The Battle of the Somme and Beaumont-Hamel: General Haig’s murderous “Great push forward”

On the Important Questions of War and Peace

July 1 marks the centenary of the start of the Battle of the Somme. It is commemorated in Newfoundland as Memorial Day – the 100th anniversary of the slaughter of  732 Newfoundlanders from the Newfoundland Regiment who either lay dead, wounded or were presumed missing near the French village of Beaumont-Hamel. Ordered “over the top” by their officers, during an assault that lasted approximately 30 minutes the regiment was all but wiped out. Newfoundland, as a colonial dominion of the British Empire, was automatically at war when Britain declared it. 

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The Irish Rebellion of 1916 – The Discussion on Self-Determination Summed Up

Painting ‘Birth of the Irish Republic‘

The following is an excerpt from the article by V. I. Lenin, “The Discussion on Self-Determination Summed Up,” first published in October 1916. Lenin wrote to clarify the issue of self-determination of nations including the significance of the Irish Rebellion in opposition to the opportunist and chauvinist theses put forward by Polish social-democrats and the so-called Zimmerwald Leftists. These theses dismissed the revolt of oppressed nations such as Ireland and the important role of their struggle for their right to self-determination in the proletarian revolution. In his conclusion, Lenin pointed out, “The epoch of imperialism has turned all the ‘great’ powers into the oppressors of a number of nations, and the development of imperialism will inevitably lead to a more definite division of trends in this question in international Social-Democracy as well.” *

100th anniversary of the First World War and Canada’s ‘Coming of Age’

On the important questions of war and peace

A sovereignty based on empire building

By KEVIN HUNTER

In Europe’s reeking slaughter-pen
They mince the flesh of murdered men,
While swinish merchants, snout in trough,
Drink all the bloody profits off!
– In Wartime, Stephan G. Stephansson, 1916

July 28 marks the centenary of the start of the First World War. One hundred years ago, on this day, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia. Russia followed in declaring war on Austria-Hungary, and within six days, Britain, France and Germany were officially at war. Canada as a self-governing dominion of the British Empire was automatically at war when Britain declared it.

This day in 1924: 90th anniversary of the death of V.I. Lenin

As long as the struggle to create a new society exists, the name and work of V.I. Lenin will have a place of honour

V.I. LENIN, a revolutionary and the greatest Marxist theoretician of the twentieth century, died 90 years ago on January 21, 1924, when a bullet, lodged in his neck by an opportunist when he was only 54, deprived him of the opportunity to complete his work. Even though he died during the very early stages of socialist revolution and construction, he had nonetheless accomplished great feats: he had established the state of the workers and peasants in Russia, as well as laid down the ideological and organizational lines for the development of the revolution and socialism.