INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK BY JOHN REED: TEN DAYS THAT SHOOK THE WORLD

Written at the end of 1919 · First published in Russian in 1923 in the book: Dzhon Rid, 10 dnei kotoriye potryasli mir, Moscow. Printed from the book text. · page 519

INTRODUCTION TO THE AMERICAN EDITION

With the greatest interest and with never slackening attention I read John Reed’s book, Ten Days That Shook the World. Unreservedly do I recommend it to the workers of the world. Here is a book which I should like to see published in millions of copies and translated into all languages. It gives a truthful and most vivid exposition of the events so significant to the comprehension of what really is the Proletarian Revolution and the Dictatorship of the Proletariat. These problems are widely discussed, but before one can accept or reject these ideas, he must understand the full significance of his decision. John Reed’s book will undoubtedly help to clear this question, which is the fundamental problem of the international labor movement.

Nikolai Lenin