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PHJ No 1 (37) 2023 – S.L.Firsov. Reflection of the Korean War in the satirical press of the USSR (оn the example of the magazine “Krokodil” 1949–1950)

The article deals with the “ideological historу” of the first period of the Korean War of 1950–1953, which found a peculiar reflection in satirical articles and political cartoons published in the Soviet magazine “Krokodil”. The author shows the methods by which the Soviet reader was convinced that the initiator of the war was the South Korean side, led by Lee Syngman, supported by “American imperialism”.

PHJ No 1 (37) 2023 – Min Kyoung-Hyoun. Korean-Soviet relations after liberation: through the prism of Soviet-Japanese war and the rise of North Korea

The Soviet-Japanese war was of decisive importance for the people of Korea and divided it into two parts. Irresolvable contradictions between the Allies in the anti-Hitler coalition will soon lead to the creation of two independent states — the DPRK and the Republic of Korea. Features and conditions of the war and post-war period, which led to the split of a single people into two parts, are analyzed in the article. The study is based on an analysis of published and unpublished sources, including materials from the Central Archive of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation and the Archive of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation.

PHJ No 1 (37) 2023 – Choi Deokkyoo, I.O.Ermachenko. The Russo-Japanese War, Japanese occupation of Korea and the secret activities of L.V. von Goyer in the Far East (1904–1910)

The article is devoted to the activities of Lev Viktorovich von Goyer (1875-1939), one of the prominent employees of the so-called “Shanghai agents”, an intelligence service established in April 1904 and operating in close contact with the Russo-Chinese Bank. All aspects of his covert work during the Russo-Japanese War and in the coming years after its end are comprehensively characterized.

PHJ No 1 (37) 2023 – B.B.Pak. On the issue of diplomatic negotiations on the eve of the Russo-Japanese war of 1904–1905

This article highlights the course of Russian-Japanese negotiations in 1903–1904, analyzes the positions of the parties, examines the reasons for the intransigence of the Japanese side in the negotiations on the conclusion of a new agreement, studied the reaction in the ruling spheres of Russia to the amendments of the Japanese government to the Russian text of the agreement, the nature of Russian-Korean relations on the eve of the Russian-Japanese war. The author focuses on Japan’s responsibility for starting the war, showing Japan’s aggressive policy in Korea.

PHJ No 1 (37) 2023 – L.Sadova. The abolition of the “Customs Convention” (Mellomrikslov) in 1895: the perception of contemporaries and the impact on the Swedish-Norwegian union

The article examines the question of the degree of influence of the abolition of the “Customs Convention” in 1895 on Swedish-Norwegian relations, as well as the degree of involvement of economic issues in the political struggle between the two countries. The main objective of the study is to try to answer the question — whether the termination of the convention was a political action or had economic expediency.

PHJ No 4 (36) 2022 – K.Khudoley. The International Communist Movement in search of a new strategy in 1953–1956

The article deals with the first attempts of the CPSU’s leadership to modify the strategy of the international communist movement after the death of Stalin. Mindful that the old policy had reached a dead end, Moscow, nevertheless, tried to get away by only minor measures. This led to frustration both on the part of adherents of the Stalinist course and supporters of more significant changes, giving rise to ideological and political differentiation and disintegration within the international communist movement.

PHJ No 4 (36) 2022 – Yu.Z.Kantor “In two months we shot over ten thousand people”. The activities of the “Arays’s team” in unknown documents of the FSB of Russia

The article based on declassified documents of the Central Archive of the FSB of Russia introduced into scientific circulation for the first time, examines the activities of one of the bloodiest collaborationist paramilitary formations that were part of the SD in Latvia. The Holocaust, the destruction of residents of “propartisan” villages, the massacre of prisoners of war — a previously taboo story told by its actors themselves: members of the “Arays’s team” arrested after the war.

PHJ No 4 (36) 2022 – L.V.Slutskaya. The influence of the Jewish and Belarusian groups on the national policy of Lithuania in the period 1918–1924

The author of the article examines impact of Jewish and Belarusian communities on Lithuanian national policies after the collapse of the Russian empire and proclamation of the Republic of Lithuania in February 1918. The reliance on ethnic minorities at the initial stage of the formation of the Lithuanian statehood contributed to its strengthening, made it possible to strengthen not only vertical, but also horizontal ties within the country. Changes in Lithuanian policy towards ethnic minorities associated with the formation of statehood on the basis of the titular (Lithuanian) nation are shown. The author concludes that strengthening the sovereignty and changes in international standing of Lithuania turned ethnic issues into a part of internal policy of the government of the interwar period.

PHJ No 3 (35) 2022 – A. B. Gekht. Under the scrutiny of criticism: financial and industrial group of the Wallenberg family and public sentiment in Sweden in the 1960s

This article is devoted to the consideration of the diverse public rhetoric in the 1960s towards Sweden’s largest financial and industrial group controlled by the Wallenberg family. A discussion about the nature of Wallenberg’s activities outside the kingdom, primarily in the developing countries of Latin America and Africa, became especially noticeable. Among the consequences of the harsh criticism of the Wallenbergs was the subsequent strengthening of government regulatory measures in the Swedish economy in the late 1960s, which affected the financial sector, which was so important for the financial and industrial group under their control.

PHJ No 3 (35) 2022 – Å. Egge. Soviet diplomacy in Norway and Sweden during the interwar period — the role of Alexandra Kollontai

This article analyzes the activities of Soviet diplomacy in Norway and Sweden during the interwar period and the role of Alexandra Mikhailovna Kollontai in the development of Soviet-Norwegian and Soviet-Swedish relations during those years. Between 1923 and 1930 and in Sweden from 1930 to 1945 Kollontai was chief of the Soviet diplomatic mission in Norway. Kollontai actively established contacts and promoted initiatives that could enhance the prestige of the Soviet Union. She possessed a tremendous capacity for work and open-mindedness. Kollontai always remained loyal to her country. However, she had an independent mind and did not hesitate to voice her own opinion and give advice to her superiors.