Opinion Journalism Activity of Volodymyr Salskyi

Abstract

The main directions of journalistic activity of the Major General, Minister of Military Affairs of the Ukrainian People's Republic (UPR), and the Ukrainian People's Republic in exile Volodymyr Salskyi, which became an integral part of his social and political activity, are considered. Passion for journalism was typical of many prominent personalities of the early 20th century. V. Salskyi considered opinion journalism an essential element of educational activities, and under the war conditions – an effective method of ideological influence on the people, the formation of its national consciousness and patriotism. The military-political figure's first attempts in opinion journalism occurred in 1920, stimulated by his own experience of participation in World War I and the Ukrainian National Revolution, difficult domestic and foreign policy circumstances in Ukraine, and the struggle against Bolshevik Russia. The top of his journalistic career was the emigration period, especially in the second half of the 1920s. The publications with which V. Salskyi collaborated were considered, in particular, «Tabor», «Hurtuimosia», «Tryzub», «Za Derzhavnist». The minister's articles were united around national-state issues, the propaganda of patriotism, sincere faith in the Ukrainian cause's success, and, finally, the building of an independent united Ukraine. The central leitmotif of almost all publications is the army, the history of its formation, heroism in the national liberation struggle of 1917–1921, as well as the role in the further struggle for the realization of the national idea. V. Salskyi's articles are analyzed. His articles demonstrated the author's remarkable writing talent; his publications on military-political and military-historical topics showed in-depth knowledge of political science, theory and practice of military affairs, and international politics. V. Salskyi's opinion journalism played a significant role in popularizing the Ukrainian national idea and the development of cultural, educational, and national life of Ukrainians in exile. Keywords: Volodymyr Salskyi, Minister of War, journalism, «Tryzub», national idea.