General Anton Denikin, one of the most prominent representatives of the White movement, is often viewed in Russian history as an exceptional patriot of his Fatherland, who did not betray him during the Second World War.
Indeed, against the background of Krasnov and Shkuro, Shteifon and Semyonov, who served the Germans and Japanese, Denikin looks very profitable. After all, he not only did not join other Russian collaborators, but also openly opposed Nazi Germany. He did not hide his position and immediately refused the Nazis, and then the Vlasovites who came to him, in any cooperation.
As evidence of Denikin's patriotism, it is also cited the fact that he hung a map of the Soviet Union at his home and marked the advancement of the Red Army on it, rejoiced at its victories. And this despite the fact that the general has always been the most ardent opponent of Bolshevism. Denikin simply considered Stalin a "lesser evil" in comparison with Hitler. The white general's response to a comment about events at the front is known:
I do not accept any loop or yoke. I believe and confess: the overthrow of the Soviet regime and the defense of Russia.
In 1944, when the Red Army had already thrown out the Nazi invaders from the territory of the Soviet Union and began the liberation of Eastern Europe, Denikin welcomed the feat of the "Russian soldier" who liberated the peoples from the "Nazi plague." And no less zealously denounced all those white emigrants who collaborated with the Nazis.
But not everything was so simple with the position of the former leader of the White movement. Denikin never had any special sympathy for Germany, but he always focused on England, France, the United States, in which he saw a force capable of "saving Russia from Bolshevism." Therefore, when in 1945 the Great Patriotic War ended with a victory over Nazi Germany, all the general's sympathy for Soviet Russia immediately disappeared. However, Denikin began to talk about how to deal with Russia and the Soviet regime during the war.
Already in 1944, when Soviet soldiers under the command of Soviet marshals finished off the Nazis on the fronts in Eastern Europe, the elderly general urged people to think about the post-war arrangement of Russia. After all, the overthrow of Soviet power, according to Denikin, was to be the next point after the defeat of Nazi Germany. First of all, he was categorically against any possible cooperation of Western countries with the Soviet Union, since he saw in this numerous risks for the world in general and for the Russian emigration in particular. By the way, Denikin moved from France to the United States precisely for the reason that he was afraid of being extradited to the Soviet Union, although this question was never raised or even raised by the Soviet side.
In the summer of 1946, 73-year-old General Anton Ivanovich Denikin, who by that time was living in the United States, wrote a letter to US President Harry Truman. In it, Anton Ivanovich Denikin returned to the old and hackneyed question, which he somewhat forgot during the war - to the opposition to Bolshevism. "Patriot" Anton Ivanovich outlined in his letter his recommendations to the West to contain the Soviet Union and its political expansion in Europe and the world as a whole. That is, the general refused to cooperate with the Nazis, but as soon as Germany was defeated, he immediately turned into a voluntary consultant to the United States on issues of confronting the Soviet Union.
In the fight against the Soviet Union, Denikin believed, one should not repeat the mistake of Adolf Hitler - trying to conquer Russia. The endless expanses of Russia and its large and patriotic population will not allow any enemy to achieve this goal. Therefore, as Denikin believed, the Soviet Union must be destroyed through an internal struggle - a coup d'etat, the debunking of Stalin's "personality cult". As for the United States, they must guarantee Russia's territorial integrity after the victory over Bolshevism.
As an important factor in the success of anti-Soviet enterprises, Denikin emphasized the need for the absence of England and the states neighboring the USSR among the fighters against Bolshevism. After all, Russia fought a lot with Japan, Turkey, Poland, these countries are always perceived as clear opponents. As for England, the Russians have been distrustful of it for many centuries, and this is also explained by the many intrigues that the British have built against the Russian state over the centuries.
How touching, truly, General Denikin's concern for the success of the United States in the struggle against the Soviet Union! And what recommendations does he give! Analyzes the situation, worries that the United States does not lose the fight, asks not to dismember Russia after its defeat.
Further in the letter, Denikin gives a whole list of measures recommended by him to combat the Soviet Union. Each of these measures is highly indicative. So, firstly, the general advocated close cooperation "between the English-speaking powers." He called on the Americans, British, Canadians not to succumb to "Soviet provocations", not to quarrel among themselves, but to rally to protect France and Italy from "communization".
This was not an empty advice - in the post-war years, the influence of the communist parties in Italy and France was very great, the United States felt the danger of the coming of communists to power in these countries. If this happened, virtually all of continental Europe would be under the control of the Soviet Union. And General Denikin feared this no less, and perhaps more, than the Americans, since he was so worried about the fate of France and Italy.
The second most important measure that, according to Denikin, should have been taken against the Soviet Union, was the refusal to provide any loans from the United States or Great Britain until Moscow gave "absolute guarantees to stop any military, political and propaganda aggression."
Denikin believed that Stalin would direct all his forces towards the revival of military power, but he would try to solve food problems at the expense of Western countries. And therefore it is necessary to deny the USSR any financial injections. Thus, Denikin considered it a perfectly possible scenario to leave the Soviet Union, ravaged by a terrible four-year war, without foreign aid. And the general did not bother how ordinary Soviet people, if you like, Russian people, would live.
The third point Denikin advised to immediately end the "policy of appeasement" of the Western powers towards the Soviet Union, which he called opportunistic and regarded as very dangerous, discrediting Western governments and undermining their influence on their own peoples.
Denikin believed that the United States should not forget the lessons of World War II and draw appropriate conclusions from them. The most important conclusion is in no case to turn the war against Bolshevism into a war against Russia, otherwise the same thing will happen that happened during the attacks on Russia by Poland, Sweden, Napoleon, Hitler.
In this regard, Denikin advised the Americans to let the population of the USSR understand that the struggle was not being waged against him, but only against the Bolshevik government. It is interesting that Denikin did not reject the very possibility of a war against Russia, he was ready for sacrifices among the Russian people, without which no war would have done.
As for Britain's participation in the anti-Bolshevik struggle, Denikin, as already reported above, was critical of this, but by no means because of his own dislike of the British. On the contrary, Denikin was a clear Anglophile, but he feared that the excessive role of London could turn away his potential supporters from the anti-Bolshevik movement, since England is historically perceived by almost all Russians as one of the main rivals of Russia. If the British can take part in the anti-Bolshevik struggle, it will be only after they have restored the confidence of anti-Bolshevik circles.
As follows from the text of the letter, Denikin fully admitted the possibility of a foreign occupation of the Russian lands. Moreover, he also emphasized that the number of coalition troops of foreign powers located on the territory of Russia should be limited, and their movement across Russian territory should be carried out in accordance with the intensity of actions of the Russian people proper against the Bolshevik government.
But at the same time, he emphasized that the West should immediately establish Russian self-government in the occupied territories, so that the Russians would not have the feeling of the seizure of their lands by foreign invaders. The central government in occupied Russia, according to Denikin, should have been staffed with Russian citizens, possibly with the involvement of selected emigrants. In no case, Denikin advised, should representatives of countries neighboring Russia and having complex relations with it be allowed to participate in the military administration.
Thus, the 73-year-old general, at the end of his life, 25 years after the end of the Civil War in Russia, did not change his position and still considered foreign military intervention in the country to be quite acceptable and even desirable. What kind of patriotism in this case can we talk about?
Denikin considered an internal coup d'etat in the Soviet Union to be the most optimal scenario. According to the white general, Stalin destroyed or neutralized all possible opponents and competitors during the years of his rule. Then he developed a cult of his own personality, which became the main foundation of his regime. If a coup d'etat took place in the USSR, Denikin reasoned, it would inevitably lead not only to personal changes in power, but also to large-scale political changes.
Denikin concluded his letter with the thesis that the presence of a peace-loving and (key point) friendly to the Western countries of Russia will help restore harmony and balance in world politics. Denikin linked the general eradication of the "communist plague" in the world with the liberation of Russia from Bolshevism.
Thus, the letter written by the general at the end of his life and reflecting his own considerations, in fact, and so repeated the strategic course of Washington and London to weaken and destroy the Soviet state. Realizing that it would not be possible to defeat the Soviet Union by military means, the Western powers, starting in 1946, took the line of internal destruction of the Soviet country. Encouraging anti-Soviet forces, inciting nationalism and separatism, discrediting any achievements of the Soviet people and the Soviet country - these are just some of the measures taken by the United States and Great Britain, as well as their allies and satellites, against the Soviet Union.
Ultimately, as history has shown, both Western strategic plans and General Denikin were right about one thing - the Soviet country was destroyed by internal processes that were actively supported by the West. It was the United States and other Western countries that played a crucial role first in the maximum weakening of the military, political, and economic might of the USSR during the years of "perestroika", in the sociocultural destruction of Soviet society and its way of life, and then contributed to the complete collapse of the Soviet state.
General Denikin, who had lived a long life, had considerable life experience, by his 73 years was unable (or did not want to?) Understand that the West has never been and will not be Russia's friend. And if the West is allowed to intervene in Russian political life, this will only lead to catastrophic consequences for Russian statehood.
The dismemberment of Russia, against which Denikin warned the Americans, was precisely what was beneficial to both Washington and London. Asking Truman to refrain from taking action to break up Russia is like asking a wolf to stop eating meat. Did Denikin understand this? It is hard to say. But further events in the history of our country showed the absurdity of such beliefs.
