Research Article / Araştırma Makalesi Cite as/ Atıf: Yerköy, S. (2024). Müttefikten düşmanlığa: Sovyet propagandasında Tito’nun imajının dönüşümü. Turkish Studies, 19(4), 1987-2006. https://dx.doi.org/10.7827/TurkishStudies.77702 Received/Geliş: 31 July/Temmuz 2024 Checked by plagiarism software Accepted/Kabul: 25 December/Aralık 2024 Published/Yayın: 30 December/Aralık 2024 Müttefikten Düşmanlığa: Sovyet Propagandasında Tito’nun İmajının Dönüşümü From Ally to Adversary: The Transformation of Tito’s Image in Soviet Propaganda Samet Yerköy * Abstract: This article examines the significant transformation in Soviet-Yugoslav relations before and after World War II by focusing on how Soviet propaganda altered the portrayal of Yugoslav leader Josip Broz Tito. In the early years of the war, Tito was celebrated as a close ally of the Soviet Union (USSR) and a prominent leader of the international socialist movement. However, in the post-war period, Tito’s desire to pursue an independent political path, his resistance to Stalin’s centralist demands, and his vision of creating a Balkan federation increased tensions between the two leaders. These tensions, fueled by personal rivalries and ideological differences, culminated in the critical breaking point, the Tito-Stalin split in 1948. Following this split, the USSR launched a large-scale propaganda campaign to discredit Tito, portraying him as a collaborator with Western capitalist powers, an enemy of the socialist movement, and even a sympathizer of fascism. Using Roland Barthes’ semiotic method, this study analyzes the visual and linguistic elements in Soviet propaganda posters to reveal how Tito’s image was systematically transformed. Furthermore, this propaganda process is considered an ideological struggle and reflects leadership rivalries during the Cold War era. This analysis demonstrates how propaganda tools were employed locally and internationally as a powerful means to achieve political objectives. The findings highlight how propaganda was strategically used during the Cold War to manipulate political narratives and shape public perceptions while providing significant insights into the broader impact of ideological conflicts on international relations. Structured Abstract: This article explores the dramatic shift in Soviet-Yugoslav relations before and after the Second World War, focusing on the portrayal of Yugoslav leader Josip Broz Tito in Soviet propaganda. The primary aim of this research is to examine how and why Tito’s image was transformed from that of a respected ally to a vilified enemy within the context of Soviet propaganda. This transformation is essential to understand as it provides insights into the broader implications of propaganda in Cold War politics and highlights the power of visual media in shaping public perception. The study addresses the critical question of how propaganda can influence and manipulate political narratives and international relations. This study utilizes Roland Barthes’ semiology to establish the conceptual and theoretical framework, which offers robust tools for analyzing images’ denotative and connotative meanings. Barthes’ approach is particularly relevant for decoding the systematic alteration in Tito's portrayal in Soviet propaganda posters. The theoretical framework is supported by a review of existing literature on Soviet-Yugoslav relations and Cold War propaganda, which helps contextualize the research and underscore its significance. This study aims * Öğr. Gör. Dr., İstanbul Okan Üniversitesi, İnsan ve Toplum Bilimleri Fakültesi, Çeviribilim Bölümü, Rusça Mütercim ve Tercümanlık Anabilim Dalı Lect. Dr., Istanbul Okan University, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Department of Translation Studies, Russian Translation and Interpreting Program 0000-0002-2682-4986 samet.yerkoy@okan.edu.tr