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Laurie Aarons interviewed by Stewart Harris [sound recording]
Bib ID 35030
Format AudioAudio [sound recording]
Author
Aarons, Laurie, 1917-, Interviewee
 
Access Conditions Access open for research, personal copies and public use. 
Description 1991 Dec. 17-1992 Mar. 4 
33 sound tape reels ; 7 in. 
Summary

Laurie Aarons, former National Secretary of Communist Party of Australia, talks about his radical family background and his first political memory which was the police strike of 1925. He then talks about the New Guard and their violent clashes at Communist Party meetings; dismissal of Jack Lang; formation of Communist Party in Australia in 1920; father's active role in Communist party and involvement in Spanish Civil War. Aarons then discusses his first marriage; influence of Popular Front; reasons behind declaration of illegality of Communist Party; impact of Hitler's attack on Soviet Union; refusal of entry into Air Force and conscription into Army. He then talks about being invalided out of the army and working for the Communist Party; end of WWII and the Party's plans such as housing improvements, reduction in hours of work and a program to assist the return to work of ex-service people including the publication, "Civvy Street" and the Party's relationship with the RSL.

Aarons then discusses moving to Adelaide in 1946 and working as Assistant Secretary of the Party in South Australia. He then describes the structure of the Communist Party; changes in leadership; coal strike of 1949; living in Newcastle; impact of expulsion of Tito on international communist movement; defeat of Labor Government and defeat of Communist Party Dissolution Act by High Court. He then talks about his election to Political Committee of Party in 1951; peace convention held in 1953 in Sydney; visit to Indonesia in 1954 to attend a congress of PKI (Parti Komunis Indonesai); Congress of the Indian Communist Party in 1960 and other visits to Indonesia in 1960 and 1964. Aarons then discusses the Petrov defection and its effect on the Party; attendance at 8th Congress of Chinese Communist Party in Beijing; Mao's assessment and Aaron's interpretation of it; visit to Soviet union in 1958; divisions within the Party during 1960s and dismissal of Khrushchev.

He then looks at the role of Lance Sharkey in the Party; Party's position in regard to Vietnam; Czechoslovakia in 1968; publication, "Tribune"; role of wife as Party functionary; establishment of Left Book Club and later involvement with Heinemann. Aarons then considers future of Left in Australia and future of capitalism and possible dissolution of Communist Party. He then talks about ASIO surveillance; leisure activities; future of China; views on religion and people he has admired in the Communist Party.

Notes

Recorded between Dec. 17, 1991 and Mar. 4, 1992 in Maianbar, N.S.W.

Index/Finding Aid Note Corrected transcript available (typescript, 409 leaves) 
Subjects Aarons, Laurie, - 1917- - Interviews.  |  Communist Party of Australia.  |  Communists - Australia - Interviews.
Other authors/contributors Harris, Stewart, 1922-1994, Interviewer

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    Details Collect From
    ORAL TRC 2788
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    Petherick Reading Room (Oral History)
    ORAL TRC 2788 (transcript)
    Copy: Transcript
    Petherick Reading Room (Oral History)

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