Connecting the two Easts: Central Asian cultural diplomats and Soviet Internationalism of the late Stalinist era, 1947–1950

Traditional Cold War scholarship has largely focused on Moscow's interactions with the West, neglecting the agency of non-Russian Soviet republics, particularly those in Central Asia. A recent 'global turn' in Cold War studies has highlighted the Third World's connections with socialist countries, revealing the influence of these interactions on Moscow's post-war perceptions and the global order. This paper contributes to this shift by exploring the understudied role of Central Asia in Soviet engagement with decolonizing nations. Central Asia served as a crucial component of Soviet cultural diplomacy, acting as a model of successful decolonization and socialist development to attract anti-imperialist alliances in Asia and Africa. The Soviet state strategically utilized Central Asian writers, intellectuals, and scientists as 'cultural diplomats' to represent the Soviet Union abroad, leveraging the ideology of Soviet internationalism—a blend of anti-imperialist movements and the concept of 'friendship of the peoples'—to negotiate political and cultural leverage with Moscow. Their interpretations of Soviet internationalism were shaped by, and in turn shaped, their interactions with Asia, fostering East-East solidarity. This paper challenges the conventional view of the late Stalinist period as one of isolation, demonstrating that the pursuit of East-East solidarity commenced during this era, beginning with the participation of Central Asian delegates at the 1947 Asian Relations Conference in Delhi.

Existing scholarship on Soviet Cold War history primarily focuses on Moscow's relations with the West, overlooking the role of non-Russian republics. Recent work, however, has begun to address this gap by examining the interactions between the Second and Third Worlds, acknowledging the influence of these interactions on Moscow's foreign policy and the shaping of the Cold War global order. Studies have also started exploring Central Asia's role in Soviet engagement with the outside world, albeit limitedly. This paper builds upon these emerging perspectives, specifically focusing on the contributions of Central Asian cultural figures to Soviet cultural diplomacy. While much research on Soviet cultural exchanges emphasizes the Khrushchev era, this paper focuses on the comparatively less-studied late Stalinist period, revealing the groundwork laid for later, more extensive engagement.

This paper employs a qualitative research approach, analyzing primary sources to understand Central Asia's role in Soviet internationalism. The primary sources include travel accounts and literary works produced by Central Asian writers who participated in Soviet delegations to India and Pakistan during the late Stalinist era. The analysis focuses on the literary and rhetorical strategies employed by these writers to portray Central Asia and the Soviet Union to their Asian counterparts and the Soviet public. The analysis examines the language, symbolism, and imagery used by these writers to construct narratives that simultaneously promoted Soviet internationalism and established a unique Central Asian identity within the Soviet context and on the world stage. Specifically, the paper examines Mirzo Tursun-zade's poems from his collection *Poems about India* and Oybek's *Impressions from Pakistan*. The analysis also considers secondary sources, including scholarly works on Soviet foreign policy, Soviet literature, and Central Asian history, to contextualize the findings. The analysis draws on relevant theoretical frameworks from postcolonial studies, Cold War studies, and Soviet studies to interpret the chosen texts and establish the historical context of the findings. The analysis integrates archival materials from the Russian State Archive of Socio-Political History (RGASPI) to supplement and cross-reference the accounts found in the travelogues and literary works. The archival sources provide insights into the Soviet government's approach to cultural diplomacy, the specific instructions given to the writers, and the reception of these diplomatic efforts both within the Soviet Union and in the targeted regions of South Asia.

The 1947 Asian Relations Conference marked a significant event, representing the first post-WWII international gathering where Central Asian and Caucasus republics represented the Soviet Union. Soviet delegates presented Central Asia as a model of successful post-colonial development, highlighting its achievements in industrialization, education, and cultural advancement. However, this presentation was met with some skepticism from other Asian delegates, who questioned the applicability of the Soviet model to their own contexts and the level of autonomy enjoyed by the Central Asian republics within the Soviet system. Analysis of Mirzo Tursun-zade's poetry reveals a portrayal of India that juxtaposes its natural wealth and cultural splendor with the poverty and suffering of its working class. While subtly criticizing social inequalities, Tursun-zade avoided direct condemnation of British colonialism, instead focusing on the potential for Soviet-Asian solidarity and the hope offered by the Soviet model. Oybek's *Impressions from Pakistan* provides a more critical view of British colonialism, depicting the devastating impact of imperialism on Pakistan's economy and culture. Oybek highlights the stark contrast between the poverty and exploitation prevalent in Pakistan and the progress achieved in Soviet Central Asia, emphasizing the role of Central Asians as guides and mentors to their struggling Asian counterparts. Both writers employed historical and cultural symbolism, including references to shared Sufi traditions and historical figures like Tamerlane and Babur, to create a sense of shared heritage and foster connections between Central Asia and South Asia. This use of symbolism allowed them to transcend official Soviet cultural narratives and establish a distinctive identity for Central Asia as a bridge between the Soviet Union and other parts of Asia.

This paper demonstrates that Central Asia played a significant, though often overlooked, role in Soviet cultural diplomacy during the late Stalinist era. The 1947 Asian Relations Conference and the subsequent travel accounts of Central Asian writers reveal a complex interplay between Soviet internationalism, local interpretations of this ideology, and the realities of post-colonial Asia. The writings of Tursun-zade and Oybek showcase the strategic use of cultural diplomacy to promote Soviet ideology while also fostering a sense of shared identity and solidarity among Asian nations. The use of familiar historical and cultural symbols broadened the appeal of the Soviet message and strategically connected with the local population. The study highlights how Central Asian intellectuals actively negotiated their positions within the Soviet system, shaping the Soviet understanding of post-war Asia and utilizing their own cultural resources to advance Soviet foreign policy objectives. The contrasting depictions of India and Pakistan in the analyzed texts highlight the writers' sensitivity to the specific political and social contexts of their target audiences while simultaneously promoting a unifying message of anti-imperialist solidarity.

This study contributes to a more nuanced understanding of Soviet internationalism and Cold War dynamics by emphasizing the significant, yet often ignored, contributions of Central Asia. The analysis of primary sources such as travel accounts and literary works reveals how Central Asian intellectuals played a critical role in shaping the Soviet Union's engagement with decolonizing Asia and in forming the ideology of Soviet internationalism itself. Future research could explore the broader impact of Central Asian cultural diplomacy beyond the late Stalinist period, examining the evolution of this role in subsequent decades and its lasting impact on the cultural and political relations between the Soviet Union and other parts of Asia and the world. Further research could investigate the reception of these literary and cultural works among diverse audiences both in the Soviet Union and abroad.

This study primarily focuses on the writings of two prominent Central Asian writers, limiting the scope of its analysis. While these writers provide valuable insights, their experiences might not fully represent the diverse perspectives within Central Asia during this period. The study relies heavily on the available published texts and archival sources, acknowledging the possibility of limitations in accessibility and potential biases in the selected materials. The study's focus is on a relatively short period, limiting its ability to analyze the long-term implications of Central Asian cultural diplomacy.