Pravda told the truth: abm in the soviet press and us-russian relations, 1966-1972

摘要

The destabilizing nature of anti-ballistic missile (ABM) systems made it incumbent upon the United States and the Soviet Union to meet and diffuse tensions. Before ABM negotiations began in 1969, Pravda and Izvestiia established a clear public narrative on the topic. According to this narrative, the Soviet Union adhered to its Leninist Foreign Policy and struggled for peace against the warmongering, divided United States. During negotiations, Soviet diplomats used the same language as the newspapers. They asserted that the Soviet Union wanted peaceful coexistence with the United States, in accordance with its Leninist Foreign Policy. They also stressed the need for equality in the treaty. After the two sides agreed to the ABM Treaty on May 26, 1972, the Soviet newspapers emphasized the equality inherent within the treaty. The strong relationship between Soviet leadership and its propaganda apparatuses shows the leadershipu27s strong belief in ideology and its presence in foreign policy. The Soviet government pursued an agreement on ABM to fulfill both ideological and realist aims.