From its beginning in 1918, Russian Communists led by Lenin and then Stalin sought to control populations by intimidation, brutality and death. Lenin murdered 6 million people and Stalin three times as many. During Stalin’s reign from 1925 to 1953, Communism spread to Eastern Europe, China, North Korea, Vietnam and Cuba. President Reagan referred to the USSR as the “evil empire,” and President Eisenhower stated the Soviet government believed in the “force of huge armies, subversion and rule of neighboring nations.” Today, Putin is trying to bring back the USSR to its former size with confrontation in the Ukraine. He annexed the Ukrainian Crimea eight years ago and is now poised to take all of Ukraine. NATO, the United States and other countries must stand up against Putin and deter him with economic sanctions and force, if necessary. Putin only understands the use of force. Donald Moskowitz, Londonderry, New Hampshire