The Military Publishing House in 1941–1945: A Book Contribution to the Victory

The purpose of the article is to summarize the materials reflecting the activities of the Military Publishing House of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation during the Great Patriotic War. The scientific novelty of the work based on unique archival materials. The study comprehensively analyzed the work of the Military Publishing House “Voenizdat” during the war. The main directions of the restructuring of the publishing house’s work before and during 1941–1945 are considered. The article analyzed the organizational measures that contributed to an increase in the production of military literature: strengthening planning and control activities; the creation of rear and front-line departments. Statistical indicators of the production of military-related books are given. The thematic and typological composition of the literature published by the Military Publishing House in 1941–1945 is characterized. For the first time, examples of the labor feat of the publishing house’s employees during the war years are given. It is concluded that during the Great Patriotic War, the publishing house of the Ministry of Defense was not only a significant information agency and one of the leading publishing houses in the country, but also an important tool for the operational and propaganda work of the political and military leadership of the USSR.