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Stalin, Mao, Communism and their 21st-Century Aftermath—A Book Review by Russell L. Blaylock, MD
Stalin, Mao, Communism and their 21st-Century Aftermath in Russia and China by Dr. Miguel A. Faria is an eye-opening book destined to become a classic in the genre of historical literature that should be read by scholars and students alike.
This 439-page book contains Notes, Index, and Selected Bibliography, and is also thoroughly illustrated with nearly 200 photos, including an insert of color photographs. The images put a face to the name of victims and participants, and tell the horrid story of the crimes of communism, and for a fortunate few, the blessings of liberty. The book is divided into the following parts:
Part I: “Joseph Stalin and the Years of Terror,” details fascinating events pertaining to Stalin’s early years, and gives a panoramic view of the human devastation he brought about. Stalin’s involvement in the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939) is related in Chapter 5; and his secret agents in the administration of U.S. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt administration are specifically discussed in Chapter 6.
Part II: “Stalin and World War II (1939-1945)” relates Operation Barbarossa and the horrific and bloody war in the Eastern Front as well as the traitors who helped Stalin win that war.
Part III: “Stalin in Post-War World (1945-1953),” outlines and analyses the Plot Against the Jewish Doctors (1948–1953) as well as Stalin’s plan to conduct another Jewish Holocaust, which was cut short by his death from either a stroke or poisoning by his inner circle?
Part IV: “Mao Tse-tung, the Mythic Long March (1934–1935), and China After Mao,” describes the crimes of Mao as well as the forced imposition of communism in China and reveals the real story behind the mythic Long March of the Red Army.
Part V: “Espionage—The KGB and CIA Battles During the Cold War” discusses the “wilderness of mirrors” involved in espionage, double agents, spies, and agents of influence during the Cold War. The stories of several important Russians and Americans, who risked their lives to fight the evils of communism as spies and double agents, are disclosed.
Part VI: “The New Russia After the Fall of Communism,” describes the fall of Soviet communism in Russia, the story behind Vladimir Putin and the workings of his regime, the resurgence of the new secret police in Russia, geopolitics, and the events related to the war against Ukraine.
The Appendices deal with the story of the CIA, and the involvement of the superpowers in Africa, Iran, Turkey, and the Middle East.
I have read numerous books written by survivors of these totalitarian systems, and in many ways Dr. Faria’s book is by far the best discussion describing the inferno they lived through.
In each chapter, he tells us about the main characters who led the disastrous events that took place, and gives us a clear picture into the minds of the oppressors. In a totalitarian system, these individuals have the unbridled freedom to carry out their nefarious and deadly plans. However, one quickly comes to the frightening understanding that these individuals can exist in any society. They are not solely unique to totalitarian countries. As George Orwell once noted, “To be corrupted by totalitarianism, one does not have to live in a totalitarian country.” Take for instance, many people marveled that Germany was one of the most advanced cultural countries in Europe, yet it also produced the monstrosity, Nazism.
Central to the book is the repeated idea that “Like Saturn, the Revolution devours its children.” In every violent revolution in history when the dominant and most sanguinary revolutionaries reach the pinnacle of power, they destroy those who played the initial role in the revolution. This is the story of both Stalin and Mao Tse-tung, whose purges and reigns of terror occurred throughout their time in absolute power (Chapters 1-9 and 11-12).
We are given an intimate look at World War II in the Eastern front—that is, German Nazis fighting Soviet communists. Suffice to say, the Germans made the same mistake as Napoleon, and other blunders are discussed. Espionage against Nazi Germany on the part of the allies also played a big role in defeating the Germans. (Chapters 7-8).
However, Dr. Faria not only tells us about the villains who sustained the Soviet and Chinese systems but also about the heroes, who were most responsible for the fall of “evil empire.” Dr. Faria pays tribute to Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, and describes how the Soviet Gulag was run and the Stalinist thugs who ran it (Chapter 10). Additionally, he salutes Arthur Koestler (Darkness at Noon) and George Orwell (Homage to Catalonia and 1984), two other literary giants and practical heroes of the Cold War (Chapters 4-5).
In the case of China, Mao’s ascension to power occurred as a result of vital assistance from traitors in the West, especially ones in the U.S. in the administration of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt (Chapter 6). Additionally, the reader learns about Chinese espionage against the U.S. and the West, and modern-day China relations with other world nations (Chapters 13-14).
Dr. Faria is very knowledgeable concerning Soviet espionage, which is detailed in the book. He acknowledges the valuable contribution of several high ranking KBG defectors, who played major roles in our understanding of how the cloak and dagger system of espionage worked, the weaknesses of the Soviets, and the valuable intelligence that was gathered throughout the Cold War that helped the West preserve its freedom (Chapters 15-19).
The book ends with the story of Vladimir Putin’s rise and consolidation of power in the New Russia. We are brought up to date with Russia’s invasion of the Ukraine, geopolitics in the region, and its real meaning (Chapters 20-21 and Epilogue).
This is a tremendous book that should be read and re-read frequently. It will remind everyone just how fragile freedom really is—and that it is worth preserving at any cost.
Reviewed by Dr. Russell L. Blaylock
Russell L. Blaylock, M.D. is the president of Theoretical Neuroscience Research, LLC, Canton, Mississippi, a retired neurosurgeon, and the Associate Editor-in-Chief of the Neuro-Inflammation section of Surgical Neurology International (SNI). He has written numerous path-blazing scientific papers and books, including Excitotoxins: The Taste That Kills (1994), Bioterrorism: How You Can Survive (2001), Health and Nutrition Secrets (2002), Natural Strategies for Cancer Patients (2003), and The Liver Cure (2022).
This article may be cited as: Blaylock, RL. Stalin, Mao, Communism and their 21st-Century Aftermath—A Book Review. HaciendaPublishing.com, March 17, 2024. Available from: https://haciendapublishing.com/stalin-mao-communism-and-their-21st-century-aftermatha-book-review-by-russell-l-blaylock-md/.
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