The Army – Ensuring the Protection of the People on 26 June 2008 It Was 90 Years Since the Foundation of the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan

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Sabuhi AKHMADOV Doctor of History The Army – Ensuring the Protection of the People On 26 June 2008 it was 90 years since the foundation of the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan. The proclamation on 28 May 1918 of the independent Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan (DRA) was one of the most remark- able pages in the many centuries old history of our country. Accordingly, the military constructions and activities of the army of the DRA hold the most important place in the military history of Azerbaijan.

hen speaking about the mil- of which North Azerbaijan be- Azerbaijanis and gaining the highest itary history of Azerbaijan came part of the Russian Empire, reputation for displaying valour and Win modern times, it is nec- its native Azerbaijani population courage in battle, participated in the essary to mention that already served in the Russian army. Thus, Russian-Iranian war of 1828-1829. during the time of the signing four Muslim cavalry regiments and Azerbaijanis formed the Caucasian of the Russian-Iranian Gulistan a Muslim infantry regiment from Muslim Cavalry Regiment in 1830. Peace Treaty of 1813, as a result Iravan, consisting exclusively of Four Azerbaijani Muslim Cavalry

16 www.irs-az.com awarded the Golden Arms, which including in Azerbaijan. was equated with the Order of St The proclamation on 28 George. The artillery general Samad- May 1918 of the independent Bey Mehmandarov was awarded the Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan Diamond Arms. was a political act but in the begin- Cavalry General and ning this event did not bring sub- Adjutant General Huseyn-khan stantial changes to the real situa- Nakhchivanski – Commandant of tion in North Azerbaijan. Because the Guard of the Cavalry Corps, of the acute dependence on oil of Artillery General Samad-Bey Soviet Russia, which supported Mehmandarov – Commandant of the Baku Council created by local the Second Caucasian Army Corps Bolsheviks, it rejected the idea of and Lieutenant General Ali-Agha Azerbaijani statehood. The Baku Shikhlinski – who commanded the Tenth Army, held high offices in the Russian Army during the years of Officers of the Cavalry the First World War. The Tatar Cavalry Divisions of the Regiment formed by Azerbaijanis Azerbaijani Army, 1919 within the Caucasian Native Cavalry regiments, as well as Bey’s squad of Division (the Wild Division) excelled Kangarli horsemen and a brigade in this war. The regiment took part of mounted scouts (300 men) par- in battles on the south-western and ticipated in the 1853-1856 Crimean Romanian fronts, including in the fa- War. Irregular regiments from Baku, mous Brusilov Break. Elizavetpol, Zagatala and Iravan par- The events of 1917-1918 marked ticipated in the 1877-1878 Russian- the collapse of the Russian Empire Ottoman war. The regiment from and lead to considerable geopo- Zagatala was awarded a honoured litical changes. In this situation, banner for its success. The Russian military and semi-military units XIX century historian P. Zubov noted: which caused real danger to the ‘The Azerbaijanis command their people operated in the Caucasus, weapons with great ease, are excel- lent cavalrymen, brave and fearless, as demonstrated in their experience Private infantry of the in the last wars’. The Russian officers’ Azerbaijani Army, 1918 corps was formed of many nationali- ties and a visible place among them was held by Azerbaijanis. About 20 Soviet, which had the Red Guard Azerbaijanis were generals in the at its disposal, being a supporter of Russian Army before the First World Soviet Russia, in every way possible War. The fact that out of 68 Muslims resisted the independence of the awarded the highest military or- DRA and strived to reach their target der of the Russian Empire – the St by military means. In this situation George – 19 were Azerbaijanis, the the Armenian nationalist parties the names of whom are immortalised Dashnaktsutun and Gnchak strived on marble plaques in the George to realise the dream of creating Hall of the Kremlin in Moscow, tes- an Armenian state on Azerbaijani tifies to the military valour of the Infantry Division of the lands. For this they leaned on the Azerbaijanis. 16 Azerbaijanis were Azerbaijani Army, 1919 Armenian military squads (khumba), www.irs-az.com 17 Always topical

However, in November of the same year as a condition of the Mudros armistice the Ottomans left the DRA, for which then laid ahead to protect its independence and territo- rial integrity on its own. In this situation the national military unit showed itself worthy, gaining victories in sus- tained battles. The War Ministry, led by Samad-bey Mehmandarov and Ali-Agha Shikhlinski successfully resolved numerous problems relating to the organisation, kit, provisions and training of the military divisions. Mighty fortifications were created on the northern border of the DRA in May-June 1919 which prevented in- Orchestra of the Azerbaijani Army, Ganja, 1918 vasion by the Volunteer Army of A. I. Lenikin. In September-November who ‘became famous for’ mass mur- DRA placed the whole existence 1918, in August-November 1919 and der and pogroms in the territory of of the Azerbaijani people un- in March-April 1920 attempts at ag- the Ottoman Empire in 1915-1916. der threat. 26 June 1918 there- gression on the part of the Ararat Now these khumbas transferred fore, saw the declaration of the Republic were prevented. their service to the Dashnaks and foundation of the Azerbaijani One of the main problems put in their conquerors and carried out Corps, which formed the back- front of the leadership of the DRA at ‘ethnic cleansing’ of the native bone of the national army of the the very beginning was a shortage population of Azerbaijan, includ- independent Azerbaijan. According of national officer personnel. The es- ing in Zangazur, Karabagh and to the agreement with the govern- tablishment of the National Military Nakhchivan. ment of the Ottoman Empire, the School (Milli Hərbiyyət Məktəbi) On 30 March 1918 Armenian Bolshevik-Dashnak groups began Soviet Russia, which supported the Baku Council created by local a slaughter of Azerbaijanis in Baku, Bolsheviks, it rejected the idea of Azerbaijani statehood. annihilating more than 11 thousand people. Then followed mass po- resolved this problem. In the be- groms of Azerbaijanis in the uyezds Caucasian Islamic Army, led by ginning of 1919 the Engineering of Guba, Lankaran, Shamakha and the Ottoman general Nuru-Pasha School, which subsequently came Salyan. This was a genocide of and the Azerbaijani general Ali- to form part of the National Military Azerbaijani people. Agha Shikhlinski, was formed with School, the Military-Railway School After the proclamation of the Azerbaijani fighters (5 thousand in Baku and the School of Military DRA the armed forces of the Baku men) and Ottoman volunteers (6 Medical Assistance in Shusha were Soviet, led by S. Shaumian, went thousand men). This army defeated opened. on the attack in the southern and the Bolshevik and Dashnak armed Originally, the military banner of western regions of Azerbaijan. They forces in heavy fighting in the sum- the fighting divisions was the three- took Lankaran, Kurdamir, Ujar and mer of 1918. Then they managed coloured state flag. On 18 December Goychay and began to advance on to oust the unit of the English ex- 1919 the General Staff established a Ganja – then the capital of the DRA. peditionary corps commanded project for a special Fighting Banner. The March events and the fol- by General L. Dunsterville from The project was put together by lowing offensive of the troops of Azerbaijan. In the end, Baku – the the use of sketches of banners of the Baku Soviet clearly showed that capital of the DRA, was librated on the Azerbaijani khanates of the XVIII the lack of an armed force of the 15 September 1918.

18 www.irs-az.com century and traditions of the Turkic Dashnaks and on 4 January 1920 – and Muslim worlds. With decorative for the recognition of the independ- DOCUMENTS ornaments from the tomb of the ence of the DRA by European states. famous Central Asian Commander The national armed forces were and Emir Timur, the flag had the in- quickly created and numbered 30 scriptions ‘Azerbaijan’ and ‘Help from thousand men. By 1920 two infantry Allah and Victory is Near’ (the Koran, divisions (each with three regiments 2:214) using Arabic script. and auxiliary parts), two separate On 1 February 1919 uniforms for infantry regiments and a separate servicemen of all types of troops, infantry battalion had been formed. designed in accordance with na- The cavalry was made up of horse tional peculiarities, were officially divisions (three regiments and aux- chosen: Karakul papakha (a type of iliary parts) and a separate division. hat) and shoulder straps with the The artillery consisted of two bri- word ‘Azerbaijan’ embroidered on gades (each with a light and a heavy division), a separate mortar division and a separate howitzer battery (in all 56 cannons, 4 mortars and 4 howitzers). The army also had an armoured train, armoured car pla- Shoulder strap of junior officer. toons (6 armoured cars) and some One can see the inscription hydroplanes and aeroplanes. The Azerbaijan in Arabic script. 1919 military naval fleet consisted of two gunboats, three dispatch boats and the difficult period 1991-1993. the infrastructure of a military port. A new stage in military construc- In the creation of the army of tion began in 1993 under the lead- the DRA undisputable contribu- ership of Heydar Aliyev. The forma- tions belong to the prominent tion of military divisions on the basis Azerbaijani military leaders – War of modern requirements quickly Minister and Cavalry General brought about a turning point in the Samad-bey Mehmandarov, progress of the war and liberated a Artilleryman of the his Deputy Artillery General series of previously occupied terri- Azerbaijani Army, 1919 Ali-Agha Shikhlinski, Head of tories. The army was equipped with the Common Staff and Major modern weapons and questions of General Habib-bey Salimov, the conscription of youths into armed them. Head of the General Staff and service were decided. There was Military parades were held Lieutenant General Muhammad- an absolute qualitative jump in the in Baku and Ganja on state and bey Sulkevich and the Division sphere of training the officers’ corps. folk holidays with the aim of rais- Commanders Teymur-bey There was a considerable achieve- ing the spirits of the people: on Novruzov, Javad-bey Ikhlinski ment in issues of military provi- 24 March 1919 and 20 March 1920 and Ibrahim Usubov. sions and training. Azerbaijan joined for Novruz-Bayram, on 28 May 1919 Today the armed forces of the NATO’s Partnership in the Name of in honour of the anniversary of the Republic of Azerbaijan continue the Peace programme and Azerbaijani DRA, on 30 June and 6 September tradition of its military predecessor servicemen participate in training 1919 – for the holidays of Ramadan- – the army of the DRA. Established and teaching of this alliance. Bayram and Gurban-Bayram (sacri- in terms of the undeclared war of The Azerbaijani peacekeeping fice), 15 September 1919 – in hon- Armenia and its supporters against contingent worthily carried out our of the anniversary of the libera- Azerbaijan, the army, together with and continues to carry out mis- tion of Baku from the Bolsheviks and the whole country, lived through sions entrusted to it outside the www.irs-az.com 19 Always topical

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