Ilija Živkovic | League of Communist Youth of Yugoslavia (SKOJ, Serbia)
When gunshots echoed in Sarajevo 111 years ago, it took exactly one month for Austria-Hungary to declare war on Serbia. That declaration marked the beginning of a conflict that, at the time, became the largest war in both Europe and the world. Millions of soldiers lost their lives in a war sparked by the colonial powers’ elite, driven by a race for profit. This war was an inter-imperialist war, waged between the two camps of imperialist powers. The working class, contrary to the claims of opportunistic forces at the time, did not have interest in supporting their governments’ war effort. Instead, from the chaos and contradictions of the WWI, the “imperialist chain” broke at its weakest point, in Russia, and gave birth to the world’s first socialist government.
The emergence of the world’s first socialist state prompted the rise of the most reactionary elements of the bourgeoisie which, in countries like Germany, Italy and Japan, established fascist dictatorships. Although the main goal of fascist regimes was to destroy the USSR and the international communist movement, monopolies of the aforementioned countries, in their wish for imperialist expansion, turned also against their previous allies―the western liberal democracies. As a consequence, a united anti-fascist front between communist and democratic forces has been created, and World War II can therefore be characterized as an anti-fascist war. In that war―where humanity fought for its survival against the greatest evil in history, fascism―a new weapon was born: the nuclear bomb. Although many wars have been fought since Hiroshima and Nagasaki, that weapon of destruction has not been used again.
Today, the world is on the verge of the new global conflict, the one between imperialist and anti-imperialist camps. The imperialist powers, weakened after the anti-colonial struggle and the emergence of dozens of socialist states as an aftermath of the WWII, have united under the hegemony of the USA, and the institutions like EU and NATO. On the other hand, the socialist, progressive and even some capitalist states oppose the hegemony of the West and wage a struggle against unipolar imperialist vision, most notably in Ukraine and the Middle East. Today, “the war to end all wars” is entirely possible. But it potentially could come in the form of a new world war that would likely involve the use of the same weapon that turned two Japanese cities into ash. Such use would indeed end all wars—by ending the existence of humanity on Earth.
Fortunately, today many countries within anti-imperialist camp also possess nuclear weapons, with Russia holding the largest arsenal. China and the DPRK are rapidly advancing their nuclear programs. Since February 2022, the global geopolitical landscape has been shifting quickly, and with that comes increasingly frequent mentions of nuclear weapon use. The primary culprit behind this scenario is the elite of Western countries, with their war-mongering agenda. In February 2022, with the beginning of the Special Military Operation in Ukraine, the citizens of NATO countries became hostages of their own governments’ policies. These policies—above all, the military support of the fascist regime in Ukraine―have directly pushed the world to the brink of a nuclear war and potentially the destruction of the entire humanity.
However, this is not the only hotspot where such a conflict is being provoked. On the Korean Peninsula, the DPRK has developed nuclear weapons solely for self-defense. This country, which has been a thorn in the side of imperialist powers since the end of the Korean War, recognized the importance of nuclear capability after witnessing the fate of Libya, Yugoslavia, Iraq, and many other nations that lacked such a deterrent. Still, this has not stopped USA, Japan, as well as other imperialist states from continuing their attempts to subjugate the Korean people.
In the Middle East, the Zionist entity of Israel is doing everything in its power to maintain its nuclear monopoly. This state, which for decades has carried out aggression not only against the Palestinian people but also toward its neighbors, has sabotaged every attempt by any country in the region to develop means of self-defense. This is most evident today in the case of Iran, where Israel is actively lobbying for aggression—backed by its imperialist allies, particularly the United States.
Considering all this, it becomes clear that the world is sliding toward a new conflict. This time, however, it is more dangerous than any previous war due to the very real possibility that such a large-scale conflict could mark the end of humanity. While the countries of anti-imperialist camp have demonstrated strategic patience (like in the case of the DPRK), the main strategic goal of the imperialists is the isolation of the states like Russia, China and the DPRK (and the establishment of the “New Cold War” system) with the war (even with the usage of nuclear weapons) being the main tool to achieve this goal. The main task of the working class youth in the imperialist countries is to subvert any warmongering attempts and policies by their own governments. In these countries, the creation of the broad anti-imperialist front, led by the communists, which will struggle against militarization, weapons production and export, as well as support for the imperialist puppet regimes (like the one in Kiev) will significantly help the anti-imperialist countries and movements and will bring the imperialist camp closer to its defeat. It is important to mention that the revolutionary conditions within the countries of imperialist camp will not mature unless it loses its ability to exploit the vast majority of the world and use the stolen wealth to bribe its own working classes. It is then clear that the struggle against imperialism also strengthens the class struggle and brings us closer to the final defeat of capitalism and the victory of socialism.
From the past of my country, we can see examples of what happens when imperialists interfere in the fate of a people. The war ignited in Yugoslavia pushed thousands upon thousands of young men into the bloodiest conflict in Europe since the end of World War II. We, the generation born to parents who spent their youth in war, under sanctions, and in bomb shelters, understand how important it is that such horrors never be repeated anywhere again. We understand the pain, the trauma, and the suffering that a people can endure at the hands of those who are willing to trample over all of it in the name of profit and interests. However, we are also aware that simple pacifism will not bring an end to the imperialist wars. It would be the easiest thing for us to just reject every conflict as morally wrong and unjust to the working people. But we, as communists, must be aware that, besides imperialist, there are also antifascist, national liberation and anti-imperialist wars―these wars must be supported by the progressive forces as they bring the popular masses closer to the defeat of imperialism and also the victory of socialism, which will finally end all wars. Given this fact, the logical conclusion is that the task of the youth in the countries fighting against imperialism is not to oppose their countries struggle, but to ensure that the struggle is waged to its end. This is especially important in capitalist countries like Russia, where the interest of the bourgeoisie is not a total defeat of imperialism, but rather securing “better deal” with the imperialist powers―therefore, the youth and the working masses in general must prevent the betrayal of the ruling elites, finish the struggle against imperialism with its defeat and, if conditions are right, also conduct a socialist revolution.
Today, young people all over the world must be aware of this. From Ukraine to the Middle East, countless young men fear for their lives in trenches, while countless women and children live in fear of war. It is up to us, the youth, to stop the destruction of humanity conducted by imperialists. That is why we are here today—to express our protest and discontent with the summit of mass murderers in The Hague, where agreements will be made not only to continue existing conflicts, but to ignite new ones across the globe.
Today, young people around the world must rise up—against both the imperialist war machine, as well as the monopolies that are fueled by destruction and exploitation. We must show that youth should be spent learning, working, and building a new world―a world free of imperialist wars, destruction of human lives and nature, and the exploitation of man by man!