Dunsterforce and Baku : a case study in British imperial
Author
İnceoğlu, Cengiz
Advisor
Stone, Norman
Date
2012Publisher
Bilkent University
Language
English
Type
ThesisItem Usage Stats
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Abstract
This thesis will examine the actions of the British Empire in Transcaucasia during
the latter half of the First World War, more specifically, after the collapse of Imperial
Russia into a state of revolution in March of 1917. Western sources tend to defend the
British Intervention in the Caucasus in 1917 as a necessity to what was then an ongoing
military conflict, rather than, being based on imperialist initiatives. Simultaneously,
Soviet historians denounce every action of the British in Transcaucasia as premeditated
imperialist intervention aimed at annexation and colonization. The purpose here will be
to examine the decision making process of the pertinent committees involved in
formulating British policy towards Transcaucasia in 1917 and 1918. Through an analysis
of the relevant material it is then possible to determine the impetus behind the
formulation of General Dunsterville’s mission, “Dunsterforce”, and its subsequent
intervention at Baku in August of 1918. This thesis is divided into five parts. The first
part will focus on policy creation and the committees involved, as well as the importance
of oil as a resource. The next three sections focus on the British perception of the
intentions of their enemies in Transcaucasia based off of primary sources, starting with
the Turks, then the Germans, and lastly the Bolsheviks. The last chapter focuses on the
British response to the perceived actions of their enemies, characterized by the eventual
approval granted to Dunsterforce to proceed to Baku and help in its defence. Determining
to what extent the members of the Imperial War Cabinet and the Eastern Committee – the
committee that generated policy for Transcaucasia – were influenced by imperialistic
ambitions with regard to Transcaucasian policy is of cardinal importance here.
Keywords
BolsheviksBaku
Dunsterville
Dunsterforce
Eastern Committee
Germany
Imperialism
Lord Curzon
Ottoman Empire
Pan-Islam
Pan-Turanism
Transcaspia
Transcaucasia