Transformation of Soviet Union’s Image in British Central and Regional Press during World War II

E. O. Naumenkova

doi:10.24224/2227-1295-2026-15-4-486-505

Transformation of Soviet Union’s Image in British Central and Regional Press during World War II

E. O. Naumenkova

https://doi.org/10.24224/2227-1295-2026-15-4-486-505

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Abstract

This article examines the evolution of the Soviet Union’s image in British periodicals during World War II (1939–1945). The study is particularly relevant in light of contemporary Western attempts to revise the decisive role of the USSR in the defeat of Nazism. The research aims to identify the key stages in the transformation of the Soviet Union’s image, influenced by various political and military factors. The sources include both leading national and regional British print media, with many historical documents introduced into academic discourse for the first time, offering fresh insights for Russian readers. The analysis demonstrates how the portrayal of the USSR underwent a complex evolution — from a potential ally, to an aggressor, and finally to an “indomitable ally.” It is shown that in 1944–1945, as victory approached, British public discourse began to adjust, increasingly framing the Soviet contribution as contingent upon Allied assistance. The author concludes that the shifts in the Soviet image were directly correlated with the course of military events and the prevailing political climate. The research is situated within the framework of imagology, a relatively new direction in historical scholarship.

Keywords

British press, World War II, Great Patriotic War, United Kingdom, USSR

About the Author

E. O. Naumenkova

Saint Petersburg State Chemical and Pharmaceutical University
Russian Federation

Ekaterina O. Naumenkova – PhD in History, Associate Professor, Department of Social Sciences and Humanities

Saint Petersburg

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Review

For citations:

Naumenkova E.O. Transformation of Soviet Union’s Image in British Central and Regional Press during World War II. Nauchnyi dialog. 2026;15(4):486-505. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.24224/2227-1295-2026-15-4-486-505

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