Scientific research by British authors on the Second World War as an element of information and psychological confrontation with Russia

Abstract

The article examines the political and ideological narratives in the scientific research of British authors devoted to the Second World War. The purpose of this publication is to study the works of British authors as a tool of information and psychological warfare aimed at promoting a certain ideological agenda in Russian society. In the course of the study, some recommendations were formulated that can contribute to strengthening state policy in the field of preserving historical memory. The subject of the research is the scientific research of such authors as: E. Beevor, M. Hastings, T.Ripley, K.Aylesby, S. Crawford, N. Cornish, S.Hart, R. Hart and M. Hughes. The object is political and ideological narratives aimed at promoting the pro-Western agenda in the information and educational field, as well as in the publishing sphere. The research methodology was subordinated to the goals and objectives of the work, directly reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of the topic under study. To identify the main narratives in the works of foreign authors, a qualitative content analysis was conducted aimed at reflecting the main plots, images and their political and ideological content. According to the results of the study, it was revealed that the distortion and manipulation of historical memory in the research of British authors is aimed at promoting a certain ideological and political agenda. This process is carried out using a one-sided selection of facts in the description, certain events and the placement of narrative accents, as well as in the dehumanization of the Red Army and the Soviet Union. The narrative constructed by Western authors is aimed at both the internal audience and the younger generation within our country, in order to involve them in the areola of Western information policy. Today, the narrative of the Second World War is used by modern researchers and politicians of the Western world as a tool to promote the anti-Russian agenda. In order to counteract the Western policy of distorting historical memory, it is necessary to take a number of the following measures: the promotion of popular scientific journals on history, the return of editorial edits and articles from the editor when publishing research by Western authors, the return of printing memoirs of Red Army soldiers and the restriction of publication of memoirs of the German military.