Document Analysis Pravda - Essay Example

Pravda June 14th, 1941. The document that we are about to study is an article from the Russian newspaper Pravda d June 14th, 1941. Even though it is an article from a newspaper, we shall have in mind that the Pravda (which means "truth") is a newspaper that was entirely controlled by the communist party and was used as propaganda. The article seems surprisingly short for the subject it is treating. The movement of German troops towards the USSR when the USSR and Germany were war allies. The same day, the 9th army is created in Ukraine to be the main core of the South Front of defense against Germany.

1 Germany would attack the USSR a week later on June 21st, 1941.2 We can easily understand that the article is being vague on purpose not to bring any suspicions to the reader regarding the rising conflict between the two nations. What is also very surprising is that the paper does not seem to have been written by a very talented journalist and was certainly not on the front pages of the newspapers. It is one of the characteristics of the Pravda, often isolating important news to small columns at the end of the newspaper.

As we stated earlier the article is vague on purpose. We should be struck not by the details but actually by the lack of details of what should be an important piece of news. No names are quoted, no declarations from any political figure - neither Russian nor German. The opening statement is a disproval of any negotiations between the USSR and Germany but no fact is given to prove this statement. As in the entire article, we have to believe the author's words even if he doesn't give us any piece of information or evidence.

The article is built just to persuade the reader that nothing is happening. Opening statement made as a disproval, explanation of the movement of the German troops and a closing sentence reassuring that both of the countries are observing the non-aggression pact. Naturally terms such as rumours, lies and provocations are used as only tool to convince the reader that it is actually these hearsays regarding a possible conflict between the two nations that are part of propaganda.3 Naturally, this document is an important piece to understand the disinformation that the USSR was conducting during World War II and especially because the date of issue of this article coincides with the creation of the 9th army in Ukraine and the South Front.

It can be used to explain the state of mind of the Russian population only one week before the beginning of combat between the USSR and Germany. Believing the article on the 14th of June 1941 would mean that Russians did not think that war will come to their frontiers. Also, as we stated earlier, the Pravda was controlled by the communist party. It shall therefore be considered not only as a newspaper but as a direct communication from the government. Therefore, it is clear that the Party wanted to cut the rumors among the population as Stalin himself declared during a "secret speech" in front of hundreds of persons on May 5th, 1941 in the Kremlin, that there would be a war against Germany.

4 But Stalin stated it should not begin until 1942. Even if the article is completely hiding the truth, should it mean that Stalin did not believe that war would begin a week later It certainly adds to the confusion of the moment, when disinformation and propaganda could not match the rapidity of the rumors and the events that were happening in front of the Russian population.5ReferencesDavies, Sarah. "Popular Opinion in Stalin's Russia. Terror, Propaganda and Dissent 1934-1941" Cambridge University Press, 1997.

Gorman, Lyn and McLean, David. "Media and Society in Twentieth Century - An Historical Introduction" Blackwell Publishing, 2002.Mawdsley, Evan. "Thunder in the East: the Nazi-Soviet Struggle 1941-1945" Hodder Arnold, 2005.Pons, Silvio. "Stalin and the Inevitable War - 1936-1941" Routledge, 2002.Wegner, Berd. "From Peace to War - Germany, Soviet Russia and the World, 1939-1941" 1997.