British Public Opinion toward the Soviet Union on the Eve and at the Beginning of the Second World War

Abstract

The article explores British public opinion regarding the USSR on the eve of and during the early stages of the Second World War. By utilizing various sources, including public opinion polls, materials from the British press, and testimonies of contemporaries, it reconstructs perceptions of the Soviet state’s role and significance in international politics, its influence on European and global events, as well as the repercussions of decisions made by Soviet leadership.  In the early months of 1939, just prior to the outbreak of the Second World War in Europe, British perceptions of the Soviet Union were intricate and diverse. These viewpoints reflected a blend of historically established attitudes toward Russia and the political preferences of different segments of British society concerning the Soviet regime. As the war unfolded, these perceptions were further shaped by the rapidly changing military and political landscape in Europe, alongside the actions of the Soviet government, which were evaluated based on their influence on the course of the conflict. British society's attitude toward the Soviet state was primarily driven by the perception of the USSR as a significant and potentially valuable participant in the European confrontation, with Hitler's Germany already recognized as the principal adversary.