The Boxer Rebellion in Siberian Pre-Revolutionary Press (The Eastern Review as an Example)

Abstract

The article is devoted to the content analyses of materials covering Boxer rebellion in China, they were published in Irkutsk newspaper The Eastern Review, 1900–1901. Authors’ choice was motivated with three reasons. First, the newspaper covered Eastern Russian regions’ issues, as well as Russia’s policy in the Far East, where these regions were being involved. Secondly, Boxer rebellion was one of most important events at the turn of the XX century; it defined Russia’s strategy on its Eastern borders in terms of competition with Western European countries and Japan for economic and political influence in the Celestial Empire. Thirdly, Boxer rebellion in the Siberian regional press’s point of view was not studied properly, so it needs further research to understand a provincial newspaper activities process, never having experience in military operations coverage, these activities quite surprisingly required a new way of operation. We analyzed hundreds of texts on military actions in China, Chinese Imperial Court position, contradictions between allied powers, which took part in the suppression of the rebellion in view of of post-war establishment in the East. The main focus of the research was the transformation of the newspaper’s conception to meet the needs for military information; genres of published materials about the Boxer rebellion; information obtaining technology; the degree of its authenticity and objectivity. We also examined how editorial staff created Russia’s positive image as a disinterested peace-maker, though Russian geopolitical interests had been having lasting position on the Chinese territory. Mass-media development, usage of various methods to obtain information, inclusion of opinions of conflicting sides; responsibility before readers for coverage of events allowed the newspaper not only to display objective description of current events in China but also to forecast post-war development of the Far East.