Presentation of the image of foreign allies in military ceremonies of anti-bolshevik governments in Eastern Russia (August 1918 - December 1919)

Based on the proposed by R.S Wortman term “scenarios of power”, the author of this article intended to consider the peculiarities of representation of the image of the Allies in the official military ceremonies that were part of the scenarios of power of two antiBolshevik governments - the Directory and the government of Admiral A.V. Kolchak. The revolt of the Czechoslovak Legion and anti-Bolshevik underground in May-June 1918, which led to the overthrow of Soviet power in the East of Russia, served as the impetus for the creation of anti-Bolshevik statehood onsite of Siberia and the Far East. The official rhetoric of created in September 1918 Provisional All-Russian Government (the Directory), and then replaced it in the course of coup on 18 November 1918, the Russian government of Admiral A.V. Kolchak, was based on idea of “rebirth of Great and United Russia”. The chances of anti-Bolshevik forces in Eastern Russia to succeed in the struggle against the Soviet government are largely depend upon the availability of support from foreign countries, primarily the Entente countries. The positive image of the Allies, as part of the myth of “Russian Revival”, has been formed not only through printed propaganda, but in the context of the implementation of various practices of formal representation of government - celebrations, rituals and symbols. A number of basic forms of representation of anti-Bolshevik forces and the Allies were reviewed during the analysis of archival sources, press reports and memoirs of participants and eyewitnesses of the events. As a result, the following conclusions were reached: The Directory and the Russian government of Admiral A.V. Kolchak in the course of their power-sharing scenarios strive for create a positive image of the foreign Allies, which was assigned to the role of assistants and teachers, whose experience should be oriented. The motive of the unity of anti-Bolshevik forces and the allied nations was a key in the implementation of the official celebrations. It is the demonstration of the restored unity of Russia and the Entente that is manifested in the Restored Brotherhood in arms was intended to convince the public and the Allies themselves in the beginning of the revival of the Russian state, seeking to take its rightful place among the Great Powers. The presence of a significant number of viewers, especially the various categories of urban population and military personnel at official ceremonies with the participation of representatives of the authorities and the Allies, ensured the public involvement in the process of forming the unity of Russia and the Entente, and it allowed to convey to the masses the key ideas and values of anti-Bolshevik movement by means of the visual images.

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