Propaganda as a component of the processes of sovietization of the territories of Northern Bukovyna and Bessarabia (1944 – 1947)

The purpose of the article is to investigate the role of propaganda in the denationalization of the territories annexed to the USSR, which were previously part of Romania, the unification of all spheres of life, the new type of mindset planting and the Ukrainians everyday life. The methodology of the research is based on the principles of historicism, objectivity, which allowed us to consider the problem in the context of general processes that took place in the territories annexed to the USSR, on the basis of the analysis of sources to identify specific features and specific historical conditions, to refute some false statements. The retrospective and analytical methods, the method of historiographic analysis and synthesis, the method of periodization and social psychology have been applied while presenting the material. The scientific novelty is an attempt to highlight the role of propaganda as a preventive means of a large-scale nature objectively, which allowed to establish control in the annexed territories. It has been proved that in the history of the Northern Bukovyna and Bessarabia Sovietization it is necessary to distinguish two different periods due to the consequences of the rule of two different Romanian regimes, the conditions of the war, and the struggle against the Ukrainian underground. It is shown that these processes took place in the context of the general unification of life. The Conclusions. Taking everything into considation, the main goal of the Sovietization processes in Northern Bukovyna and Bessarabia, which joined the USSR, was to achieve the most profound changes in mentality, perception of self-identity, distorted understanding of their own ethnogenesis. The propaganda campaigns were developed in accordance with the Central Committee of the CPSU (b) decisions, which went down to the party leadership of the republic. Diverse tools were used in order to keep everything under control at the annexed territories and prepare the masses for the state of being captured, for instance, the whole arsenal on means of influence was applied, party control over the periodicals and radio broadcasting, censorship of the repertoire of theaters, philharmonics, the historical science transformation into the instrument of consciousness manipulation, coverage of lecture groups by a large part of the population. At the same time, an information war was launched in order to discredit the “Ukrainian bourgeois nationalists”. In addition, the authorities, aimed at strengthening its authority, speculated on the “national issue”, inciting hatred against the Romanians.

Source: Mandryk-Melnychuk M., Kotsur H. (2020) Propaganda as a component of the processes of sovietization of the territories of Northern Bukovyna and Bessarabia (1944 – 1947). East European Historical Bulletin. 16: 218–228

Source web-site: http://eehb.dspu.edu.ua/article/view/210891