The East Prussian operation (1914) coverage in Russian newspapers

The paper deals with the issues of the East Prussian operation (1914) coverage in Russian Newspapers. On the basis of various newspapers the author analyzes the coverage of the Russian and German troops actions in East Prussia in August-September 1914. The author also reveals fundamental themes of Russian newspapers when covering the East Prussian operation. The paper is based on various newspapers of the Russian Empire. The following Russian newspapers were analyzed: «Vestnik voyny», «Donetskaya zhizn», «Mariupolskaya zhizn», «Moskovskaya kopeyka», «Novoye vremya», «Permskaya zemskaya nedelya», «Rech», «Russkoe slovo», «Utro v Kharkiv». The study was focused on Petrograd and Moscow newspapers, as well as regional newspapers that, among other things, reprinted material from other publications on their pages. The study showed that Russian newspapers, when covering the East Prussian operation, were characterized by creating a positive impression among readers, focusing on the successes of the tsarist army. Readers were introduced to victories, both at the level of large military formations and at the level of small military units. The defeats of the Russian troops were presented by the newspapers not as a tragedy, but as a short-term failure, followed by quick victories.