L'URSS sans mythe. La vision de la diplomatie italienne dans les années vingt et trente

Abstract

USSR without myths : a diplomatie vision. Giorgio Petracchi. [77-98]. The myth of the USSR spread over the West owing to the ethical perspective through which the Russian revolution was felt and to the Russian inner capacity to arouse, in Europe and particurlarly in Italy, russophile and russophobe myths. After 1924, Italy restored in USSR a wide network of consulates. From all these places, diplomats and consuls observed and described an agricultural Russia turning into an industrial country, in conformity with facts and with «apocalyptic simplicity». After pjatiletka and collectivization, diplomats were under the impression that old Russia had disappeared forever. Nevertheless, soon after they realized that this was not exactly how the matter stood. At the time of big trials and purges Russia was regarded again as the mysterious, fascinating, oriental country. The bolsheviks themselves seem to be devoured by the reemerging archaic and rural elements. The stalinist purges represented the overflowing of that profound mother Russia which just by collectivizing and industrializing one endeavoured to destroy.