A Useful Enemy: General Nosovich in the ‘Memory Wars’

Abstract

This article analyses the image of General Anatolii Nosovich in the ‘memory wars’ following Russia’s Civil War. Nosovich turned out to be a White agent in the Red Army who opposed the future Soviet leader, Stalin, in Tsaritsyn in the summer of 1918. Yet the image of Nosovich was widely used in the ideological struggle to exalt Stalin. Even after Stalin’s death, his image continued to be used in debates between Stalinists and anti-Stalinists. Statesmen, historians, writers, and directors mentioned Nosovich as they argued endlessly over the true role of Stalin in the history of Russia.