The problem of disarmament and the image of the «West» in the Soviet periodical press (the second half of the 1950s – early 1960s)

Abstract

The article is devoted to the problem of representing the image of the "West" in the periodical press of the Soviet Union in the second half of the 1950s and 1960s through coverage of the issue of disarmament, which is one of the aspects of studying the international relations of the Soviet Union. During the period under review, it was the press that played a leading role in shaping a positive or negative image of foreign countries. The article attempts to analyze the transformation of the image of the “West” on the pages of the central periodicals of the Soviet Union. This period is presented in the Soviet press as a turning point in relations with Western countries. The amount of material devoted to disarmament is increasing. Unlike in the post-war decade, the main opponent of disarmament is Germany, not the United States. Also, Soviet propaganda increasingly divided the society of Western countries, separating the government and claiming the growth of supporters of the policy of the Soviet Union. The materials of the central periodical press of the Soviet Union led to the conclusion that in the second half of the 1950s, Western countries, led by the United States, continued to be presented as enemies on the pages of “Pravda” and "Izvestia." Despite this, the image of the enemy directly depended on the international situation and interstate relations and therefore underwent a certain transformation. The attitude towards Western countries has become more loyal in comparison with the post-war decade, and there have been fewer negative assessments.