FAJON, Etienne and Arthur Giovani, and others Jeunesse, Espoir du Pays. Published meeting of the French Communist “Assemblee Consultative”. Published in Algeria (?), 1944 (?) 6.5”x 4.5”, 36pp. Printed on newsprint. Original wrappers; crude but yet charming cloth repair to the spine.  Provenance: Library of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), via the Library of Congress, each of which has contributed a rubber stamp to the pamphlet. GOOD condition, only. $250  NO Copies located in WorldCat.

Well. Someone at the library of the OSS (the precursor to the CIA) labeled this “COMMUNISM—France-Propaganda”, which it is, though what it is first, I think, is a call to arms. And that clarion call is very directly aimed at the youth of France, which the Communist Party saw as being directly under attack by the Nazis.

The writers here established that “combat over slow death” was the approach to take, there in 1944.

Here’s a selection of what they were talking about:

(Section header: Helping Youth to Fight)

“We all want to save the French youth that the enemy is trying to destroy. All that, there is only one way: to help young people in France to defend themselves against the enemy, to strike him, to hasten his defeat.”

“..the rations granted to the French, from January 1943, were equivalent to the death of one in five individuals. No fight could cost our young generation so dear.”

“Helping French youth to fight that means: Replace certain wait-and-see or stupid broadcasts on our radio with specific advice to young workers to organize the sabotage of enemy production and transport with minimum risk and maximum efficiency

“…develop the struggle of prisoners and deportees in Germany who are, in their vast majority, young people doomed to death. Our radio must give directives for escapes, for sabotage, for all forms of struggle • in enemy territory. Above all, to urgently send by all means, to young soldiers without uniform, small arms, ammunition, clothing, instructors.

“We are concerned with restoring, upon liberation, the compromised health of millions of children and adolescents in France. In our opinion, the Government will not be able to solve this problem…”

“We all want to save the French youth that the enemy is trying to destroy. All that, there is only one way: to help young people in France to defend themselves against the enemy, to strike him, to hasten his defeat.”

 

“..the rations granted to the French, from January 1943, were equivalent to the death of one in five individuals. No fight could cost our young generation so dear.”

 

“Helping French youth to fight that means: Replace certain wait-and-see or stupid broadcasts on our radio with specific advice to young workers to organize the sabotage of enemy production and transport with minimum risk and maximum efficiency

 

“…develop the struggle of prisoners and deportees in Germany who are, in their vast majority, young people doomed to death. Our radio must give directives for escapes, for sabotage, for all forms of struggle • in enemy territory. Above all, to urgently send by all means, to young soldiers without uniform, small arms, ammunition, clothing, instructors.

 

“We are concerned with restoring, upon liberation, the compromised health of millions of children and adolescents in France. In our opinion, the Government will not be able to solve this problem…”