The image of the Italy on the pages of the military periodical “The Chronicle of the War of 1914–1917” in the first years of the First World War (1914–1915)

The article considers and analyzes the image of Italy, which was formed on the pages of their publication by the correspondents of the Russian military magazine «The Chronicle of the War of 1914-1917» during the first years of the First World War (1914-1915), when the Russian Empire was in active military confrontation with the states of the Triple Alliance (later the Quadruple) Alliance, and Italy, being a member of the Triple Alliance, maintained military neutrality until May 1915, after which entered the war on the side of the Entente. On the pages of the «The Chronicle of the War of 1914-1917» during the first two years of the war its correspondents paid no less attention to the Kingdom of Italy than to Japan, the United States of America, Turkey and Bulgaria - states that either took a direct part in the First World War or played a prominent role in international relations and influenced certain decisions made on the world stage. At the same time, during the period when Italy maintained neutrality in the war, the main information about this state in the publication we studied was published by its journalists only in regular, but general sections such as "Abroad" and "Political Review." After Italy entered the war on the side of the Entente, this journal also began to publish articles and notes directly dedicated to Russia's new ally and its people. At the conclusion of the study, it was determined that the periodical The Chronicle of the War of 1914-1917 served as one of the tools for informational influence on the consciousness of the subjects of the Russian Empire during the First World War. On the pages of this magazine, various images of the states participating in the largest military conflict of the early 20th century -"enemy," "neutral state," or "ally"- were formed. In the Chronicle, the Kingdom of Italy appears first as a potential, and then as an official ally of Russia, capable of providing significant assistance in the fight against Austria-Hungary, since for Italy the Habsburg Monarchy was the main enemy, one that prevented the unification of all lands inhabited by ethnic Italians and hindered the nation from becoming a truly great European power. The author declares no conflicts of interests.

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