In words that would sound chilling within a decade, Sinclair’s view of the mass Ukrainian starvation was that “I venture to doubt that five million were permitted to die.” “Permitted” is one of those words that have different meanings. At the very least, Sinclair was claiming that the Soviet government wouldn’t allow such a thing to happen without acting to prevent it. That Stalin was in fact responsible for those deaths didn’t even enter Sinclair’s thoughts as a consideration. “My guess,” Sinclair continued, “is that it is nearer to one million, but that was enough.” What basis Sinclair had
...more
