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The article examines one of the least studied aspects of the Soviet famine of 1932–33, namely the reaction of the international community and foreign governments to this tragedy. Facts are presented that prove that the Stalinist regime failed to conceal information about the famine in the collectivized village and prevent the outrage that broke out in the West over the mass death of Soviet citizens. The authors note that the negative reaction from the international community came in the form of both coverage of the plight of farmers in the press, and the organization of material assistance to those of them who were “blood brothers” and had relatives abroad. It was found that one of the results of the tragic events of 1932–1933 was the deterioration of the foreign policy positions of the USSR and the complication of its relations with Nazi Germany. The article’s main focus is on the characteristics of the situation and attitudes of the Soviet Germans, who were the largest Diaspora in the territory of the RSFSR. They were a kind of hostage to the complex dynamics of Soviet-German relations in 1933. The study is based on archival materials not previously introduced into scholarly circulation, in particular, letters from German citizens about food and monetary assistance addressed to their compatriots abroad. An important result of the research is the disclosure of the propaganda campaign “Response to fascist slanderers”, which not only created a favourable information background for the Stalinist leadership but also allowed to appeal to the opinion of Soviet Germans in the confrontation with the foreign public. The authors believe that the direct consequence of foreign policy complications caused by the famine of 1932–1933 was the strengthening of the Soviet government's distrust of the Soviet Germans, which affected their fate in the future.

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Introduction. In modern Russian historiography, an unacceptable situation has developed since the Soviet period in the history of the Cossacks has not yet become the subject of sufficient research attention; therefore, a common vision of the reference points of scientific research has not taken shape. The article is aimed at studying the methodological and historiographic plots of the Soviet history of the Cossacks of the South of Russia in order to clarify unexplored plots and aspects, to determine further directions of scientific research. Methods and materials. We have at our disposal a number of significant historiographic facts that allow us to identify current historiographic trends in the study of the Soviet history of the Cossacks of the South of Russia. To do this, the article uses the method of system analysis and expert evaluation of historiographic facts, which provides the final argumentative logos. In a number of cases, the authors draw on archival materials to clarify and reinforce their positions. Analysis. The Soviet period in the history of the Cossacks of the South of Russia has been studied extremely unevenly, and this leads to distortions in the interpretation of individual problems. Excessive fascination of many modern authors with stories of decossackization creates a historical background of the tragic existence of the Cossacks in the Soviet era. As a result, the mass heroism of the Cossacks during the Great Patriotic War is involuntarily obscured by the difficult historical past and the plots of Cossack collaborationism. Decades of life of many generations of Cossacks are voluntarily or involuntarily deleted from the general history of the Cossacks. Therefore, it is important to identify the whole range of topical issues in the study of the Soviet period in the history of the Cossacks of the South of Russia, where there is also a positive historical experience. Results. The article outlines the established stages in the historiography of the Cossacks of the Soviet era and provides examples of specific studies on certain issues of Cossack history. The main directions of further research are determined with brief characteristics of the named plots. Contribution of authors. The creation of the concept of the article, the development and description of the research methodology, the conceptual apparatus, and the analysis of the involved content belongs to A.P. Skorik. The selection of archival materials and historiographic facts, as well as their primary analysis, was carried out by V.A. Bondarev. Conceptual editing, identification of a number of historiographical trends and addition of source materials with historiographic facts were carried out by G.G. Matishov. The final scientific and literary editing of the text of the article was carried out by A.P. Skorik and V.A. Bondarev.