The slogan "Great, Unified and Undivided Russia" and the formation of the image of the Allies in the official and pro-government (periodical) press of the White Siberia (June 1918 - December 1919)

Periodicals published during the Civil War in Siberia and the Far East reflect the existing diversity of ideas and opinions that political groups, parts of anti-Bolshevik forces in the East of Russia, defended. The idea of the "Great, Unified and Undivided Russia" was central in the propaganda rhetoric of the official press and had a deep influence on the process of formulating of a number of other ideas and propaganda images that played an important role in the value system of the White movement. The official and pro-government newspapers designed images and conceptualized ideas. At the same time, the press was used for the following translation of these images and ideas in the form of clear propaganda orientations. Thus, the press materials provide an abundant material for the reconstruction of the content of the idea of "Great, Unified and Undivided Russia" as understood by the ideologists of the anti-Bolshevik governments of the White Siberia. For a more holistic and in-depth analysis of the content of this idea, it is necessary to consider it in the context of other ideologemes that played an important role in the advocacy of the White. The problem of relations between Russia and the Entente did not leave the pages of the official and pro-government periodicals of the White throughout the period of the Civil War. The unflagging interest towards the Allies was caused, on the one hand, by their contradictory policy in reference to Russia, on the other hand, by the White Siberia governments' striving to enlist the support of the whilom allies in World War I. The aim of this article is to identify the role of the idea of "Unified and Undivided Russia" in the perception of the allies' policy towards Russia and the formation of the image of the allies on the pages of government's periodicals of the East of Russia during the Civil War. Each element of the slogan "Great, Unified and Undivided Russia" carried a certain set of meanings and, at that, could be interpreted quite freely. The meanings inherent to these elements created a specific context in which the image of the allies was endued with some traits and characteristics. Evaluating the policy of the Allies in the context of the idea of the greatness of the country, the White believed that the Entente countries were interested in the re-establishment of a strong Russia. The return of a renewed, democratic Russia to the cohort of the Great Powers was considered as quite a logical outcome of World War I. The press also noted that a unified Russia, welded by the law and order, will become one of the guarantors of safety and stability in the post-war Europe and a profitable economic partner for the West. The leadership of the anti-Bolshevik governments actively opposed the recognition of independence of the outskirts of the former Russian Empire. The policy of the Allies, aimed at creating a number of "buffer states" around Russia, engendered the discontent of the White. The lack of official recognition of the Government of A.V. Kolchak by the Allied Powers intensified this discontent. Gradually, in their propaganda rhetoric, the White began to increasingly emphasize the necessity to rely on their own strength and not to wait for support from the Allies. The persuasion that the Allies shared the ideas of the White concerning the necessity of the greatness and territorial unity of Russia led to an awry perception of the Entente policy. The certitude of the anti-Bolshevik forces that the Allies were obliged to help them resulted, at long last, into a collapse of hopes and disappointment in the ideas of the unity of Russia and Western countries.

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