The selections in Enemies of the State: Personal Stories from the Gulag by the Critchlows should be required reading in our schools. While only a few nations remain Communist, we
should not forget that these regimes maintain nuclear arsenals that threaten the security of their neighbors and the United States. Two generations have passed since the collapse of the Berlin Wall. Many of our youngsters do not remember President Ronald Reagan and his heroic efforts to tear down those walls dividing West from East. The illusion of socialism will continue to attract idealistic youth seeking equality, peace, and justice. We have an obligation to teach each generation the truths of the “evil empire” our nation faced during the twentieth century. We hold this obligation for the sake of the memories of those who suffered and died under the Communists and for future generations who will confront new challenges brought about by deceptive dreams and evil tyrants. — F.R. Duplantier, 2002
In 2002 I had the pleasure of assisting St. Louis University history professor Donald Critchlow in the editing of his book Enemies of the State, a collection of excerpts from gulag memoirs. Though I was well versed in the barbarity of communism, I still cringed at the personal narratives of ghastly abuse. Linked above is a brief selection from the book review that I prepared for the Mindszenty Report.
