Mr. Speaker. 46 years ago. the people of the Ukraine declared themselves independent. This proclamation on January 22. 1918. was the culmination of centuries of struggle. of futile uprisings and crusades. mass purges and deportations and terrorism. Unfortunately war did not end for the Ukrainian state at the conference table of Versailles. Victorious Polish and Russian Armies proceeded to conquer and annex once again the Ukrainian homeland. By 1922. independence was only a word. the territory became a part of the newly formed Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. The memory of this shortlived. Republic. however. has not been forgotten. Throughout the free world. those fortunate Ukrainians who managed to gain asylum from the tyrannical rule of Communist brutality. keep alive the spirit of independence through their writings and work in Ukrainian societies.
Keywords matched
deportations