Falsifying history

2024: Publication of the monograph "The main directions of falsification of the events of World War II by foreign politicians, historians, media"

For many years, the world order after World War II was determined within the framework of the Yalta-Potsdam system of international relations, and the historical facts recorded in the documents of the Nuremberg, Tokyo and Khabarovsk tribunals were considered indisputable. But the drop sharpens the stone: unfortunately, myths about the Second World War by 2024 prevail in Western, Japanese, and recently in Russian society.

On the eve of the 79th anniversary of the Victory over Japan, the monograph "The main directions of falsification of the events of World War II by foreign politicians, historians, and the media" was published.

The authors focus public attention on the seven most destructive directions for Russia in falsifying the history of the war years:

• the role of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact in the world history of the twentieth century;

• the ratio of losses of Soviet and German troops in World War II;

• the significance of the Normandy landings and the opening of a second front;

• the importance of lend-lease in the Victory of the Soviet people in the Great Patriotic War;

• a lopsided anti-Soviet interpretation of Katyn's tragedy;

• silencing the facts of the indulgence of Western countries in the actions of Hitler's Germany to destroy the Jewish people;

• attempts to reassess Japan's role in World War II.

An electronic version of the book is available on a digital showcase.

2021

Putin signed a law on punishment for the rehabilitation of Nazism on the Internet and insulting veterans

• For disseminating deliberately false information about the activities of the USSR during the Second World War, about war veterans committed publicly, faces a fine of up to 3 million rubles, or imprisonment for up to 3 years
  
• If such a violation is committed using official position or using the media or the Internet, a fine of 2 to 5 million rubles, or imprisonment for five years.
  
• For the dissemination of information expressing clear disrespect for society about the days of military glory and memorable dates of Russia associated with the defense of the Fatherland, as well as the desecration of the symbols of Russia's military glory, either insulting the memory of the defenders of the Fatherland and humiliating the honor and dignity of a veteran of the Great Patriotic War, committed publicly, a fine of up to 3 million rubles, or imprisonment for up to three years.

2020

In the UK, a unit is being created to investigate crimes of falsification of history

Chairman of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation Leksander Bastrykin decided to create a unit to investigate crimes related to falsification of the history of the Fatherland and the rehabilitation of Nazism. This was reported in September 10, 2020 by the press service of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation.

"The chairman of the Investigative Committee made a decision to create a department for the investigation of past years in the structure of the department for the investigation of crimes related to the rehabilitation of Nazism and falsification of the history of the Fatherland. The work of this unit will be aimed not only at identifying those responsible for committing crimes during the war years and thus implementing the principle of the inevitability of punishment, but also preventing the distortion of historical facts, "the UK emphasized.

The Office of Investigation of past years is part of the Main Investigation Department.

The UK noted that the acts of the Nazis, even after decades, need to be given a proper legal assessment. "At the same time, we see what an unacceptable position for Russia is taken by certain Western countries, assessing the results of World War II," the UK noted.

Bastrykin took part in a flower-laying ceremony dedicated to the Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Fascism. It was held at the Victory Museum on Poklonnaya Hill. He noted that the victory in the Great Patriotic War "gives a special meaning to all modern history and forms the civic position of the current generations, uniting the whole society with a single historical memory." "We are actively participating in the All-Russian project" Without a statute of limitations, "open new names of heroes in search and archival works, reveal and investigate new facts of atrocities of Nazi invaders," he said.

Blocking publication on Zen about two million Germans allegedly "raped by Red Army soldiers"

Roskomnadzor's response to the request of the Deputy of the Moscow City Duma Babayan Roman Georgievich to block the publication on "VK: Zen (formerly Yandex.Zen)" about two million German women allegedly "raped by Red Army soldiers."

Kribrum study

Booklet. History falsifications 6.0

The history of the exploits and valor of Russian soldiers is an integral part of Russia's national identity and is increasingly subject to attempts to discredit and revise. As part of a 2020 study by Kribrum, an attempt was made to trace the process of disseminating inaccurate (or completely falsified) information about World War II (to a greater extent about the Great Patriotic War) in social media. ^[1]

At the same time, the information in the disseminated information, at first glance, may seem reliable, but there are clear signs of manipulation. For more accurate work, various specialists were involved in the study, including historians.

In the course of the study, signs of information campaigns aimed at discrediting the role of the Soviet Union, debunking the feat of the Russian soldier and transforming the Victory Day were revealed. An important element of the study was the identification of signs of "import of the agenda" at the expense of foreign accounts.

Various names are found in various blocks of this study, such as: topic, thesis, term and others. In view of the considerable amount of information, the authors decided not to try in any way to unify the definition of sections, since they have different internal content and cover different periods.

• The main goal is to identify and study patterns in the dissemination of information containing signs of falsification of the history of the Second World War.
• The main tasks are: analysis of the volume of dissemination of information on the above topics, analysis of the authors of messages, their geography and connections between them, research of the techniques and tactics used by them.
• Subject of research: publications in social media (Internet media, social networks, blogs, forums) in Russian.
• The number of publications studied amounted to more than 4.7 million.
• The number of authors who published messages amounted to more than 1.3 million.
• To solve the problems of this study, a quantitative and qualitative analysis of the materials included in the subject was carried out.
• The data used in the study were obtained using the Kribrum Social Media Monitoring and Analysis Platform

A constant and significant increase in the number of publications with unreliable facts about the events of the Great Patriotic War.

• The dynamics of growth in the number of messages on falsification of history and audience growth exceeds the rate of increase in the audience of Runet.
• This negatively affects the level of historical and cultural education and national identity of young people and adolescents.

Foreign accounts play an active role in the distribution of publications. The "import of the agenda" occurs.

• Foreign accounts, in particular from Ukraine, the Baltic states, Kazakhstan and other states, which are often the primary sources of "theses," take an active part in discussing all the topics studied in this study.
• Signs of "import of the agenda" were revealed: information begins to spread in the regional segment of social networks of other states, after which it passes into the Russian segment of social networks.

Falsification and manipulation of historical facts are used for political and geopolitical purposes.

• The number of publications about the "occupation policy of the USSR" after the end of World War II increased during the Crimean Spring. The overwhelming majority of reports "prove" the "occupation" nature of the USSR's foreign policy, after which this sign is transferred to modern Russia.
• The image of the USSR, formed by falsified data and facts, is actively exploited to discredit modern Russia and its leadership.

About the attack on history

• Obviously, a large-scale information campaign is underway to discredit the history of Russia and revise historical reality. The active phase of this campaign began in 2014-2015, in fact, after the political crisis in Ukraine in 2013.
• This report considers only one of the historical periods, but even on its example it is clearly visible how the number of consumers of this kind of "alternative history" is increasing every year.

About Digital Sociology

• To study the results and the degree of influence of the information campaign on the introduction of "alternative history" into the minds of the inhabitants of Russia, traditional sociological methods are no longer enough. Much more effective are the possibilities of "digital sociology," which will combine academic science and the latest approaches to the analysis of open sources of information. Comprehensive research will help not only predict the development of events, but also make it possible to develop tools for prevention and counteraction.

About Forecasts and Counteraction

• Further dissemination of "falsified history" in social media in the absence of retaliatory measures will inevitably lead to an irreversible deformation of the perception of historical reality. At the same time, the volume of this kind of destructive content will only grow, increasing the number of its recipients.
• The most effective way to counter such information campaigns is to create ideologically stable meanings and systematically promote them.
• When developing ways to "deliver" content, it is important to take into account the trends and patterns of modern social media, track the effectiveness of information campaigns, work more with popular bloggers, create "viral" content and be ready to quickly adjust tactics.

Fake (fake news)

• Fake (fake) news (fake news)
• Fake (fake) reviews and comments
• Fake Facebook accounts

Notes