Historical memory of the Great Victory in the context of the battle for the Caucasus

In this article, the authors examine the problem of preserving and perpetuating the memory of the Great Patriotic War as a fundamental factor in fostering patriotism and maintaining the continuity of generations. It is emphasized that, to this end, the high status of the Great Patriotic War as a principal historical value of Russian society must be retained in the memory of all generations of Russians. Accordingly, it is necessary to ensure the connection and continuity of the past, the present, and the future. Considerable attention is devoted to analysing the contradictory state of the European continent in the pre-war period, as well as the strategies and tactics pursued by states on the eve of the war; the attempts to blame the Soviet Union for unleashing the Second World War and the Great Patriotic War are refuted. Particular emphasis is placed on the essential content and inherent contradictions of the Soviet–German treaty: on the one hand, Germany sought rapprochement with the Soviet Union in order to implement its strategy of conquest in the West and subsequently advance against the USSR; on the other hand, the Soviet leadership agreed to rapprochement with Germany with the aim of gaining a certain period of time to prepare for the impending attack, of which the country's leadership was convinced. The article employs current conceptual approaches to elucidate the reasons behind the fascists' choice of the Caucasus as one of the principal objects of conquest. New materials are drawn upon, revealing the heroism and courage displayed by soldiers, officers, and the civilian population during the defence of Nalchik and the Republic.

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