The Soviet Special Propaganda

Paper title:	*The Soviet Special Propaganda in the Second World War. Target: the Romanian Army*
DOI:	https://doi.org/10.4316/CC.2019.02.006
Published in:	Issue 2, Vol. 25 / 2019
Publishing date:	2019-12-31
Pages:	341-368
Author(s):	Оlexander Lysenko, Svetlana Pavlovskaya, Valerii Hrytsiuk
Abstract:	The use of non-military means to achieve military and political goals has a long history. But each time the tools to influence the emotional sphere of an enemy have been improved with the development of impact technologies and the emergence of new communication channels. Tasks such as demoralizing the enemy, persuading to cease the armed struggle, motivating collaboration, were defined along with militant actions. The specialization of this type of activity, the creation of appropriate authorities and the training of qualified personnel had been specified in the pre-war period and improved during the armed confrontation. The article targets one of the components of special propaganda focused on an enemy and its allies during the first period of the German-Soviet war (June 22, 1941 - November 18, 1942). Printing and distributing leaflets was the most spread form of work with the enemy and its allies in the ideological branches of the Red Army. The specific features of the texts intended for enemy personnel and their allies were analyzed through examples of leaflets addressed to Romanian soldiers and the Romanian Armed forces.
Keywords:	The German-Soviet war, Special propaganda, leaflets, Romanian armed forces.

References:	1. Berkhoff C. Karel, Motherland in danger. Soviet propaganda during World War II, Harvard University Press, 2012. 2. Cull J. Nicholas, Roof for a House Divided: How U.S. Propaganda Evolved into Public Diplomacy, in Jonathan Auerbach, Russ Castronovo (Eds.), The Oxford Handbook of Propaganda Studies, New York, Oxford University Press, 2013, p. 131-146. 3. Hartmann Christian, Wehrmacht im Ostkrieg. Front und militarisches Hinterland 1941/42, Munchen, Oldenbourg Verlag, 2009. 4. Hartmann Christian, Unternehmen Barbarossa. Der deutsche Krieg im Osten 1941-1945, Munchen, C. H. Beck, 2011. 5. Hilmes Michele, The new vehicle of nationalism: radio goes to war. Propaganda studies, in Jonathan Auerbach, Russ Castronovo (Eds.), The Oxford Handbook of Propaganda Studies, New York, Oxford University Press, 2013, p. 201-218. 6. Miner Steven Merritt, Stalin’s Holy War. Religion, Nationalism, and Alliance Politics, 1941-1945, Chapel Hill, University of North Carolina Press, 2003. 7. Taylor M. Philip, Munitions of the Mind. A history of propaganda from the ancient world to the present era. Third Edition, Manchester – New York, Manchester University Press, 2003. 8. Бурцев М. И. (ed.), Политическая работа среди войск и населения противника в годы Великой Отечественной войны (1941-1945) [Political work among the troops and the population of the enemy during the Great Patriotic War (1941-1945)], Москва, Воениздат, 1971. 9. Бурцев М. И., Прозрение [Disillusion], Москва, Воениздат, 1981, in http:// militera.lib.ru/memo/russian/burtsev_mi/index.html. 10. Волковский Н. Л., История информационных войн [History of information wars.], В 2 ч., Ч. 1., Санкт Петербург, ООО Издательство “Полигон”, 2003. 11. Жуковская Д., Политработа среди войск и населения противника в годы Великой Отечественной войны [Political work among the troops and the population of the enemy during the Great Patriotic War], in www.historicus.ru/politrabota_v_gody_voiny/ 12. Крайнюков К. В. (ed.), Партийно-политичеcкая работа в Советских Воору-женных Силах в годы Великой Отечественной войны 1941-1945. Краткий исторический обзор [Party-political work in the Soviet Armed Forces during the Great Patriotic War, 1941-1945. Brief historical review], Москва, Воениздат, 1968. 13. Оружием правды. Листовки к войскам и населению противника, изданные политорганами Советской Армии и Военно-Морского Флота во время Великой Отечественной войны 1941-1945 годов [The weapon of truth. Leaflets to the enemy troops and population, published by the political organs of the Soviet Army and Navy during the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945], Москва, Воениздат, 1971. 14. Репко С. И., Цена иллюзий. Пропаганда на войска и население противника в первые месяцы войны [The price of illusions. Propaganda on enemy troops and population in the first months of the war], in “Военно-исторический журнал”, 1992, № 11, c. 8-15. 15. Тихонов Александр, Слово тоже сражалось [The word also fought], in “Красная звезда”, 30 апреля 2005, http://old.redstar.ru/2005/04/30_04/2_01.html.