For most of the Progressive Labor Party’s existence, we have believed that working-class soldiers and sailors are among the key forces to be won to communist revolution. Rather than serving the interests of U.S. bosses in imperialist adventures, we have urged GI’s—both from inside and outside the military—to "turn the guns around," and thereby fight for their class’s interests. Some may think this is wishful thinking, that the control of U.S. rulers over the military is ironclad. However, history proves that nothing could be further from the truth.For the last hundred years or more the weak link of modern capitalism has been the ruling class’s inability to field a reliable army. From the Spanish-American war up to the current wars in the Middle East and Yugoslavia, the world’s imperialists have faced rebellion from working class soldiers inside the ranks of capitalist armies. [...]
During WWII, the U.S. military did fight to some extent though not nearly as fiercely as the Red Armies. [... This communist -- being, like most, a nihilist at heart -- disdains the high regard the United States military showed for the lives of its soldiers, "workers" included. Only socialist armies that sent forth human waves and racked up casualties in the millions are to be respected.]
Ironically, among the most politically committed in the U.S. military were the tens of thousands of communists who volunteered. Rather than vowing to turn the guns around, they joined to fight for the U.S. as part of the united front against fascism. As soon as fascists were defeated, they were among those who organized large demonstrations of U.S. troops to "Bring the boys home," refusing to be used as tools of imperialism against other workers.