Transcaspian Government
Encyclopedia
The Transcaspian Government was set up by Railway workers of the Trans-Caspian Railway
in 1918 and lasted until July 1919. It was based at Ashgabat.
dominated Ashgabat Soviet appealed to Kolesov
, leader of the Tashkent Soviet
for military support, and declared it would carry out a census of all arms bearing men in the Russian majority town on 17 June 1918. However this sparked off two days of rioting. The Tashkent Soviet dispatched some Red Guards
led by V. Frolov and a Cheka
contingent who arrived on 24 June and disarmed the Turkmen Cavalry Squadron, which was the core of the TNA. Frolov declared martial law
and several leaders of the railway workers' leaders were shot, before Frolov proceeded to Kizyl-Arvat to continue restoring Bolshevik control. However when he arrived here, the local railway workers had heard of the events in Ashgabat, and had armed themselves. Frolov and a number of his bodyguards were shot and the remainder disarmed.
On 14 July, 1918 The Ashkhabad Executive Committee was founded by Menshevik
s and Social Revolutionaries following a successful revolt against the Bolshevik
s of Tashkent
. This committee took the name of the Trans Caspian Provisional Government in November 1918, but is generally referred to as the Transcaspian Government.
had been dispatched by the British Government to resist the Bolshevik forces, and assisted the Transcaspian forces by sending them a machine gun team across the border from India. This team stopped the Transcaspian forces being completely overun by the Bolsheviks, early in the conflict.
Malleson then sent an Anglo Indian unit to assist in what became referred to as the Malleson Mission
. The combined Anglo-Indian and Transcaspian force then went on to successfully engage the Bolsheviks, pushing them out of some of the major cities.
The Government was largely in a weak position. It had no economy, and was exisiting on the money it had gained from the soviets when it took over. The main economy was based on cotton, however it had no means to export this. It largely sought funds from the British, which it did not get, even for food the British military had used and promised to pay for.
. This incurred the wrath of the Russian Communist leadership in Moscow. A British Officer who was present Reginald Teague-Jones
received some blame for this incident.
Trans-Caspian railway
The Trans-Caspian Railway is a railway that follows the path of the Silk Road through much of western Central Asia. It was built by the Russian Empire during its expansion into Central Asia in the 19th century. The railway was started in 1879, following the Russian defeat of Khokand...
in 1918 and lasted until July 1919. It was based at Ashgabat.
Origin
Autonomous sentiments were developing amongst the local Turkmen population, with the formation of the Turkmen National Army (TNA) in February 1918. Concerned about this, the BolshevikBolshevik
The Bolsheviks, originally also Bolshevists , derived from bol'shinstvo, "majority") were a faction of the Marxist Russian Social Democratic Labour Party which split apart from the Menshevik faction at the Second Party Congress in 1903....
dominated Ashgabat Soviet appealed to Kolesov
Kolešov
Kolešov is a village and municipality in Rakovník District in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. -References:*This article was initially translated from the Czech Wikipedia....
, leader of the Tashkent Soviet
Tashkent Soviet
The Tashkent Soviet was a public organisation set up in Tashkent during the Russian Revolution.The Tashkent Soviet was established on 2 March 1917 at an inaugural meeting which consisted of thirty five workers from the Central Asian Railway. It was headed by a technician by the name of I. I. Bel'kov...
for military support, and declared it would carry out a census of all arms bearing men in the Russian majority town on 17 June 1918. However this sparked off two days of rioting. The Tashkent Soviet dispatched some Red Guards
Red Guards (Russia)
In the context of the history of Russia and Soviet Union, Red Guards were paramilitary formations consisting of workers and partially of soldiers and sailors formed in the time frame of the Russian Revolution of 1917...
led by V. Frolov and a Cheka
Cheka
Cheka was the first of a succession of Soviet state security organizations. It was created by a decree issued on December 20, 1917, by Vladimir Lenin and subsequently led by aristocrat-turned-communist Felix Dzerzhinsky...
contingent who arrived on 24 June and disarmed the Turkmen Cavalry Squadron, which was the core of the TNA. Frolov declared martial law
Martial law
Martial law is the imposition of military rule by military authorities over designated regions on an emergency basis— only temporary—when the civilian government or civilian authorities fail to function effectively , when there are extensive riots and protests, or when the disobedience of the law...
and several leaders of the railway workers' leaders were shot, before Frolov proceeded to Kizyl-Arvat to continue restoring Bolshevik control. However when he arrived here, the local railway workers had heard of the events in Ashgabat, and had armed themselves. Frolov and a number of his bodyguards were shot and the remainder disarmed.
On 14 July, 1918 The Ashkhabad Executive Committee was founded by Menshevik
Menshevik
The Mensheviks were a faction of the Russian revolutionary movement that emerged in 1904 after a dispute between Vladimir Lenin and Julius Martov, both members of the Russian Social-Democratic Labour Party. The dispute originated at the Second Congress of that party, ostensibly over minor issues...
s and Social Revolutionaries following a successful revolt against the Bolshevik
Bolshevik
The Bolsheviks, originally also Bolshevists , derived from bol'shinstvo, "majority") were a faction of the Marxist Russian Social Democratic Labour Party which split apart from the Menshevik faction at the Second Party Congress in 1903....
s of Tashkent
Tashkent
Tashkent is the capital of Uzbekistan and of the Tashkent Province. The officially registered population of the city in 2008 was about 2.2 million. Unofficial sources estimate the actual population may be as much as 4.45 million.-Early Islamic History:...
. This committee took the name of the Trans Caspian Provisional Government in November 1918, but is generally referred to as the Transcaspian Government.
Composition
The initial leadership consisted of:- Fyodor FuntikovFyodor FuntikovFyodor Andrianovich Funtikov was Chairman of Provisional Executive Committee of the Transcaspian Region Soviet, July 1918 - Jan 1919....
, Socialist Revolutionary worker, President - Vladimir Dhokov, railway worker
- D. Kurilov, railway worker
- L. A. Zimen, school teacher and orientalist, Minister of Foreign Affairs
Military action
The Committee had around 1000 armed men, which consisted of Armenian and Russian troops. British opinion of these forces was less than complimentary. General Wilfred MallesonWilfred Malleson
Wilfred Malleson may refer to:* Major General Sir Wilfrid Malleson , Major-General in the British Army* Wilfred St. Aubyn Malleson, Midshipman awarded the Victoria Cross...
had been dispatched by the British Government to resist the Bolshevik forces, and assisted the Transcaspian forces by sending them a machine gun team across the border from India. This team stopped the Transcaspian forces being completely overun by the Bolsheviks, early in the conflict.
Malleson then sent an Anglo Indian unit to assist in what became referred to as the Malleson Mission
Malleson Mission
The Malleson Mission was a military action by a small autonomous force of British Soldiers, led by General Wilfred Malleson, operating against Bolshevik forces over large distances in Transcaspia between 1918 and 1919.- Background :...
. The combined Anglo-Indian and Transcaspian force then went on to successfully engage the Bolsheviks, pushing them out of some of the major cities.
The Government was largely in a weak position. It had no economy, and was exisiting on the money it had gained from the soviets when it took over. The main economy was based on cotton, however it had no means to export this. It largely sought funds from the British, which it did not get, even for food the British military had used and promised to pay for.
The execution of the Baku Commissars
Under the leadership of Fyodor Funtikov, they executed the 26 Baku Commissars26 Baku Commissars
The 26 Baku Commissars were Bolshevik and Left Socialist Revolutionary members of the Baku Soviet Commune. The commune was established in the city of Baku...
. This incurred the wrath of the Russian Communist leadership in Moscow. A British Officer who was present Reginald Teague-Jones
Reginald Teague-Jones
Reginald Teague-Jones MBE was a British political and intelligence officer. He was active in the Caucasus and Central Asia during the Russian Civil War.-Early life:...
received some blame for this incident.