Democratic Republic of Georgia: Encyclopedia II - Democratic Republic of Georgia - History

Democratic Republic of Georgia - History

Georgia was immediately recognized by Germany and the Ottoman Turkey. The young state had to place itself under German protection and to cede its largely Muslim-inhabited regions (including the cities of Batum, Ardahan, Artvin, Akhaltsikhe and Akhalkalaki) to the Ottoman government (Treaty of Batum, June 4). However, German support enabled the Georgians to repel the Bolshevik threats from Abkhazia. Meanwhile, the Entente’s victory in the World War forced Germany to evacuate the Caucasus and, already in December, the British expeditionary forces appeared in the region. The Georgian leadership quickly changed its foreign orientation and, exploiting the situation, regained control of several regions lost to the Ottomans. The British-held Batum remained, however, out of Georgia’s control until 1920. On December 25 1918, a British force was deployed also in Tbilisi.

Georgia’s relations with the neighbours were uneasy. Territorial disputes with Armenia, Denikin’s White Russian government and Azerbaijan led to armed conflicts in the first two cases. A British military mission attempted to mediate these conflicts in order to consolidate all anti-Bolshevik forces in the region.

On February 14 1919, Georgia held parliamentary elections won by the Social Democrats with an overall majority. On March 21, Noe Zhordania formed a new government consolidating, thus, much of power in the hands of the Menshevik party. Despite a relatively high level of popular support, economic and social difficulties in the country and the need of land reform exploited the situation several times leading to armed peasants’ revolts excited by the local Bolshevik activists and largely supported from Russia, and becoming more troublesome when carried out by ethnic minorities such as Abkhazians and Ossetians.

However, the land reform was finally well handled by the Menshevik government and the country established a multi-party system in sharp contrast with the "dictatorship of the proletariat" established by the Bolsheviks in Russia. In 1919, the reforms in judicial system and local self-governance were carried out. Abkhazia was granted autonomy. Yet, ethnic issues continue to trouble the country, especially on the side of Ossetians as in May 1920. Some of the contemporaries observed also increasing nationalism among the Mensheviks.

The year 1920 was marked by the increased threats from the Soviet Russia. With the defeat of the White movement and the Red Armies’ advance toward the Caucasus frontiers, situation around the DRG became extremely tensed. In January, Soviet leadership offered Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan to form an alliance against the White armies in South Russia and Caucasus. The Government of the DRG refused to enter any military alliance referring to its policy of neutrality and noninterference, but suggested to start negotiations on political settlement of the relations between two countries in the hope that this would apparently lead to the recognition of Georgia’s independence by Moscow. Severe criticism of the Georgian refusal by the Russian leaders was followed by several attempts of local Communists to organize mass anti-governmental protests which ended unsuccessfully.

In April 1920, the 11th Red Army established a Soviet regime in Azerbaijan, and the Georgian Bolshevik Grigoriy Ordzhonikidze requested from Moscow a permission to advance into Georgia. Though an official consent was not given by Lenin and Sovnarkom, local Bolsheviks attempted to seize the Military School of Tbilisi as a preliminary to a coup d’état on May 3 1920, but were successfully repulsed by General Kvinitadze, commandant of the School, and his cadets. The Georgian government began mobilization and appointed Kvinitadze as the commander-in-chief. In the meantime, in response to Georgia’s alleged assistance to the Azeri nationalist rebellion in Ganja, the Soviet forces attempted to penetrate the Georgian territory, but were repelled by Kvinitadze in the brief border clashes at the Red Bridge. In a few days, the peace talks were resumed in Moscow. By the controversial Moscow Peace Treaty of May 7 Georgian independence was recognized in return for the legalization of Bolshevik organizations and a commitment not to allow foreign troops on Georgian soil.

Refused entry into the League of Nations, Georgia gained de jure recognition from the Allies on 27 January 1921. This, however, did not prevent the country from being attacked by the Soviet Russia a month later.

After Azerbaijan and Armenia had been Sovietized by the Red Army, Georgia found itself surrounded by the hostile Soviet republics. In addition, as the British had already evacuated the Caucasus, the country was left without any foreign support.

According to Soviet sources, relations with Georgia deteriorated over alleged violations of the peace treaty, re-arrests of Georgian Bolsheviks, obstructiveness to the passage of convoys passing through to Armenia, and a strong suspicion that Georgia was aiding armed rebels in the North Caucasus. On the other hand, Georgia accused Moscow in fermenting anti-governmental riots in various regions of the country, and in provoking border incidents in Zaqatala region (then part of Georgia), disputed with the Azerbaijan SSR. Lorri “neutral zone” was another challenge as the Soviet Armenia categorically demanded that Georgia withdraw its troops stationed in the region since the fall of the Armenian Republic. The peace with Georgia, though initially supported strongly by Lenin, finally ended on February 11 when the Armenian and Georgian Bolsheviks organized a revolt in Lorri. The Armenia-based 11th Red Army marched on Tbilisi, while other Russian forces invaded from various directions. By February 25, the desperate resistance of poorly organized Georgian military was broken at the capital and the Georgian Bolsheviks proclaimed the Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic. Almost simultaneously, the Turkish troops took control over Ardahan Province, Artvin and Batumi. On March 17, the Menshevik and Soviet representatives agreed a ceasefire and joined their efforts to recover Batumi. On March 18, the leadership of the DRG left the country. By the Moscow-dictated Treaty of Kars with Turkey (October 13 1921), Georgia had to abandon its claims on Artvin and Ardahan provinces in return for Batumi granted autonomous status within the Soviet Georgia. Abkhazia and South Ossetia also gained autonomy.

Guerilla resistance to the Soviet troops continued, but was finally crushed in 1924. This was followed by harsh repressions and the reign of terror in which thousands of Georgian nobles, intellectuals and common citizens were purged.

The country was eventually incorporated into the Soviet Union - first as a part of a Transcaucasian Soviet Federated Socialist Republic (1922), then as its own Soviet Socialist Republic (1936).

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "History", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki