Propaganda in the World and Local Conflicts

12-29

Authors: Lyubov G. Polyakova

The paper analyzes caricature as a propaganda instrument utilized during World War I. The source used includes caricatures published in Ogoniok, a Russian magazine, in 1914–1916. The systematization principle, applied in the study into the caricatures, helped to identify main topics that were a subject for debate in the periodical press. Importantly, the researcher also remains as neutral in their interpretation and assessment of the actual material in the study as possible. At the end, the author concludes that the Ogoniok magazine focused its caricatures on the topic of Germany during World War I, while allies of Germany – Austria-Hungary and Turkey – were paid much less attention. The propaganda usually portrayed German allies in as dependent countries which were subordinate to Germany. In addition to the Entente's enemies, the caricature genre highlighted the military topic and the subject of the issued society faced in the rear.

38-43

Authors: Aleksey A. Romanchuk, Nicholas Mitiukov

This article considers tactical and technical characteristics of a Russian army’s propaganda weapon – the medium powered sound broadcasting station ZS-82 (“The Decorator”) on a base of open sources. The sources used for the compilation of this article were various open source data, such as official news websites, forums, educational and scientific literature. Despite some thematic diversity, this topic is presented quite limitedly in the open access. We used general scientific methods, analysis and synthesis methods, concretization and generalization in solving research problems. The use of these techniques allowed us to create a complete picture of combat use of this technology in local conflicts at the end of XX – beginning of XXI centuries. In conclusion, it is indicated that the Russian army arsenal possesses an effective means of advocacy – the medium powered ZS-82 “The Decorator”. Despite its limited combat use, practice showed that this equipment can be used for conducting negotiations (agitation), as well for performing disinformation activities.

65-81

Authors: Aleksandr A. Cherkasov, Michal Smigel

The article describes the German military and civil advocacy on Krasnodar territory during the German occupation in 1942-1943. Pre-war events that have created fertile ground for the effective impact of propaganda are in focus. Documents of Central and regional Russian archives were used as materials for this article. The documents, stored in Fund № 69 (partisan movement headquarters) of the Russian State archive of socio-political history are essential for representing military German propaganda. The major part of the documents related to the civil advocacy is deposited in Fund Р-493 (Eysk City Council) of the Krasnodar region State archive. In conclusion, the authors note that propaganda is the most effective, when applied to the “fertile soil”. During the pre-war period, on the territory of Krasnodar region all conditions have been met for cooperation with the enemy to manifest itself en masse and in all its’ diversity: military and civilian.

95-108

Authors: Annick Valleau, Aleksandr A. Cherkasov

The article discusses the propaganda of the Third Reich on the territory of the Baltic States during the Second world war. The authors have selected as sources of post-soviet historiography on the Baltic States during the Second world war, as well as materials of personal origin – the memoirs of german and soviet military commanders and representatives of the administration. We used the historical-situational method, which involves the study of historical facts in the context of the reviewed period in conjunction with the "neighboring" events and facts. In particular, the historical-situational method was used when considering the history of the Baltic army units in the Wehrmacht and the Red army. The authors conclude that the german administration in the Baltic States has received the quite substantial support for its armed forces. However, this support could be even more serious if the German administration has gone on another propaganda move – the timely recognition of the Baltic States as allies.

117-119

Authors: Vadim A. Nesterenko

The article discusses the propaganda campaigns of the German army in 1944 and, in particular, describes one of the largest German propaganda operations on the Eastern front – the operation "East Scorpion". The attention is paid to the process of establishing a Committee for the liberation of the peoples of Russia. The author concludes that, if these operations would be undertaken 2 years earlier, the result could be different. In 1944, time has been irretrievably lost, and the formation of the Russian national government did not play a decisive role in the Second World War.

14-25

Authors: Anvar M. Mamadaliev

The article discusses the Abwehr’ activities in organization of diversionary personnel. They are intended to work on the Eastern front. The article is paid attention to the propaganda methods of recruitment of agents among the former soviet citizens. Among the sources there are used the materials of modern historiography, devoted to the problems of training the diversionary personnel during the Second World War. The methodological basis of the study were the principles of objectivity and historicism, suggesting an unbiased approach to the analysis of the studied problems, a critical attitude to the sources, the judgments in the analysis of the totality of the facts and the screening phenomena in the development and the context of the historical situation. In conclusion the author notes that in the process of training the diversionary personnel the importance was given to the propaganda, which was responsible for the moral character of the combatant. In addition, the saboteurs were trained the techniques of propaganda war on the territory of the enemy.

32-52

Authors: Alexander Fedorov

Analysis of the transformation of the image of the West in the Russian screen (1992–2015), including the ideological, social analysis, stereotypes analysis of a character analysis of identification, iconographic, plot / narrative, representative analysis, classification of content models and modifications of the genre allows us to draw the following conclusions. Content analysis of Russian films created in the post-Soviet period 1992–2015's, allows to represent their basic narrative scheme as follows: pull the West as a symbol of a better life for the Russians (emigration to the West, marriage / love relationship, criminal activity, and others in the 1990s, this story is colored diagram showing the low level of life, deprivation of Russians); the joint struggle of the Russian and Western intelligence services, military, terrorism and crime (this theme is characteristic of Russian films of the 1990s); fight the Russian special services or individual Russians with Western spies and criminals, supported by the West (the scheme became clearly manifest in the Russian cinema of the XXI century). In contrast to the period of 1946–1991 years, Russian films on the western topic in 1992–2015 fueled not only confrontational subjects (military confrontation, spying, mafia, etc.), But also (especially in 1990) history of cooperation, Russia and the West mutual assistance. But on the whole post-Soviet Russian cinema inherited traditions of Russian relations with the West: in most feature films image of the West is interpreted as a way of "Alien", "Other", often hostile, alien to Russian civilization. In view of the above it would be overly optimistic to expect that evolved over the centuries stereotyped concept of Western World image on the Russian screens may change in the near future.

94-108

Authors: Evgeny F. Krinko

The occupation authorities believed that the propaganda is the most important method of controlling the occupied territory of the North Caucasus. The tasks to ensure the loyalty of the population, to create the social support for the occupation regime were transferred to propaganda. The implementation of propaganda was preceded by a long and serious training, the establishment of special propaganda bodies, development programs of outreach activities. Almost all employees of the occupation administration among the population of the occupied territories were involved to propaganda work. But its effectiveness was significantly reduced due to the nature of the occupation policy.

140-148

Authors: Ia Shiukashvili

The article discusses the role of propaganda in the civil war in the African Republic of Rwanda. The attention is paid to the role of the so-called "Free radio" and "television of a thousand hills". The materials for the preparation of this article are the media archives, official reports of governments and international organizations, as well as scientific articles and studies. There were used such scientific methods as analysis and synthesis, concretization, generalization while solving the research tasks. In addition, the paper used the historical-situational method, involving the study of historical facts in the context of the period under review in conjunction with the "neighboring" events and facts. The author came to the conclusion that the conflict of the Hutu and Tutsi in Rwanda is also an example of how the media was used to promote hate for the purpose of genocide, and how conflicts are dealt with using simplified concepts and their deeper causes and characteristics are ignored, which only exacerbates the problem. Similarly, intentional or not, the propaganda in the media becomes an integral part of what is happening in the world of local conflicts, fracturing the society, aggressive tuning of its representatives against each other and creating obstacles to compromise.