The USA and the Religious Freedom of Catholics in Soviet Policy during the Second World War
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Abstract
This article examines the influence of the United States on Soviet policy concerning the religious freedom of Catholics during the Second World War, as well as the stages of the formation of American policy on religious liberty within the USSR. The study analyzes U.S. diplomatic efforts aimed at protecting the rights of Catholics of both rites – Latin and Eastern – in territories under Soviet control. Special attention is given to the role of the Vatican and public opinion in the United States in shaping American-Soviet relations on religious issues.
The objective of this study is to determine the extent to which the United States influenced Soviet policy toward the Catholic Church during the war. The article adopts an interdisciplinary methodology that integrates historical analysis with political and diplomatic perspectives. The use of historical-comparative methods, content analysis of official documents, and the examination of diplomatic correspondence enables a comprehensive assessment of Soviet governmental decisions and their implications for religious freedom. The research is grounded in archival sources, including materials from Soviet security agencies and U.S. diplomatic institutions, as well as memoirs of eyewitnesses.
Soviet policy toward Catholics was strategic in nature, implemented through administrative pressure, repression, and propaganda. While the United States publicly advocated for religious freedom, it failed to exert significant influence over Soviet internal religious policies. The Soviet government employed a differentiated approach toward Catholics of both rites: Roman Catholics were subjected to systematic repression aimed at their complete elimination, whereas Greek Catholics were forcibly integrated into the Russian Orthodox Church. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of Soviet mechanisms for restricting religious freedom and highlight the role of the United States in advocating for the rights of Catholics within the broader context of wartime diplomacy and human rights.
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