The alternative capital of the USSR: estimates of the American press and special services

The following paper for the first time in Samara regional studies deals with the study of significance of Kuibyshev in the public opinion of the USSR allies. Having become a reserved capital, Kuibyshev ceased to be just one of the regional centers in the Soviet Union, it turned into a city known and significant all over the world. This paper uses many unique US documents on Kuibyshev during the war. On their basis the authors analyze formation and perception of the image of the reserved capital in American society. To study the history of Kuibyshev as a second capital at such an angle is important for imagology, study of local lore and comparative studies. The conducted research showed how the image of Kuibyshev was made in the conditions of the Second World War, how its perception changed. The paper also uses the data of the US special services that makes it possible to understand what place Kuibyshev was given at that time by representatives of the intelligence community of America. The study of Kuibyshev image in the assessments of the American special services opens a possibility for researchers to get acquainted with their work from a new perspective. The paper draws conclusions about the influence of certain journalists on the formation of Kuibyshev image. The conclusions drawn in this paper, as well as the introduction of new documents into circulation, will allow us to deepen and expand this topic in the future.