[655] in Daily_Rumour
Next issue of Pravda (long)
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU)
Thu Feb 22 18:39:28 1990
To: rumour@ATHENA.MIT.EDU, rumor@ATHENA.MIT.EDU, jmaessen@ATHENA.MIT.EDU,
Date: Thu, 22 Feb 90 18:37:36 EST
From: Pravda.paperboy@ATHENA.MIT.EDU, <cordelia@ATHENA.MIT.EDU>
PRAVDA
---------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------
| |
| ``The Truth'' |
| |
-----------------
VOLUME 47 NUMBER 5 FEBRUARY 22, 1990
----------------------
| |
| Editor: |
| Yevgeny Solo |
| |
----------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------
RULING PARTY KEEPS POWER IN JAPAN
Japan's voters reaffirmed their conservatism yesterday by reelecting
the political party that has presided over 35 years of extraordinary
economic prosperity. The scandal-wracked Liberal Democratic Party,
pronounced itself "purified" by vote of the people, but yet the Japan
Socialists, the main opposition party, made a strong showing. This is
a sign not only of the allegations of corruption but also because of
the Liberal Party's support for an unpopular consumption tax and for
farm policies that would open the country to agricultural imports.
SOVIET PRESS CONFERENCE
The eight statements made at Monday evening's press conference all
reflected the deep concern of the various nations with the serious
conflicts before us. Distress over both the dispute of custody of
Mr. Youngman, and the apparent haste involved in the writing of the
German unification treaty, were quite evident in the statements made.
Ambassador Mueller of East Germany stated that the treaty, while well
intentioned, was poorly done and should be reconsidered from its
beginning. Its failure to treat the future of Germany, and of
communism within Germany, are two of his chief concerns. He stated
that its signing probably reflected haste in the wake of Comrade
Gorbachov's assassination rather than good judgement.
Ambassador Show of China called upon the United States to withdraw
its threat of nuclear devistation of the planet. He also stated
three objectives with respect to the reunification of Germany: that
it be reunited, because such was the will of the German people; that
it have no standing army; and that every German citizen be instructed
in the teachings of Mao, which have brought prosperity to China.
Attache St. John-Smythe of England said that the current conflict
between the Soviet Union and the United States was most distressing,
and that England hoped to see a mutually benificial agreement come
about soon. She also stated that the German unification process
seemed to be rather hasty and should be done more slowly.
Ambassador Dahl of the United States said that the Vice President had
to return at the proper time, and that the United States could take
no action against Father Youngman, an American citizen, without
evidence, which he said had not yet been offered. He also said that
peace was not possible while the Vice President was being held
hostage.
Foreign Minister Trubel stated that the Soviet Union sought only
justice for Comrade Gorvachov's assassin, and stressed the fairness
of the Soviet justice system, and the lack of trust the Americans
were placing in it. "It is not a simple mater of a man versus a man,
but is much larger and must be treated as such."
Minister of Defense Nokemov said that while the Soviet Union and the
United States had differences, would probably always have
differences, these were by no means grounds for threatening the world
with nuclear distruction. He expressed a deep hope that the current
disputes were not irreparable, and that the Americans would place
some trust in the Soviet system of justice.
Party Chief Rorshakov said that the Politburo was pursing the
possibility of obtaining Father Youngman from the Americans for a
fair trial, and that "a war is right out." The German unification
treaty is also being given serious consideration by the Politburo.
Vice President Pheasant said "It's kinda cold out, but other than
that I'm having fun." When asked about the status of U.S. troops,
she replied that they were probably asleep now.
The press conference broke up shortly after the arrival of an
American Embassy official bearing a message for Vice President
Pheasant, and the departure of both Vice President Pheasant and a
number of members of the Politburo.
ART AUCTION CANCELED
The Art Auction scheduled for tonight has been canceled. Sources
close to the museum refuse to reveal why the show was canceled, but
there is speculation that fears of a terrorist attack may have
prompted this move.
MAGICIAN TO PERFORM
The Amazing Dolsoi and his beautiful assistant, Fatima Cocacola, will
perform at seven p.m. tonight in 1-190. Miss Cocacola willl be
NICARAGUAN OPPOSITION GAINS A VOICE
In Managua, Nicaragua, supporters of the US-backed presidential
candidate, Violeta Barrios de Chamorro, marched on the capital's main
square yesterday in by far the largest opposition rally since the
Sandinista Front came to power more than a decade ago. The crowd of
about 50,000 people spilled euphorically into the Plaza of the
Revolution. It may still require a minor miracle for Chamorro to
defeat President Daniel Ortega in Sunday's voting. She trails in most
credible polls and is beset by poor organization, limited publicity
and an occasionally confused message.
GERMAN NATO QUESTION NOT RESOLVED
The military and strategic future of Germany was a source of sharp
dispute on both sides of the Atlantic yesterday, with disagreements
surfacing inside the Bonn government and continuing between Soviet
and Western officials. The debates centered on Germany's military
status after reunification: on what kind of troops, if any, might be
based in what is now East Germany, and on whether the new German
state should be neutral or firmly linked to the West through
membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
SHARON RESIGNS IN ISRAEL
Associated Press, Jerusalem: Ariel Sharon, leader of the far right
wing of the Likud bloc, formally resigned from the Cabinet yesterday
and said he would campaign to topple Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir
and replace the government peace plan with his own. Sharon felt that
the government's plan made too many concessions to the Arabs and
could lead to war.
AFRICAN LEADERS INCLUDE DE KLERK
President F. W. de Klerk has accepted an invitation to a meeting of
African heads of state scheduled for Saturday. It was the first time
since de Klerk's party gained power 42 years ago that a South African
leader has received such an invitation. This seems to be the first
tangible reward to de Klerk in response to his Feb 2. announcement
that he would lift the ban on the African National Congress.
JAPAN TO INCREASE MILITARY
Japan's military planners are becoming increasingly apprehensive
about US military cutbacks in the Pacific Ocean. Richard Cheney, US
secretary of defense, will visit Japan today on an Asian tour, has
already said that 12,000 American troops will be withdrawn from South
Korea, the Phillipines, and Japan in the next three years. Given that
the US has 120,000 troops in the three countries, including 60,000 in
Japan, the reductoin is militarily insignificant. Japan counts most
heavily on the US "nuclear umbrella" as the main deterrent to Soviet
aggression. Nonetheless, the establishment is building Japan's first
aircraft carrier since World War II. Japan's military budget is
currently 1 percent of its gross national product. US military
spending, by comparison, is 6.6 percent of its GNP, while the average
for the 15 nations of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is 3.7
percent.
MAO TSE-TUNG - PART II
September 29, 1937: Mao makes peace with Chinese General Chiang
Kai-shek against the common enemy of Japan. Mao dissolves the Red
Army, and reorganizes to place his soldiers under authority of a
committee.
Summer 1945: Mao refuses to negotiate with Chiang as the war comes to
a close and the Red Army is once again. Mao's Communists clash with
Chinese government troops in North China. Mao and Chiang meet in
August to try to work things out, but talks break off again in
October.
August 19, 1946: Mao orders an all-out war against Chiang Kai-shek in
a national radio broadcast. Mao has more than a million comrades in
uniform and control over two million guerillas. The communists hope
to mobilize an additional seven millions fighters. Mao's order is the
first full-scale declaration of war in nearly 20 years of tension and
fighting.
October 30, 1948: On Chiang Kai-shek's birthday, he is forced to
concede all of Manchuria to Mao's valiant Communist Red Army.
January 22, 1949: Communist forces under Mao's superb leadership
inevitably take Peking, the Chinese capital after a month-long siege.
Under a new agreement, a coalition committee was established to
supervise the transition to Communist rule. Chiang Kai-shek, who has
fought the communist for more than 20 years, resigns as President of
China with the hope that his departure can bring an end to
hostilities.
April 1949: A Chinese Communist army of nearly one million men
launched a major offensive across the Yangtze River, under orders
from Mao to liberate all of China. As they spread out across all of
Southern China, the Communists consolidate their control.
May 26, 1949: Finally, Shanghai, China's largest city, falls to Mao's
Red Army after a month-long siege. Mao now seems poised to control
all of Southern China as well. The civilized Communists do not
pillage the city, and even carried the wounded to field hospitals.
The style and discipline of the Communist troops and the
professionalism of their commanders have impressed Chinese peasants
and convinced many to join Mao's crusade.
September 30, 1949: Mao Tse-tung is elected chairman of the People's
Republic of China. On October 1st the People's Republic of China is
officially proclaimed. Within hours of the news, the U.S.S.R.
recognized the new regime and asserted that the Chinese Nationalists
led by Chiang Kai-shek now hold no power. In December the last of the
Nationalist democratic government shifts its capital from Taipei to
the island of Formosa. This evacuation clears the way for many other
countries to also officially recognize the People's Republic.
February 1950: The Communist leaders of Russia and China, Stalin and
Mao, made a peace treaty saying that they are friends who will fight
together if attacked. This mutual defense treaty comes after two
months of difficult negotiations. It took so long to negotiate this
treaty that rumors had been erroneously circulated by capitalists
intent on further war that Mao had been taken hostage in Moscow.
November 1950: The Chinese Red Army enters the Korean war, and the
United States finds themselves on the verge of a full-fledged war
with the Chinese Communists.
April 1957: The leadership of Communist China, not to be outdone by
destalinization of Russia, is urging critics of the regime to come
forward and explain their disenchantment. The internal reform policy
was launched a year ago by China's propaganda chief. The
liberalization is Mao's response to labor strikes, student
demonstrations, and peasant protests. Party members have been stoned,
and government ministers who are not Communists have complained their
role is symbolic. This liberalization is torn away by Mao in July.
May 1958: Mao announces the "Great Leap Forward", the biggest and most
ambitious experiment in human mobilization in history. Mao's conviction
is that the only way to modernize China is through the mobilization of
its main resource: people. Millions of peasants are to be deployed in
"people's communes" in which they are liberated of the responsiblity of
owning private property. Formed into military brigades, they will be
shifted from fields to backyard steel furnaces amid slogans urging them
to work around the clock and perform modern economic miracles.
April 1959: Liu Shao-chi has been named by the Chinese Communist
Party to succeed Mao Tse-tung as head of state. A stalwart of the
party since its founding in 1921, Liu's reputation as a labor
organizer grew until he was Mao's right hand man.
March 27, 1960: Communist Party officials in Red China have been
ordered to begin an intensive campaign to spread the Marxist theories
of Mao Tse-tung to the masses. The Socialist re-education or
propaganda effort maintains that Mao's ideas provide answers to every
problem in China and calls Mao "the world's greatest contemporary
theoretician of Marxism-Leninism". Vast number of books are printed
for mass distribution.
April 1966: Mao launches "The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution"
which intends to revive the revolutionary zeal that proved victorious
in 1949. Mao plans to purge the entrenched power-holders who resist
his ideas, and artistic and educational institutions are formed to
translate into action Mao's latest poem: "Seize the day, seize the
hour! Away with all the pests! Our force is irresistable!"
October 1968: Mao's campaign to purge his enemies and renew
revolutionary zeal led to such widespread chaos and violence that the
army was the only force capable of restoring order. Many persons have
died at the hands of wild, vicious Red Guards. With the Communist
Party shattered from top to bottom, Mao expressed what he can no
longer hide to Red Guard leaders: "You have let me down, and moreover
have disappointed the workers, peasants, and soldiers of China."
May 18, 1970: Moscow accuses Mao of seeking to control all of Asia.
March 1972: President Nixon visits China, the first United States
recognition of China. Mao and Nixon speak in Peking.
February 4, 1974: Mao declares, get this, another Cultural
Revolution.
December 1975: Ford visits Mao, as US-China relations improve and
USSR-China relations grind.
April 7, 1976: Hua becomes Chinese Premier, as successor to Mao.
When Mao dies on September 18th, Hua becomes Chairman. Mao is hailed
as the "Father of the Chinese Revolution, all of them." :)
METAGAME ANNOUNCEMENTS
*********
Any corrections, personals, etc., for Pravda should be e-mailed to:
cordelia@athena.mit.edu. Note that this address is no longer
drwho@athena.mit.edu.
*********
Please do not leave your terminals screensaved for long periods of
time.
*********
On-line copies of Pravda are available! /mit/cordelia/Pravda5.doc
(for on-line viewing) and /mit/cordelia/Pravda5.PS (for hardcopy
reading).
********* A general announcement to people on instance moscow,
players and non-players.
Instance moscow is an instance being run for the benefit of players
in an MIT Assassin's Guild game set in Moscow.
Players should try and make it clear to non-players that things like
"Gorbachev' s Death" are fictional events, not real ones, as
appearantly there has been some confusion over this in the past.
-bamf
