Religious freedom in the USSR during world war II (based on materials from electronic archive of the US CIA)

The authors focus on reconstructing the level of religious freedom in the USSR during World War II based on an analysis of materials from the electronic archive of the US Central Intelligence Agency. The objective of the research is to examine the CIA information and conclusions regarding Soviet religious policy and the state of religious freedom in the USSR during the war years. Through analysis of the archival documents, the research aims to discover new facts about the interaction between the totalitarian regime and religious associations, as well as to explore how the dynamics of religious freedom in the Soviet Union during the war were interpreted in the United States. The methodology combines the analysis of historical, political, and religious studies. Utilizing a wide range of methods, such as comparative analysis, text analysis, and historical-cultural context, the research aims to reconstruct an accurate picture of the religious situation in the USSR during World War II based on CIA archival data. Scientific novelty of the research lies in using CIA archival materials as the primary source for analyzing religious freedom in the USSR during World War II. The authors offer their own approach to systematizing the documents available in the electronic archive, which helps address several methodological challenges while working with archival documents. Based on the analyzed archival data, the researchers concluded that the level of religious freedom in the USSR during World War II was extremely low, although some liberalization of religious policy occurred during the struggle. In its turn, this liberalization was driven by the need to consolidate society in the fight against Nazism and to improve the Soviet regime's foreign political image. Nonetheless, Soviet policy toward religion remained harsh and repressive. CIA documents provide a unique external perspective on this issue, showing how the US perceived the situation regarding religious freedom in the USSR. At the same time, interpreting CIA materials requires a critical approach, as they contain subjective assessments and ideological biases related to the geopolitical rivalry between the USSR and the USA.