Starting from the early days of the Soviet Regime, it couldn't possibly have survived without Western, and especially American help. All experts who came from Soviet Russia from the early 20s have been saying, ‘don't help our oppressors!" The destruction of religion made possible in the Soviet Union by help from the United States has also been repeated in the Soviet's satellite nations in Eastern Europe. A knowledgeable authority on this subject is former United States Ambassador to Romania, David Funderburk, who spent six years living in Eastern Europe. Here are some of his first hand observations: In Romania, when I served as United States Ambassador, also subsequent to that, I was able to observe and witness through intelligence information, and otherwise, the steady, weekly destruction of churches, Pentecostal, Baptist, Brethren, Lutheran, Calvinist, Catholic, and Orthodox; the jailing of anybody who spoke out religiously, or who took part actively in a religious practice, and the murder of some Baptist and Pentecostal pastors and Catholic priests. All of this was taking place under Ceausescu, who at the time was given most favored nation treaty status by the United States. In other words, he was considered a favorite of Washington and the State Department, while at the same time he was carrying out a massive destruction of churches and religious believers. 120 The Secret Side of History Mr. Alburt also had this to say about those who have kept the Communists in power: