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Salient. An Organ of Student Opinion at Victoria College Wellington, N.Z. Vol. 6, No. 2 March 17th, 1943

To the Attack — Soviet Students Call

To the Attack

Soviet Students Call

Academic Studies in Full Swing at a German University.

Academic Studies in Full Swing at a German University.

A big rally of Soviet students was held in Moscow on International Students' Day. The following resolution was passed:—

Friends, brothers, dear colleagues! To-day, in decisive battles, each of us is fighting for the right to live. We do not want to be slaves. We have become fighters in the mighty anti-Hitler coalition. Thousands on thousands of students are taking part in the struggle against the Nazi blackguards.

The youth of the world are keeping strict account. We remember the ruined universities of Odessa and Kharkov, Prague and Brussels. We remember the streets of Kiev and Minsk, Paris, Volokolamsk and Belgrade, drenched with the blood of the tormented. We remember all—the ruins of Novgorod and Warsaw, devastated Yasnaya Polyana, Tolstoy's home and museum.

We know who are guilty of these and countless other crimes, and we say: "Not one of the bloody Fascist criminals will escape the reckoning." Our revenge will reach out to every German bandit.

Some will perish at the hands of Soviet fighters. Others will be felled by British soldiers or American sailors. Others again will be killed by the bullets of the Yugoslav guerillas. We are not only fighting to defend mankind from the horrors of the brown plague, but are wreaking merciless vengeance on the Nazi bandits.

Students of the world! Young men and girls, victory will not come of itself. It must be won. It is the civic duty of each of us to fight and to conquer in the historic battle of the freedom-loving peoples against Hitler Germany and its accomplices.

Students at the front! Smite the enemy harder. Perfect your military training. Be models of discipline and staunchness in battle.

Students of Britain and America! The second front is needed not only by the Soviet people, but by your people, too. The successful operations of the Anglo American troops in Africa, which are an outstanding factor in the present situation, are an indication of the growing might of the anti-Hitler coalition.

It is for us to hurl all this might against the enemy, to hasten the downfall of the Italo-German coalition and the complete defeat of Nazi Germany. Open the second front quickly, bring it closer to the vital centres of Germany. That is what is needed now.

Students of the world! Your peoples demand that each of you should forget for a time your peaceful plans and dreams. Be bold. Be fighters, iron-strong against Fascism. Our peoples expect us to be worthy progeny of freedom-loving mankind. Let us carry our exploits into battle against Hitlerism, and bring glory to our native countries.

Let us be the boldest, most determined, fearless fighters against the enemy. Let us not spare our efforts, or life itself, but let us fight on for our just cause until the final, complete victory over bloody Hitlerism. We must and shall honorably justify the hopes of our peoples.

The time will come when we shall take off our army greatcoats, return to our lecture room and dedicate our lives to creative work. But until that longed-for moment comes, when we have defeated Nazi Germany and sent Hitler and his criminal band to execution, our lives must be devoted to struggle.

Forward, students of the world, into struggle—into the life and death struggle against Fascism!