Welcome to Russian History Retold, Episode 249, how the United States saw Stalin and

the USSR in 1943, Part 1.

Last time, we learned about Russian Christmas and New Year celebrations.

Today, we go in a completely different direction as we discuss how the American media portrayed

Joseph Stalin and the USSR in 1943 when we're in the midst of World War II and the Soviet

Union is now our ally.

My primary source of information on this topic comes from two of my close friends, Claire

and David Zybert, fellow Rotarians that gave me the gift of the March 29, 1943 issue of

Life magazine. The issue was devoted entirely to Joseph Stalin and the Soviet Union.

Nevertheless, it is a glimpse into how the US government wanted us to view their ally in World

War II, as you know, it turned out very differently after the war's conclusion.

I noted early on when reading this issue of life that they used the term Russia far more than

the Soviet Union or USSR when talking about their current ally.

This is because it was assumed, and rightfully so, that Russia was the dominant country within

the Soviet Union. Nevertheless, they used the terms interchangeably, likely because the American

public was familiar with Russia more than the term Soviet. The managing editor of Life magazine

at the time was Henry R. Lewis. He was an American magazine magnate who found a time,

life, fortune, and sports illustrated magazines. Lewis had been called, quote, the most influential

private citizen in America of his day. And this was especially true at the time of the publication

of this issue. Life magazine was noted for its photography, which they stressed was very difficult

to combine Russia because of the control of the government of every facet of Russian life.

One of the main contributors of many of the pictures appearing in the magazine,

...