhaps there’s some calculation in American journalist Olson’s reasoning — American businessmen, with this kind of gangster-style dealmaking in the Belgrade bazaar, might well manage to get two dollars for every one, at least for a time — even if they have to bleed Yugoslavia dry in the process. And in this, they’ll be eagerly assisted by the Titoites themselves, as well as by the bitterest enemies of the Yugoslav people — the supporters of King Petar and Mihailović’s Chetniks, now returned to Yugoslavia, and the nazi “specialists” placed by the Americans in key positions within Tito’s army.
As for the little Belgrade chieftain, he cannot even create the illusion of political “business” he was counting on. He has failed to intimidate the neighbouring democratic nations. Nor will he succeed in putting the freedom-loving, honest and courageous Yugoslav people under the American yoke…
On the contrary — he is certain to tumble headfirst from his toy “throne,” and sooner or later he is bound to swing from a soaped noose for the countless crimes he has committed.
Neither German weapons nor his overseas bosses will be able to save him.
(Originally published in “Literaturnaya Gazeta,” June 14, 1950, and translated from the Russian online version)