The topic of the Great Patriotic War is extremely important and emotionally significant for every citizen of Russia. And like any topic of public interest, it is surrounded by many myths. We are well aware of one of the most “popular” ones: the Soviet leadership was preparing for easy victories, was going to wage war exclusively on enemy territory, and there were no preparations for a long and difficult war. It is clear that the emergence of such myths is due, first of all, to the lack of reliable information. In recent years, a significant part of important archival documents have been declassified, and it has become possible to present the “image of a future war” as the Soviet leadership saw it and on the basis of which it actually proceeded construction of the armed forces, prospects for the development of the national economy were determined. Analysis of archival materials allows us to determine specific directions for the country’s comprehensive and comprehensive preparation for a long and difficult war. The author, analyzing the factual material, shows only part of the enormous work that was carried out in the pre-war years to prepare the country for severe trials. Every city, every factory, every institution was preparing for war; their mobilization plans, along with the mobilization plans of military units and formations, were an integral part of the country's overall mobilization preparations. It was based on a systemic approach - the country was viewed as a single organism that must develop maximum military efforts at the front and at the same time maintain socio-political and economic stability. The book helps not only to better understand the events of the Great Patriotic War, but also to see new facets of many processes that developed in our country in those years.