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From Socialist Appeal, Vol. 4 No. 49, 7 December 1940, p. 3.
Transcribed & marked up by Einde O’Callaghan for ETOL.
New Ways of War
by Tom Wintringham
Penguin Books. 126 pages 25¢.
The author of this pamplet, before he became commander of the Local Defense Volunteers in England, was a Stalinist. He commanded, the British Battalion with the International Brigade in Spain and his explanation for the failure of the Loyalists – “we lost because Hitler and Mussolini had then ... friends in Britain, powerful enough to prevent us getting arms and food” – is one quite acceptable to the Comintern although it has parted company with Wintringham.
But let that lie for the moment. Tom Wintringham, while he has no political credentials, does have military credentials. One goes to the pamphlet New Ways of War for what the author has to tell us about the very practical side of the military arts. And the average worker can find a great deal of valuable information in this little pamphlet.
New Ways of War is the handbook which millions of British citizens in the Local Defense Volunteers are using today. It gives one a picture of the historical development of war. It shows how military tactics and weapons parallel changes in industry and transport.
Now for the meat of the book. Would you like to know how to make home-made grenades that can stop tanks and armored cars? how to drill men intelligently? how to make effective ordnance of a regular shot-gun and shot-gun shells? how to make a field unusable as an airdrome? how to stop a tank with home-made grenades? how to construct an anti-tank trap? to defend a house (or a trade union hall)? to defend a city against modern arms? to make a roadblock and to defend it? how to check motor cycle troops? how to build a defense position?
You will find this priceless information, together with illustrations and formulas, in New Ways of War.
Despite its political dross, this is one of the most valuable books published in recent years, I recommend this book to every comrade, to every serious worker, to every Union Defense Guardsmen in the United States. Study it, pass it on to your friends.
Wintringham tells how troops in Spain were trained by being shown old war films, corrected by short lectures. Wintringham’s handbook is to be used in the same way.
Politically now, he is a Fabian with a strong People’s Front hangover from Spain. His political criticisms are those of the Fabians. Wintringham would reform the British army, but would not call for an army under control of the organized workers. Wintringham is for defense of the British “fatherland,” now, under Churchill. He is not for socialist revolution.
But let him speak for himself: “Those who say that this war is a war between two great Empires, each fighting for the right to rule and exploit other peoples without the latter’s consent, are speaking of a war that is past. They are, to be exact, speaking of Mr. Chamberlain’s war, Mr. Chamberlain lost that war. It is over. We are now engaged on quite a different struggle,” etc., etc.
And Wintringham wonders why India is not given its freedom, and why the British government, instead of arming the Local Defense Volunteers, takes their weapons away.
But as I say, we go to this book for military, not political, knowledge.
Our party advocates universal military training under trade union control, and financed by the United States government. Whether we can achieve this will be decided by the struggle. If enough organized workers demand it, we can have it. Our very demand raises the political understanding of the workers.
In the meantime we have the problem of guarding our union halls, our picket lines, from fascist groups. The fascists will have a mighty tough job cut out for them if every trade unionist assimilates the knowledge available in this pamphlet and helps form a Union Defense Guard to defend himself and his union. This pamphlet should be a handbook for every worker.
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Last updated on 16 November 2020