We are Communist, you are Capitalist. You have your ideas, we have ours. But I tell you this much: many American generals are very often sorry that they have no ideal to plant in the heart of the American soldier, so he will be willing to die for that ideal. You are jealous of us for this. The Communist soldier, the Red Army soldier, has such an ideal in his heart. He has it because he considers the ideal of the commander his own ideal. Your generals in Korea were sorry that Americans were not fighting willingly. We couldn't tell them why this was so, but I will tell you why. There is a difference between us. We have an advantage over you. We have an ideal for which we are prepared to die. You have not.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Malinovsky contrasts communist soldiers, who have a shared ideal they are willing to die for, with American soldiers, whom he claims lack such an inspiring purpose.
- In plain terms
- He says communists fight for a common ideal, while Americans don’t have one.
- What can you take from it?
- A unifying ideal can motivate soldiers to sacrifice.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What makes a cause compelling enough to die for it?
- Can a shared ideal be imposed externally?
Another view
The claim oversimplifies complex motivations of individuals in combat.
More from Rodion Malinovsky
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