ALSIB: Historical Studies from 1991 to 2021

The article explores the historiography of one of the important Lend-Lease routes – the ALSIB (Alaska-Siberia). Despite the difficulties encountered during the construction of the route, more aircraft were delivered via this route compared to other Lend-Lease routes. By analyzing historical works published between 1991 and 2021, the article presents the main tendencies in studying both Lend-Lease and the Alaska-Siberia air route. In Soviet historiography, the air route was often examined within the broader context of the Lend-Lease program, with many works being ideological. Following the “archival revolution”, there was a significant shift in how Lend-Lease was studied, positively impacting research of the air route. The 1990s saw a rise in generalized studies, while access to archival documents sparked scholarly debates regarding the contribution of supplies to the Soviet Union’s military economy. The discussions continue to this day. During the 2000s and 2010s, researchers produced more detailed studies focusing on specific aspects of Lend-Lease, such as different types of deliveries, routes, and the human fac-tor in the implementation of deliveries. From 2010 to 2021, interest in ALSIB intensified at the regional level, lead-ing to studies that considered the air route independently from the Lend-Lease program. Despite the large number of published works, several issues remain understudied, including the decision-making processes behind choosing the track route, the involvement of GULAG prisoners in constructing airfields, and technical issues related to the construction of airfields and their further operation in the post-war period.