Memory Warfare against War Remembrance: Knowledge of the Great Patriotic War with the Young People

Abstract

Introduction: This article is devoted to the study of the state of historical memory of the Great Patriotic War and its functioning in the youth environment by the example of identifying the level of interest, knowledge, and perception of these events by 1st-year medical students of the Rostov State Medical University (RostSMU). Materials and methods: The methodological basis of the research is an integrative approach, the application of which is due to the interdisciplinary nature of the problem under consideration. Also, a systematic and functional approach was used, which facilitated the solution of the indicated problem. The work widely applied the statistical method within the sociological research conducted by the authors, as well as the method of analysis and generalization. Results: The work reflects the results of the author's sociological research, which, when compared with the data of authoritative sociological services, allowed drawing certain conclusions and identify several trends in the formation, state, and functioning of the historical memory of the Great Patriotic War among the youth. Discussion and conclusion: The subject of historical memory is directly related to the problem of cultural identification. The study of this area acquires special relevance at the current stage, a characteristic feature of which is the ever-deepening crisis of spirituality of modern mankind, when, to please the political elites, historical memory turns into an instrument of political manipulation; attempts are made to rewrite history at the request of leaders or individual politicians of some countries. The obtained results of the study allow making several important conclusions. Victory in the Great Patriotic War is the greatest event on a worldwide scale. It is also one of the main unifying factors in the history of all the peoples that were part of the former USSR. And the fact that today the historical memory of the war is becoming a bargaining chip in the hands of unscrupulous politicians strikes a colossal blow both on every family and on the country as a whole. Meanwhile, a sociological survey conducted by the authors of the article on the eve of the 75th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War among medical students showed a very mediocre level of interest among young people in these events. The degree of patriotic education among young people also cannot be considered high. The article substantiates the importance of solving problems aimed at the need to increase the level of formation in the youth environment of an active civic position, patriotism, which are laid down in the family.