UDC

Authors

Abstract

This article presents little-known facts of the military and political conflicts in Azerbaijan, Baku in particular, after the defeat of Germany and Turkey in World War I. In addition, it analyses the political situation of dual power, represented by the government of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic and Entente’s military occupation administration in the first half of 1919. Further, this paper describes the main goals and objectives of the different social movements, parties and political groups in Azerbaijan in relation to the White movement and social, military and political activities of the government of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic. The author studied the ends and means of the British occupation authorities and naval command, which resulted in the transfer of ships of the Caspian Flotilla to the Armed Forces of South Russia, while the Republic’s government and military department attempted to take control over the entire flotilla, or at least part of it. Furthermore, the article highlights the efforts of Russian naval officers in Baku during the period of dual power to keep Caspian Flotilla combat-ready and prevent its disarmament and misappropriation of military property. The author also studied military strategic and tactical activities of the army commanders of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic aimed to prevent the Denikin menace, as well as the efforts of Azerbaijani diplomacy to ensure the country’s right to its own commercial and naval fleet in the Caspian Sea flying its national flag. The study is based on the materials from the main historical and military-historical archives of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Azerbaijan and justifies the author’s original concept of successive military and political diarchies in Azerbaijan during 1918–1919.

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References

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