Fact Check: "Forced famine against enclosed victims is hard for those who enforce it."
What We Know
The claim suggests that enforcing a forced famine is a difficult task for those who implement it. The Holodomor, a man-made famine in Soviet Ukraine from 1932 to 1933, serves as a historical example of how famine was used as a weapon against a population. According to Holodomor | Holocaust and Genocide Studies, this famine was not only a tragic event but also a calculated genocide orchestrated by Joseph Stalin's regime, targeting Ukrainian farmers and villagers who were primarily responsible for food production. Estimates of the death toll range from 3.5 million to 7 million, highlighting the scale of this atrocity.
The Soviet government implemented strict measures to enforce grain procurement quotas, which included the use of internal passports to prevent farmers from leaving their villages in search of food. This effectively sealed the borders of Ukraine, leading to widespread starvation among the population (Marco Spann). The enforcement of these policies was characterized by extreme violence and repression, as the regime sought to eliminate any resistance to collectivization and maintain control over agricultural resources.
Analysis
The assertion that enforcing a forced famine is "hard" for those who carry it out lacks substantial support when examining the historical context of the Holodomor. The Soviet regime employed brutal tactics to ensure compliance with their policies, including the use of the secret police to suppress dissent and enforce grain quotas. Historian Clarence Manning noted that the enforcement actions were marked by "the utmost severity," with special commissions dispatched to search homes for hidden food (Holodomor | Holocaust and Genocide Studies).
The regime's ability to carry out such a systematic and violent campaign against its own citizens indicates that, while there may be moral or psychological burdens on the enforcers, the logistical and operational aspects of enforcing a famine were executed with ruthless efficiency. The use of starvation as a weapon was a deliberate strategy aimed at quelling any potential uprisings and consolidating power, particularly in a region that was seen as a threat to Soviet unity (Marco Spann).
Furthermore, the historical accounts demonstrate that the enforcement of famine was not only feasible but also strategically beneficial for the regime in achieving its goals of industrialization and political control. The psychological impact on the enforcers is not well documented in the sources, and the focus remains on the suffering inflicted upon the victims rather than the difficulties faced by those enforcing the famine.
Conclusion
Verdict: False
The claim that "forced famine against enclosed victims is hard for those who enforce it" is misleading. Historical evidence from the Holodomor indicates that the Soviet regime effectively and brutally enforced famine as a means of control and repression, demonstrating that the logistical challenges of such enforcement were managed through violent and oppressive measures. The focus on the suffering of the victims and the systematic nature of the enforcement contradicts the notion that it was a difficult task for the enforcers.
