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defined political part—was serving the policy of the Russian Tsar and the Russian landlords.
When in 1904–5 millions of our soldiers were fighting the Japanese, many of them of course had no idea that they were acting a political part; neither had the commanders. Yet now, some fifteen years later, it is perfectly clear to all that the Russo-Japanese war grew out of a political conflict, that the Tsar and the bourgeoisie deliberately brought about this war: in the first place in the hope by this means to divert the people from internal questions, then in pursuit of plunder, gain and the conquest of new markets.
III. The Russian Army and Internal Conflicts.
In short, our army in the Russo-Japanese war carried out a well-defined political task; it did not stand outside of politics. And the moment you turn to our internal conflicts, it will of course become all the more clear to you—clear to vividness—that our army never for an instant stands or has stood outside of politics. The Russian Army was sent to put down the Polish insurrection. Was that not politics? Reactionary, dark, plunderous „Black-Hundred“ polities, such as would bring the blush of shame to the cheek of men like Herzen and others among the best of his time; but it was politics.
Take the eve of the first revolution, 1903–4,
