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World War II

This survey took place between 27 and 30 May 2016 and was conducted throughout all of Russia in both urban and rural settings. The survey was carried out among 800 people over the age of 18 in 137 localities of 48 of the country’s regions.  The survey was conducted as a personal interview in respondents’ homes. The answer distribution is presented as percentages of the number of participants along with data from previous surveys. The statistical error of these studies does not exceed 4.1% for indicators around 50%.

DO YOU THINK THE SECOND WORLD WAR COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED AT THE END OF THE 1930S, OR WAS IT UNAVOIDABLE?

  Jun.01 May 16
War could have been avoided 35 23
War was unavoidable 47 61
It is difficult to say 19 16

SOME SAY THAT GERMANY’S JUNE 22, 1941 ATTACK ON THE USSR WAS UNEXPECTED, WHILE OTHERS SAY THIS WAS A FABRICATION TO COVER UP STALIN’S POLITICAL BLUNDERS, WHICH LEFT THE SOVIET UNION UNPREPARED FOR WAR. WITH WHICH OF THESE OPINIONS DO YOU AGREE?

  June.01 May.10* May 16
Germany’s attack on the USSR was unexpected 32 42 52
The idea that it was unexpected was fabricated to cover up Stalin’s political blunders 58 49 38
It is difficult to say 9 9 10

 * This question was given in the following form: “WHAT WAS THE MAIN REASON FOR THE RED ARMY’S HUGE LOSSES IN THE FIRST TWO YEARS OF THE WAR?”

ARE THERE (OR WERE THERE) PARTICIPANTS IN THE SECOND WORLD WAR IN YOUR FAMILY?

  Jun.01 May 16
Yes 84 85
No 16 15
No answer <1 <1

DID MEMBERS OF YOUR FAMILY DIE DURING THE WAR (AT THE FRONT, IN CAPTIVITY, DURING PUNITIVE ACTIONS, BOMBINGS, SIEGE, ETC.)?

  Jun.01 May 16
Yes 64 68
No 36 32
No answer <1 <1

ARE THERE MEMBERS OF YOUR FAMILY WHO WERE MISSING IN ACTION DURING THE WAR?

  Jun.01 May 16
Yes 30 32
No 69 68
No answer 1 <1

TO WHOM DO YOU THINK MOST CREDIT SHOULD BE GIVEN FOR THE USSR’S VICTORY IN WORLD WAR TWO? (one answer)

  May 10 May 13 May 14 May 16
The Soviet people 62 52 53 51
Everyone 23 33 36 33
Stalin 8 6 7 9
The Communist Party and Soviet leaders 4 5 3 4
No one, it was a miracle that the war was won 2 1 1 1
It is difficult to say 2 3 1 2

WHO, IN YOUR OPINION, IS MOST RESPONSIBLE FOR RUSSIA’S LOSS OF MILLIONS IN THE WAR? (one answer)

  May 10 May 13 May 14 May 16
No one except our enemy 28 37 51 47
Stalin 30 21 17 21
Everyone 11 13 11 11
The Communist Party and Soviet leaders 20 13 12 10
The people 6 5 1 3
It is difficult to say 6 11 8 8

YOU HAVE PROBABLY HEARD OF GENERAL VLASOV, WHO DISTINGUISHED HIMSELF DURING THE DEFENSE OF MOSCOW AND LENINGRAD BUT WAS LATER CAPTURED BY THE GERMANS AND HEADED THE “RUSSIAN LIBERATION ARMY,” COMPOSED OF RUSSIAN P.O.W.S FIGHTING AGAINST THE STALINIST REGIME. HOW WOULD YOU PERSONALLY FEEL ABOUT THE POSTHUMOUS POLITICAL REHABILITATION OF GENERAL VLASOV?

  Jun.00 May 16
Definitely positive 9 8
Probably positive 19 18
Probably negative 17 19
Definitely negative 24 25
It is difficult to say 32 30

 WHAT DO YOU THINK MADE SOVIET PEOPLE ENTER THE RANKS OF VLASOV’S ARMY? (multiple answers)

  Jan.05 May 10 May 16
Desire to avoid death in P.O.W. camps 49 39 51
Hatred of Soviet authorities, caused by collectivization, mass purges, forced relocation, etc. 31 29 22
Greed, promises of gains and advantages bestowed on traitors 18 17 15
Desire to break free and flee to the West 17 10 12
It is difficult to say 21 24 21

IN YOUR OPINION, THE INCLUSION OF THE BALTIC STATES (LITHUANIA, LATVIA, ESTONIA) IN THE SOVIET UNION IN 1940 WAS THE RESULT OF…

  May 05 May 07 Jul.10 Jun.11 May 16
The free will of the people of these countries 31 37 26 27 34
Pressure from the Soviet Union 29 26 32 31 30
A secret agreement between Stalin and Hitler 17 12 15 17 10
It is difficult to say 23 25 27 25 26

ON 1 JULY 1991 THE WARSAW PACT MILITARY ALLIANCE WAS DISSOLVED. DO YOU THINK OUR COUNTRY WON OR LOST AS A RESULT OF THIS ACTION?

  Jun.01 Jun.11 May 16
Probably won 11 18 14
Probably lost 44 39 39
It is difficult to say 45 43 48

Translated by Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey (formerly  Monterey Institute of International Studies).

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