MEETING THE RUSSIANS
CLOSE CONTACT, by, Prigedion C. H, Dewurst; Allen and Unwin, English price 12/6. AFTER Spending two years as Chief of the British Mission to the Soviet Forces of Occupation in Eastern Germany, Brigadier Dewhurst is still of the opinion that the Communists are not impossible to deal with "if one can separate what is ‘natural’ and Russian in them, from what is superficial and Communist." His experiences as herein recounted scarcely support this statement. On his own showing Russian methods of doing business are sufficiently exasperating to rouse the mildest tempered of negotiators to a state of fury, while their security measures produce situations that are reminiscent of some scene from a Kafka novel. The author believes that Russia is weaker than is generally supposed; that the early enthusiasm of her people is waning, and that in the event of war her allies would prove to be a. source of embarrassment. At the same time he deplores our own carelessness. While the Russians take extraordinary precautions to ensure the secrecy of their troop movements, and to prevent leakage of information regarding their latest inventions, we, on the other hand, publish reports in our newspapers concerning affairs of defence that might otherwise remain secret for a considerable time to come. Incredible as it may seem, Russian troops in satellite countries "are kept confined to their barracks for seyeral months before being allowed out, and during this time they often don’t know in which country they are." Brigadier Dewhurst is an adventurous writer, He offers a theory that Stalin had already been dead for a month before his death was officially announced; and elsewhere he attempts, unwisely, I think, a sort of mass psycho-analysis of the Russian official class. His method of beginning -each chapter in dialogue is of dubious merit, and some of his historical facts are incorrect; but his book is ‘illuminating in parts and very read-
able througnout,
R. M.
Burdon
Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/periodicals/NZLIST19540827.2.24.3
Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka
New Zealand Listener, Volume 31, Issue 788, 27 August 1954, Page 13
Word count
Tapeke kupu
325MEETING THE RUSSIANS New Zealand Listener, Volume 31, Issue 788, 27 August 1954, Page 13
Using this item
Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi
Material in this publication is protected by copyright.
Are Media Limited has granted permission to the National Library of New Zealand Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa to develop and maintain this content online. You can search, browse, print and download for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from Are Media Limited for any other use.
Copyright in the work University Entrance by Janet Frame (credited as J.F., 22 March 1946, page 18), is owned by the Janet Frame Literary Trust. The National Library has been granted permission to digitise this article and make it available online as part of this digitised version of the New Zealand Listener. You can search, browse, and print this article for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from the Janet Frame Literary Trust for any other use.
Copyright in the Denis Glover serial Hot Water Sailor published in 1959 is owned by Pia Glover. The National Library has been granted permission to digitise this serial and make it available online as part of this digitised version of the Listener. You can search, browse, and print this serial for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from Pia Glover for any other use.
Log in