Wilfred Burchett

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Wilfred Burchett, 1953

Template:TOCnestleft Wilfred Burchett aka spelled as Wilfred Burchette

Soviet agent

Wilfred Burchett (aka Wilfred Peter Burchette) was one of the communist world's most successful propaganda agents regarding getting published in both the Free World press and in the communist press, especially in America. In various U.S. congressional hearings and in a libel lawsuit in England, as well as in the Australian press, he was identified as a member of the Communist Party of Australia, a KGB agent, helped by Yuri Krotkov, aka George Karlin, and as a Red Chinese agent at one Chicom prisoner of war camp in North Korea which held Australian, British and American prisoners.[1].

In the United States, he was regularly published in the communist weekly Guardian and on occasion, in the Daily Worker (DW) or Daily World, its successor. He was also published in the New York Times (NYT)on the grounds that he had unique contacts with the communist leaders of the world, especially North Vietnam, and he could present their views.

On pages 158-160, of Part 2 of the hearings, Karlin provided details about Burchett being housed and paid by the communist governments of Red China, North Vietnam, and the Soviet Union while he visited or stayed in those countries. On page 160, Karlin testified that:

"Now, I know that Burchette had a close relation with the boss of the KGB special departmet which is responsible for the whole foreign correspondents in Moscow. That's Colonel Barsegov. But I don't know particular cases which were organized."

The Wilfred Burchett 60th Birthday Committee

An ad in the Marxist weekly the Guardian of February 27, 1971, p. 9, announced the following:

The Wilfred Burchett 60th Birthday Committee in association with the Guardian announces "A Burchett Antiwar Chest Campaign" whose purpose was:

"Funds will be used exclusively to guarantee Burchett's Guardian retainer, travel expenses, overseas transmission costs and the establishment of a Burchett Reserve Fund"

Ossie Davis, one of the two Chairmen wrote:

"We urge every Guardian reader to send greetings to Wilfred Burchett on his 60th birthday along with as generous a contribution as possible to swell the Burchett antiwar chest."

Leaders of the Committee:

Sponsors List (in formation):

(A note on a copy of this ad said that "A later GUARDIAN shows that there was a change at the last minute. (Ossie) Davis was unable to serve as chairman, and Annette Rubinstein substituted for him. Davis sent a message)

{NB: This list constituted the heart of the "Hanoi Lobby" during the Vietnam war, as well as having subsets in it of CPUSA lawyers, radical clergymen, communist publishers, spies, and Party leaders, communist labor leaders, communist/marxist doctors, a few leftist poets/writers, communist/marxist professors, and assorted sympathizers (including husband/wife teams).)

1977 Reception for Wilfred Burchett, Bel Air, California

A flier/notice for a reception for Wilfred Burchett to be held on November 12, 1977, at the home of Betty Sheinbaum and Stanley K. Sheinbaum, 240 Bentley Circle, Bel Air, California was published in a short report on KGB activities in the U.S. by Herbert Romerstein, p. 27.

The following is the complete text of this notice:

Jane Fonda, Len Weinglass and Ossie Davis invite you to a reception honoring WILFRED BURCHETT at the home of Betty & Stanley K. Sheinbaum 240 Bentley Circle, Bel Air, Saturday, November 12, 1977, 4:00 - 7:00 P.M., $12.50, Wine & Buffet.
Wilfred Burchett was the first western journalist to travel through the liberated zones of South Viet Nam during the 1960's. The author of "The 17th Parallel", "Vietnam North", and "Grasshoppers and Elephants: The Viet Cong Account of the Last Days of the War", he is a long-time foreign correspondent for the independent radical newsweekly The Guardian.
Support progressive journalism -- bring your friends and take this opportunity to hear first-hand reports of political developments in Viet Nam, southern Africa and Europe.
Sponsored by the Wilfred Burchett Support Committee and the National Lawyers Guild
Tax-deductible contributions may be payable to the Capp Street Foundation

For more information call 380-3180

Honoring Committee:

NB: This group, like the earlier group of 1971, represents one of the most hardcore listings of communists and sympathizers for the Hanoi Lobby. Many are lawyers who are or were leaders of the Congressionally-cited CPUSA front, the National Lawyers Guild (i.e. Kinoy, Di Suvero, Lane, McTernan, Margolis and Kunstler) with one, Ramona Ripston being a leader of a regional part of the ACLU but was married to a NLG leader. Others represent the CPUSA faction of actors and actresses in Hollywood (i.e. Randolph, Dee, O. Davis). Two far-left movie producers are Schneider and Schrade. The radical clergy included Dortch SCLC and Fritchman ( a 5th Amendment CPUSA member). Marxist professors included Kalish (avowedly "to the left of the Communist Party, and a recruiter of Angela Davis to UCLA; Kinoy; Peck (Case Western University among others); and Zinn Boston University.

The mystery couple was Norman Lear and Frances Lear, he being a noted television producer and founder of the far-left People for the American Way PAW, and later a supporter of other far-left groups.]

The Guardian supporter

The Guardian, April 13, 1983, p. 2, contained a fundraising message

"We Interrupt This Newspaper to Bring You An Urgent Message"

  • $35,000 Matching Fund deadline: May 1
  • Contributions needed immediately for the Guardian to continue publication

Source:[2]

"35: 1948-1983" "Now, during its 35th anniversary year, join us in offering much-needed support to the Guardian - an essential voice committed to today's struggles for peace, liberation and social justice" -

Listed supporters included Wilfred Burchett, journalist.

References

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References

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  1. [[Testimony of George Karlin, aka Yuri Krotkov, Hearings, Senate Internal Security Subcommittee, Parts 1 (Nov. 3-5, 1969), 2 (November 6 & 10) & 3 (Nov. 13, 18, 24, 1969, and March 9, 1970), respectively
  2. The Guardian, April 13, 1983, p. 2, fundraising message