Soviet Cold War Propaganda

Figure 1.--The Soviets insisted that they were the true democracy. Their propaganda forte, however, were large carefully orcestrated events so characteristic of totlitarian refines. Here is an abti-American poster in an East Berlin evcent. East German Young Pioneers are carrying the poster. The press caption read, "Red Banners on POarade: Uniformed boys and girls of the Communist Youth Organization satged an eight-hour gigantuc 'peace' march August 12 through the flag ??? cked streets of East Berl, scene of the Soviet-dominated World Youth Festiva. Behind banners calling fir German unity in and five-power peacre talks, more thn a million young people marched in the mammouth demonsration,shrieking defiance of the United States and devotioin to Communism. Although the slogan of the parade ws 'piece'. The underlying tone ws militant antagonismtoward the Western world, observer reported not since the days of Adolf Hitler's Nazi youth movement parades has such a frenhzied spetacle [been] seen in Germany." The New York Bureau added, "This is one of the many anbti-American posters borne by the mrchers during the parade of 'peace'. The sign above shows 'Uncle Sam' riding on mulkes which have the caricature faces of Grman Socialist Party leader Schumacher and West-GermanChancellor Adenauer." The photograph is dated August 14, 1951.

Soviet Cold War propaganda reached its heights during the 1950s and 1960s and was only moderated somewhat by Détente during the 1970s. The Government orcestrayted a concerted effort to demonise capitalism while trumpeting the virtues of communism. Democracy was a trickier matter. The Soviets could not openly attack democcracy as it was such a widely accpeted political system, rather they questioined what was called democracy in thge West ahd insisted that the Soviet system was true democracy. The East Bloc was still largely closed with the new Iroib Curtain. Thus Soviet propagads couls still claim that condiions in the Soviet Union and east Bloc were worker's pardise where workers and farmers lived proserous, fulfilling loives in contrast to the povery and dismay of workers in the American-dominated West. This still worked in the Soviet Union as it was still a closed society, although many Red army soldier still recalled the bounty of American Lend Lease. Europe was a differnt bmatter because of the Germany and widr Western Europen Economic Miracke took hold, Western Europe emerged from World War II as much more prosperous than Eastern Europe. Soviet propaganda simply denied the truth and told the Big Lie charted by NAZI propgandist Josef Goebbels. Some Cold war issues were debateable, but on matter was not, the truth about the vibrant economies of the United staes abd Western Europe (1950s-60s) and the Asian Tigers (1970s). The comparison with the moribund ecomnonies in Estern Europe anfChina ws stark. In sharp contrst to Markist theory, it would be workers who would bein to challenge Soviet propagands. This began with the Easter German workers' riots (1953). Other charges include conlonialism, racusm, and war mongering. The charge of conolnialism was telling, As Europe was in the process of beginning to decolonize, the Soviets had bonstructed a huge colonial empire in Eastrn Europe. Peace was another major theme in Soviet propaganda. Never mentioned was the role that Stalin abd the soviet Uniin played in launching World war II and Stalin's role in launching the Korean War. As American commited its forces , the Vietnam War became a focus of Soviet propaganda in the 1960s and early-70s. Soviet leaders placed an emphasis on communicating ideas of social responsibility and cooperation on cntrast to the cut-throat competition of the West. The goal was to build the new Soviet Man. This of course was in line to Marrxist ideology. No thought was given to actual human nature or the societal benefits of competition. The citizenry was prsented with heroic images of Soviet leaders, soldiers, workers and peasants. In contrat the snarling, animalistic caricatures of American, British, and West German leaders depicted the West as the demonic enemy of not only the nobel Soviet people, but of himanity itself. Every effort was made to paper over totalitarian control, but notably there was only one vew pernitted in the Est Blox in contrast to the lively political and economic debate in the West.

Created: 7:33 AM 6/20/2014
Last updated: 7:33 AM 6/20/2014