Military Utopias in Soviet Cinema

The article is devoted to the history of the military utopia genre in the Soviet cinema of the 1920s-1930s. The work analyses its origins, provides an overview and analysis of the main films belonging to this genre, and examines the reasons for its decline. According to the author of the article, this film genre had its origins in the military-utopian genre in literature, which declared itself in the second half of the 19th century. The genre appeared to be directly dependent on the political situation in the country and the nature of the military threat. Thus, the understanding that World War I would be followed by a new war was reflected in many works of Soviet writers and filmmakers who developed this genre. Its peak was in the second half of the 1930s. The genre was based on the postulate that the enemy was not asleep, there would definitely be a war, and therefore it was necessary to prepare for it. In addition to this general concept, the audience was shown the likely course of a future war: after the harsh suppression of enemy aggression on the USSR territory, the fighting would move to the enemy’s territory. The enemy who first attacked the USSR would be thrown back in the shortest possible time, and then with the help of the oppressed people of a foreign country, the government would be brought down and the socialist system would be established. 1939 appeared to be the last year for the release of military utopias, for which there were several reasons. The first was the signing of the Molotov — Ribbentrop Pact. The second reason was the beginning of actual hostilities at Khalkhin Gol and Lake Khasan, which showed a far from rosy picture regarding the combat state of the Soviet troops and the weakness of the enemy. The Winter War with Finland in 1939 put an end to optimistic military fantasies.