Chapter 46: The Achievements and Failures of Seventeen U.S. Presidents in the Struggle Against Communism (1)

Since President Franklin Roosevelt in 1907 dispatched 16 of America’s most advanced battleships on a year-long world tour, demonstrating that the United States had risen onto the world stage and had the ability to lead globally, the U.S. president has simultaneously acted as an unofficial world leader, bearing the burden of humanity’s struggle against communism.

The theme of the 20th century was the struggle against communism. During this period, two major communist powers emerged: Russia and China. The successes and failures of U.S. presidents in combating communism must therefore be understood primarily in the context of these two nations.

I. President Woodrow Wilson Condemns the Paris Commune and Sends Troops to Intervene in Russia

In the 19th century, communists deceived people by claiming to fight “for the poor” and “for equality,” with figures like Marx, Lenin, and Mao often praising the 1871 Paris Commune’s violent “revolution.”

U.S. President Woodrow Wilson (1856–1924) strongly condemned the Paris Commune as “the root of evil and corruption” and described it as “an explosive force buried beneath society.” President Wilson saw communist incitement to violent revolution as a ruthless destruction of human civilization. He was the first U.S. president to raise the banner against communism.

In 1917, Lenin exploited the chaos of World War I to return secretly to Russia, inciting soldiers and workers to revolt, overthrowing the provisional government, and triggering a three-year civil war between the Red and White armies.

In June 1918, President Wilson sent 15,000 U.S. troops to the Far East to intervene. He stated that the Bolsheviks had come to power through violence and deceit, posed a threat to the U.S., and were hostile to American interests. In 1919, he warned that “the communist poison has already penetrated the veins of free people.” Wilson called the Bolsheviks “barbarians and terrorists engaged in brutal, large-scale bloodshed,” and he emphasized that the Bolsheviks were pursuing expansionism and intended to export their ideology worldwide, including to the United States, which should not establish diplomatic relations with them.

The U.S. troops deployed to Russia aimed to prevent Bolshevik forces from seizing Allied-supplied weapons intended for the Tsar and the Kerensky government, and to escort Czech prisoners of war. They only engaged in a few skirmishes with Bolshevik forces, occupying ports like Arkhangelsk and Vladivostok. The intervention failed to stop the brutal civil war that claimed millions of lives. In April 1920, Wilson announced the withdrawal of most troops, though some units remained until 1922.

II. President Warren Harding Fails to Act Against Soviet Influence in China

Harding (1865–1923) witnessed Lenin exchanging American famine relief food for foreign currency. In 1921, U.S. funding indirectly facilitated the birth of the Chinese Communist Party. All attendees received 50 taels for travel expenses, and Lenin sent representatives to oversee the establishment.

By 1922, Lenin collaborated with Sun Yat-sen, providing funding for pro-communist revolutions. In 1923, Soviet-supplied weapons were used to establish the Whampoa Military Academy in preparation for the Northern Expedition to seize power. Harding took no action, failing to confront Soviet encroachment in China.

III. President Calvin Coolidge Also Fails to Act Against Soviet Encroachment in China

Coolidge (1872–1933) maintained a policy of non-recognition toward the Soviet government in the 1920s, refusing engagement. However, he remained passive as the Soviets intervened in China. He watched as military aid flowed to Sun Yat-sen, enabling him to establish the Northern Expedition army and overthrow the legitimate Beijing government. He ignored the brutal massacres of Guangzhou merchants and civilians carried out by Sun’s forces.

Coolidge failed to support Wu Peifu, who was then China’s most promising unifying general. Historical records show he did nothing while Wu Peifu was eventually defeated by Chiang Kai-shek. American media had long praised Wu Peifu. Time magazine in 1924 featured him on the cover, calling him “China’s Strongest.” The New York Times headlined that Wu could “become the greatest democratic leader in the world,” and Western politicians declared “Only Wu Peifu can save China,” praising him for fighting traitors and initiating a democratic experiment.

The Soviets initially sought Wu Peifu’s cooperation, but he demanded the withdrawal of Soviet forces from Outer Mongolia. The Soviets then turned to Sun Yat-sen, who welcomed their presence in Xinjiang.

Coolidge lacked the vision and courage of Wilson and Hoover in resisting Soviet communism. He failed to recognize that the U.S. president had global responsibilities. Apart from non-recognition of the Soviet government, he ignored Soviet intervention in China and thus failed in the struggle against communist expansion.

IV. President Herbert Hoover Calls Alliances with Stalin an Act of Adultery

In 1918, following Lenin’s directives, the Tsar and his family, five children, personal physicians, and attendants—11 people in total—were brutally murdered. Lenin issued the “Red Terror” decree, executing over 500 social elites in St. Petersburg. The Soviet regime killed 1.5 million people nationwide over several years. “War Communism” policies led to the 1921 famine, in which ten million died, and by 1921, St. Petersburg’s population had fallen to one-third.

Western famine relief, led by Hoover’s American Relief Administration, provided $20 million for food and medicine, saving 11 million lives. Hoover (1874–1964) said: “Twenty million people are starving; no matter what, we must feed them to survive.”

Lenin, however, declared: “If necessary, I will not hesitate to eliminate 50 million peasants, turning the survivors into new slaves.”

During the nationwide famine, Lenin still convened the 1922 Far East Communist Conference, first proposing slogans against “American imperialism.” In 1921, he provided substantial funding to facilitate the founding of the Chinese Communist Party, exchanging famine relief food for foreign currency.

U.S. presidents including Harding, Coolidge, and Hoover maintained Wilson’s containment policy, refusing recognition of the Soviet government, avoiding engagement, isolating the Soviets, and restricting Stalin’s international influence.

In 1941, as Roosevelt prepared to ally with Stalin, Hoover publicly criticized the alliance, calling it equivalent to adultery.

V. Roosevelt’s Impractical Idea: Keeping Stalin as a “Backup”

In November 1933, Franklin Roosevelt (1882–1945) invited Stalin to send representatives to Washington to discuss establishing diplomatic relations, soon appointing William Bullitt as ambassador to the Soviet Union. Stalin promised not to spy on the U.S., but espionage continued. Trade was minimal, and previous debts remained unpaid. Ambassador Bullitt observed that Soviet leadership harbored hostility toward the U.S. and conducted large-scale purges. He advised severing diplomatic relations the following year, but Roosevelt ignored this, maintaining relations as a backup plan.

Between 1937–1938, Stalin’s Great Terror led to 1.3 million trials and 680,000 executions. Roosevelt reacted indifferently, failing to recognize Soviet communism as a threat.

In 1939–1940, Stalin conspired with Hitler to start World War II, sending Soviet troops to occupy half of Poland, as well as Finland, Lithuania, and other small countries.

In March 1941, Roosevelt prepared to provide massive aid to Stalin under the Lend-Lease Act. Hoover condemned the U.S.-Soviet “tacit alliance,” stating: “If we go to war and win, we will be helping Stalin’s iron-fisted communism expand in Europe and globally. We make immense sacrifices, claiming to fight for freedom with Stalin. This is not a farce; it is a tragedy. An alliance with him is like sleeping with him—tantamount to adultery.”

History proved Hoover correct. Roosevelt’s alliance with Stalin not only saved Soviet communism but turned WWII into “Stalin’s war.” Stalin achieved all his goals during 1941–1945, while Roosevelt’s Lend-Lease blindly met every Soviet demand, including 14,795 planes, 7,500 tanks, 370,000 trucks, 340,000 tons of explosives, and 3,000 locomotives, valued at $1.13 billion, equivalent to all U.S. military supply in 1944 or $1.5 trillion today. These supplies were shipped in five convoys daily from 1942–1945, and surplus arms were later diverted to the Chinese civil war.

During the 1944 Warsaw Uprising, Soviet troops halted on the city’s outskirts despite promises of joint action, leaving the Polish resistance to nearly total destruction; 200,000 civilians were killed. Roosevelt remained silent, fearing to displease Stalin.

In February 1945, Roosevelt and Churchill traveled to the Black Sea in the Soviet Union to meet Stalin at the former Tsar’s palace for the post-war division of the world. Roosevelt agreed to give Mongolia and Japan’s northern islands to the Soviet Union, and Stalin gained control over Eastern and Central Europe. Roosevelt even bypassed Churchill to meet Stalin alone. Stalin demanded execution of 50,000 German officer POWs; Churchill refused. Roosevelt intervened, agreeing to execute only 49,000, placating Stalin.

By late WWII, Roosevelt began to realize his alliance with Stalin was a mistake. He said: “The Yalta Conference meant unilateral action, monopoly over spheres of influence, imbalance of power, expediency, and injustice.” In March 1945, Roosevelt strongly criticized Stalin for breaking Yalta commitments regarding Poland, German POWs, and other issues. When Stalin accused the Allies of secretly planning a peace with Hitler’s shadow dictatorship, Roosevelt replied: “I cannot avoid seeing your vile distortion; I feel miserable and indignant.”

At this point, Roosevelt was furious at Stalin, recognizing him as a potential enemy rather than an ally. Unfortunately, it was too late—Stalin already controlled everything. Roosevelt died in April 1945, never seeing the end of WWII.