Foreign Policy of the Ussr in the 1950–1980s and Public Mood of Citizens (Based on Materials of the Bashkir Assr)

The article examines the perception of the population of Bashkiria about the foreign policy of the USSR and major international events in the second half of the 1950s – early 1980s. In domestic historiography, the problem remains insufficiently studied. The main sources were newspaper publications and memos, certificates from the Bashkir regional committee, district and city committees of the CPSU on the reaction of the population of the republic to certain international events and foreign policy actions of the USSR. Party certificates and memos often contain “unhealthy” statements from citizens. However, by the end of the period under study, negative information in the sources practically disappears. Despite the fact that these types of sources have shortcomings, they allow us to answer the question of the population’s reaction to international events during the period under review. The majority of the population had a positive assessment of the foreign policy of the USSR in the second half of the 1950s – the first half of the 1980s and supported it. At the same time, some citizens, during a period of worsening international relations, called for more decisive action. Citizens' opinions were also influenced by insufficient coverage of foreign policy events in the Soviet media. Citizens often complained that newspapers did not cover the politics of certain countries. The lack of information led to the use of alternative media, in particular, to listening to broadcasts from Western radio stations. Thus, in 1968, in connection with the events in Czechoslovakia, based on the nature of some questions asked at party and general meetings, the Bashkir Regional Committee of the CPSU concluded that individual citizens, in addition to Soviet information, use messages from the radio stations "Voice of America", "BBC Xi", "Free Europe", "Deutsche Welle" and others. During international crises, part of the country's population became alarmed about the possible outbreak of a new war. The greatest indignation and dissatisfaction of citizens was caused by the USSR's material and financial assistance to “third” countries.