The image of Bulgaria on the pages of the newspaper «Russian invalid» during the First World War (1916–1917)

Abstract

The article examines and analyzes the image of Bulgaria, which was created by domestic journalists on the pages of the periodical «Russian invalid» during the First World War (1916–1917), when the Russian Empire was in active military confrontation with the countries of the Quadruple Alliance, and the Bulgarian Kingdom, being a member of the military-political alliance of the Central Powers, actively participated in military operations on the Thessaloniki Front against Russia’s allies – Serbia and Romania. Correspondents of the «Russian invalid» on the pages of their publication in 1916–1917. Attention was paid to Bulgaria, but to a much lesser extent than to Germany, Austria-Hungary and Turkey. Most of the information about the Bulgarian Kingdom was posted in the headings «External News», «Military Review», «Balkan Peninsula» and «Serbian Front». Based on the results of the analysis of the materials presented on the pages of «Russian invalid», the following distinctive features of the image of Bulgaria formed by the journalists of this newspaper in 1916–1917 were identified: - a minor ally of the Hohenzollern Empire on the Balkan Peninsula, which was under complete control from Berlin; - a country that sought to realize its territorial claims through participation in the world war; - a state that had great political ambitions, but did not have the necessary resources to achieve them; - a country in which there was no public consensus regarding the participation of their armed forces in the war on the side of the Quadruple Alliance. In conclusion, it is concluded that the Bulgarian Kingdom in «Russian invalid» appeared as a state that sought to defend its state interests, including trying to revise the results of the Second Balkan War, which were perceived by the Bulgarian political elite as «the first national catastrophe».