Eighty years ago the British trade unions parade their sympathy with communism

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The TUC congress voted to support government foreign policy but only by 3.6m member votes to 2.4m. The delegates voted on behalf of their members. There had been extensive criticism of the British policy in Greece to support the anti-communist side in the civil war. There was also hostility towards the prime minister's direct rejection of  communist tactics in Britain. The Electrical Trades Union was especially vocal on both counts. A motion calling on Britain to suspend all economic contact with the Franco regime in Spain was approved by 4.5m to 1.4m. 

In co-ordinated overnight operations Soviet security forces and troops  seized some 2,500 German scientists and engineers together with 4,000 family members and deported them forcibly to the USSR. The largest number worked for the aviation ministry. Some were taken after a dinner to which they had been invited. The university town of Jena which was also home to a large optics industry was a major focus of the operation. Large quantities of scientific equipment were also taken. The goal was to bring under complete Soviet control as much of German scientific capacity as would be helpful to their arms industry.

The UN General Assembly met for the first time since its inaugural session in  London. It was housed as a temporary measure in buildings constructed for the 1939 at New York's flushing Meadow. 51 nations were represented.

 

  

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