The "Zinoviev Letter" is thought to have been instrumental in the Conservative Party's victory in the United Kingdom general election, 1924, which ended the country's first Labour government. The Conservative Party (officially the Conservative and Unionist Party) is a Political party in the United Kingdom. The 1924 UK general election was held on 29 October 1924 The Conservatives, led by Stanley Baldwin performed dramatically better in electoral terms than in The Labour Party is a Political party in the United Kingdom. Founded at the start of the 20th century it has been since the 1920s the principal party of the
In 1999, an official enquiry[1] finally determined that the letter had probably been a concoction by elements of the SIS (MI6) based in Riga, Latvia to help the Conservatives defeat Labour in the 1924 election. The Secret Intelligence Service ( SIS) colloquially known as MI6 is the United Kingdom 's external Intelligence agency. Riga (Rīga riːga) the Capital of Latvia, is situated on the Baltic Sea coast on the mouth of the river Daugava. Latvia ( Latvija officially the Republic of Latvia (Latvijas Republika is a Country in Northern Europe in the Baltic region. In 2006, a new biography of Desmond Morton, Churchill's Man of Mystery: Desmond Morton and the World of Intelligence by Gill Bennett, confirmed that it was a hoax perpetrated by Morton, then with the Secret Intelligence Service of the British government. Major Sir Desmond Morton KCB CMG MC (1891 - 1971 was a British military officer and government official The Secret Intelligence Service ( SIS) colloquially known as MI6 is the United Kingdom 's external Intelligence agency. [2]
The letter was allegedly addressed from Grigori Zinoviev, president of the presidium of the Executive Committee of the Communist International (Comintern), and Arthur MacManus, the British representative on the presidium, to the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Great Britain. Gregory Yevseevich Zinoviev (Григо́рий Евс́еевич Зин́овьев alternative transliteration Grigorii Ovseyevish Zinoviev born Ovsei-Gershon Aronovich The Comintern ( Com munist Intern ational also known as the Third International) was an international Communist organisation founded in Moscow Arthur MacManus (1889 - 1927 was a Scottish Trade unionist and Socialist Politician. The Communist Party of Great Britain (CPGB was the largest Communist party in the United Kingdom, though it never became a mass party like the Communist parties of It purported to advocate intensified Communist agitation in Britain, not least in the armed forces.
Published in the conservative British Daily Mail newspaper four days before the election, the letter came at a sensitive time also in relations between Britain and the Soviet Union, owing to Conservative opposition to the forthcoming parliamentary ratification of the Anglo-Soviet trade agreement of August 8. The Daily Mail is a British newspaper currently published in a tabloid format The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 Events 1220 - Sweden is defeated by Estonian tribes in the Battle of Lihula.
Dated September 15, 1924, the letter is generally thought to be a forgery. Events 668 - Eastern Roman Emperor Constans II is assassinated in his bath at Syracuse Italy. Year 1924 ( MCMXXIV) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Although much of its content otherwise persuasively echoes Comintern vocabulary, the letter contains errors (such as "Executive Committee, Third Communist International" — a nonsensical title) which led many even at the time to denounce it as a hoax.
A particularly damaging section of the document identified the normalization of inter-governmental relations under the Anglo-Soviet agreement as an opportune moment for increased Soviet propaganda activity within the British Labour movement:
- "A settlement of relations between the two countries will assist in the revolutionizing of the international and British proletariat not less than a successful rising in any of the working districts of England, as the establishment of close contact between the British and Russian proletariat, the exchange of delegations and workers, etc. will make it possible for us to extend and develop the propaganda of ideas of Leninism in England and the Colonies. "
British Labour prime minister Ramsay MacDonald's attempts to cast doubt on the letter's authenticity were hampered by its widespread acceptance among government officials. James Ramsay MacDonald ( 12 October 1866 &ndash 9 November 1937) was a British politician and twice Prime Minister of the United MacDonald "felt like a man sewn in a sack and thrown into the sea", he told his Cabinet on October 31 as they prepared to leave office. Events 445 BC – Ezra reads the Book of the Law to the Israelites in Jerusalem (see Nehemiah 91 NLTse
The Soviet authorities for their part were prevented by poor communication with the Moscow-based ECCI from delivering the immediate unequivocal refutation of the letter required following a British Foreign Office protest note of October 24: not until November 17 did the ECCI even discuss the matter. Events 69 - Second Battle of Bedriacum, forces under Antonius Primus the commander of the Danube armies loyal to Vespasian, defeat Events 284 - Diocletian is proclaimed emperor by his soldiers On November 21 Britain's new Conservative government repudiated the unratified treaty. Events 164 BC - Judas Maccabaeus, son of Mattathias of the Hasmonean family restores the Temple in Jerusalem.
An 11-month study by British Foreign Office chief historian Gill Bennett, undertaken with the assistance of Russian archivists, concluded (January 1999) that the document was probably forged at the behest of "White [i. e. anti-communist] Russian intelligence services" to "derail the treaties and damage the Labour government”. 'Head office' British intelligence responsibility for the letter was "inherently unlikely" as it "implied a degree of cohesion and control, not to mention political will, which simply did not exist".
Anthony Eden, Prime Minister from 1955–57, reputedly believed that the letter was the work of MI5. Robert Anthony Eden 1st Earl of Avon, KG, MC, PC (12 June 1897 &ndash 14 January 1977 was a British Conservative Politician
In fiction
The letter appears in Donald Jack's novel This One's On Me, in which the narrator, Bartholomew Bandy, has his knowledge of revolutionary Russia exploited when he unwittingly helps produce the Zinoviev document. Donald Lamont Jack ( December 6, 1924 - c June 2 2003) was a Canadian novelist and playwright
The Zinoviev letter is also featured prominently in the Thames television production of "Reilly: Ace of Spies," detailing the exploits of the famous British spy and anti-Bolshevik agent Sidney Reilly. Origins and youth The origins identities and activities of Sidney George Reilly have befuddled researchers and intelligence agencies for more than a century hence much In the 10th episode, entitled "The Trust" diplomat and Conservative party member Sir Mark Sykes presents the head of British Intelligence with a copy of the Zinoviev document, as well a letter of authenticity from Reilly himself. Despite protestations that the letter is an obvious forgery designed to scuttle the impending Anglo-Soviet trade agreement, Sykes threatens to release the letter with the obvious and intended effect being the downfall of the Labour government. Later, Sidney Reilly is asked by British Intelligence to officially repudiate the Zinoviev letter. He refuses and the letter is ultimately made public.
Notes
- ^ Telegraph, 5 February 1999. Events 1576 - Henry of Navarre converts to Roman Catholicism in order to ensure his right to the throne of France. Year 1999 ( MCMXCIX) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1999 Gregorian calendar)
- ^ Zinoviev Letter in SIS forgery (no) Shock, The Poor Mouth.
The National Archives Your Archives wiki has an article on the Zinoviev letter at [1]. The National Archives (TNA is a British Governmental organisation created in April 2003 to maintain a National archive for " England, Wales
Dapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic