History Democratic Republic of Georgia

national council meeting, may 26, 1918.

georgia recognized germany , ottoman empire. young state had place under german protection , cede largely muslim-inhabited regions (including cities of batum, ardahan, artvin, akhaltsikhe , akhalkalaki) ottoman government (treaty of batum, june 4). however, german support enabled georgians repel bolshevik threat abkhazia. german forces under command of friedrich freiherr kress von kressenstein. following german defeat in first world war, british occupation forces arrived in country, permission of georgian government. relations between british , local population more strained had been germans. british-held batum,remained out of georgia s control until 1920. on december 25, 1918, british force deployed in tbilisi too.

georgia s relations neighbours uneasy. territorial disputes armenia, denikin s white russian government , azerbaijan led armed conflicts in first 2 cases. british military mission attempted mediate these conflicts in order consolidate anti-bolshevik forces in region. prevent white russian army forces crossing newly established states, british commander in region drew line across caucasus denikin not permitted cross, giving both georgia , azerbaijan temporary relief. threat of invasion denikin s forces, notwithstanding british position, brought georgia , azerbaijan in mutual defense alliance on june 16, 1919.

noe ramishvili became chairman of first government of republic. in 1930, assassinated bolshevik spy in paris.

on february 14, 1919, georgia held parliamentary elections won social democratic party of georgia 81.5% of vote. on march 21, noe zhordania formed third government, had deal armed peasants revolts incited local bolshevik activists , largely supported russia. these became more troublesome when carried out ethnic minorities such abkhazians , ossetians.

however, land reform handled georgian social democratic party government , country established multi-party system in sharp contrast dictatorship of proletariat established bolsheviks in russia. in 1919, reforms in judicial system , local self-governance carried out. abkhazia granted autonomy. nevertheless, ethnic issues continued trouble country, on part of ossetians, witnessed in may 1920. contemporaries observed increasing nationalism among social democratic party of georgia leaders.

downfall

the year 1920 marked increased threats russian sfsr. defeat of white movement , red armies advance caucasus frontiers, republic s situation became extremely tense. in january, soviet leadership offered georgia, armenia , azerbaijan alliance against white armies in south russia , caucasus. government of drg refused enter military alliance, referring policy of neutrality , noninterference, suggested negotiations towards political settlement of relations between 2 countries in hope might lead recognition of georgia s independence moscow. severe criticism of georgian refusal russian leaders followed several attempts local communists organize mass anti-government protests, ended unsuccessfully.

the leaders of second international visit tbilisi, 1920.

in april 1920, 11th red army established soviet regime in azerbaijan, , georgian bolshevik grigoriy ordzhonikidze requested permission moscow advance georgia. though official consent not granted lenin , sovnarkom, local bolsheviks attempted seize military school of tbilisi preliminary coup d état on may 3, 1920, repelled general kvinitadze. georgian government began mobilization , appointed giorgi kvinitadze commander-in-chief. in meantime, in response georgia s alleged provision of assistance azeri nationalist rebellion in ganja, soviet forces attempted penetrate georgian territory, repelled kvinitadze in brief border clashes @ red bridge. within few days, peace talks resumed in moscow. under terms of controversial moscow peace treaty of may 7, georgian independence recognized in return legalization of bolshevik organizations , commitment not allow foreign troops on georgian soil.

refused entry league of nations on december 16, 1920, georgia gained de jure recognition allies on 27 january 1921. this, however, did not prevent country being attacked soviet russia 1 month later.

after azerbaijan , armenia had been sovietized red army, georgia found surrounded hostile soviet republics. moreover, british had evacuated caucasus, country left without foreign support.

according soviet sources, relations georgia deteriorated on alleged violations of peace treaty, re-arrests of georgian bolsheviks, obstruction of convoys passing through georgia armenia, , strong suspicion georgia aiding armed rebels in north caucasus. part, georgia accused moscow of fomenting anti-government riots in various regions of country, , of provoking border incidents in zaqatala region, disputed azerbaijan democratic republic. lori “neutral zone” challenge, soviet armenia categorically demanded georgia withdraw troops had been stationed in region since fall of armenian republic.