Changes

It was formed in 1919 as a splinter group of the [[left-wing]] of the [[Socialism|Socialist Party]] over the issue of the [[Bolshevik Revolution]] in [[Russia]]. The left wing socialists supported [[Lenin]] and [[Trotsky]], and broke off the SP to form two rival parties: the [[Communist Party of America]] and [[Communist Labor Party]]. Under pressure from the [[Communist International]], these two communist parties officially merged in Chicago in 1919. From its inception, the Communist Party, USA came under attack from the [[FBI]] and Attorney General [[A. Mitchell Palmer]] for defying the [[Sedition Act of 1918]]. Consequently, the Communist Party went underground and went through name changes to evade the authorities.

It was formed in 1919 as a splinter group of the [[left-wing]] of the [[Socialism|Socialist Party]] over the issue of the [[Bolshevik Revolution]] in [[Russia]]. The left wing socialists supported [[Lenin]] and [[Trotsky]], and broke off the SP to form two rival parties: the [[Communist Party of America]] and [[Communist Labor Party]]. Under pressure from the [[Communist International]], these two communist parties officially merged in Chicago in 1919. From its inception, the Communist Party, USA came under attack from the [[FBI]] and Attorney General [[A. Mitchell Palmer]] for defying the [[Sedition Act of 1918]]. Consequently, the Communist Party went underground and went through name changes to evade the authorities.

During the early 1920s, the party apparatus was, to a great extent, underground. It reemerged in 1923 with a small legal above ground element, the [[Workers Party of America]]. As the [[Red Scare]] of 1919 and deportations of the early 1920s ebbed, the party became bolder and more open. An element of the party, however, remained permanently underground. It was through this underground party, often commanded by a Soviet official operating as an illegal in the United States, that Soviet intelligence was able to co-opt CPUSA members. <ref>"The COMINTERN (Communist International) was a Soviet-controlled organization that conducted liaison with the national Communist parties of various countries, including the United States, in order to further the cause of revolution. Moscow issued guidance, support, and orders to the parties through the apparatus of the COMINTERN."  [http://www.nsa.gov/publications/publi00036.pdf ''The Venona Story''], Robert L. Benson, Ft. George G. Meade, MD: National Security Agency, Center for Cryptologic History, [n.d.].</ref><ref>[http://www.nsa.gov/venona/venon00008.cfm Venona 142(a) Moscow to Canberra 12 September 1943]. Text reads: "change in circumstances - and in particular the dissolution of the [[Comintern]] - necessitates a change in the method used by the workers of our residencies to keep in touch with the leaders of the local [[Communist_Party_of_the_United_States_of_America#Secret_apparatus|Communist]] organizations on intelligence matters. <br>

During the early 1920s, the party apparatus was, to a great extent, underground. It reemerged in 1923 with a small legal above ground element, the [[Workers Party of America]]. As the [[Red Scare]] of 1919 and deportations of the early 1920s ebbed, the party became bolder and more open. When the FBI in August 1922 raided the third convention of the Communist Party USA meeting secretly near Bridgman, Michigan, they obtained biographical information about each of the delegates. They came largely from Eastern and Central Europe; all but two could speak English and most were Americanized. Most had previously belonged to the [[Socialist Party]], or (less often) to the [[IWW]]. Most had been radicals prior to the Russian Revolution of 1917. Few held official trade union positions, very few worked in heavy industry, and a substantial number had been arrested at least once.<REF> Harvey Klehr, "The Bridgman Delegates," ''Survey''1976 22(2): 87-95. 0039-6192 </REF>

2. Our workers, by continuing to meet the leader of the Communists, are exposing themselves to danger and are giving cause local authorities to suspect that the Comintern is still in existence. <br>

a. That personal contact with leaders of the local Communist organizations should cease and that Communist material should not be accepted for forwarding to the Comintern. <br>

b. That meetings of our workers may take place only with special reliable undercover [ZAKONSPIRIROVANNYJ] contacts of the Communist [D% organizations], who are not suspected by the [''orgs of''] local authorities, exclusively about specific aspects of our intelligence work (acquiring [1 group unidentified] contacts, leads [NAVODKI], rechecking of those who are being cultivated, etc.). For each meeting it is necessary to obtain our consent. <br>

No. 4084 <br>

An element of the party, however, remained permanently underground. It was through this underground party, often commanded by a Soviet official operating as an illegal in the United States, that Soviet intelligence was able to co-opt CPUSA members. <ref>"The COMINTERN (Communist International) was a Soviet-controlled organization that conducted liaison with the national Communist parties of various countries, including the United States. Moscow issued guidance, support, and orders to the parties through the COMINTERN.</ref>  The Comintern supplied the American Communist movement with the equivalent of several million dollars in valuables, an enormous sum in the 1920s. <ref>[http://www.fas.org/sgp/library/moynihan/appa4.html Moynihan Commission on Government Secrecy Report, Appendix A, 4. ''The Encounter with Communism''] (1997).</ref>  

Lt. Gen. [[P.M. Fitin]]. <br>

Notes: [a] This message is known to have been sent also to NEW YORK, SAN FRANCISCO, and OTTAWA.</ref> The Comintern supplied the American Communist movement with the equivalent of several million dollars in valuables, an enormous sum in the 1920s. <ref>[http://www.fas.org/sgp/library/moynihan/appa4.html Moynihan Commission on Government Secrecy Report, Appendix A, 4. ''The Encounter with Communism''] (1997).</ref>  By 1930 it had adopted the title Communist Party of the USA.

By 1930 the party had adopted the title Communist Party of the USA. In the 1930s the CPUSA recruited several hundred persons among millions of new employees hired by the federal government under the impact of the [[New Deal]]'s rapid expansion of governmental programs. Open membership in the Communist Party brought discharge. The CPUSA evaded the law by organizing caucuses of government employees that met in secret. [[Joseph Peters]], a senior member of the Central Committee of the CPUSA, headed the party’s underground apparatus from 1932 to 1938 and pioneered its role as an auxiliary to Soviet intelligence activities.  CPUSA operatives did not move in heavily until Roosevelt's second term and not en masse until the third term, although the entering wedge was made during his first term.

 

In the 1930s the CPUSA recruited several hundred persons among millions of new employees hired by the federal government under the impact of the [[New Deal]]'s rapid expansion of governmental programs. Open membership in the Communist Party brought discharge. The CPUSA evaded the law by organizing caucuses of government employees that met in secret. [[Joseph Peters]], a senior member of the Central Committee of the CPUSA, headed the party’s underground apparatus from 1932 to 1938 and pioneered its role as an auxiliary to Soviet intelligence activities.  CPUSA operatives did not move in heavily until Roosevelt's second term and not en masse until the third term, although the entering wedge was made during his first term.

In 1932, Sergei Ivanovich Gussev, who had served as Comintern agent and Stalin's personal representative in the United States, "commanded the Communists in the United States to take up four tasks. Two of them were the defence of the Soviet Union and the furtherance of Red conquest of China." In 1933 the notorious [[Gerhart Eisler]] "was secretly sent into the United States by Moscow to make sure these orders were carried out." <ref>[[Louis F. Budenz]], ''The Techniques of Communism'', (Chicago: Henry Regnery and Company, 1954), pp. 162-163.</ref>

In 1932, Sergei Ivanovich Gussev, who had served as Comintern agent and Stalin's personal representative in the United States, "commanded the Communists in the United States to take up four tasks. Two of them were the defence of the Soviet Union and the furtherance of Red conquest of China." In 1933 the notorious [[Gerhart Eisler]] "was secretly sent into the United States by Moscow to make sure these orders were carried out." <ref>[[Louis F. Budenz]], ''The Techniques of Communism'', (Chicago: Henry Regnery and Company, 1954), pp. 162-163.</ref>

==Leadership==

==Leadership==