TNT History Mini-Series/ German 1918 Caucasus Mission/Part II

//Ed. note:  Freidrich von der Holtz (as translated by 
Turkish Captain Rahmi) describes the political situation in 
Transcaucasia in 1918 and wades into the real reasons the
Germans agreed to get involved - needed raw materials for 
their increasingly desperate war situation.

This map was included with the Turkish translation of the 

German article.  The Black Sea is at left and the Caspian Sea

at right, with the rail line connecting Baku, right, and Poti &

Batumi, left.  A spur went to Yerevan, center, from Tbilisi.//

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Before discussing the reasons for these ideas, though, it would be well

to explain the developing situation in the Caucasus in the aftermath of

the collapse of Russia's Caucasus Front.  As is well known, the various

peoples living in Transcaucasia separated from Russia and, at first, 

there were three independent governments: the Georgian government

around the Rion River, with its center in Tbilisi; the Armenian 

government around Yerevan; and the Azerbaijan government between

Ganja and the Caspian Sea.  

These three then came together as the Transcaucasian Democratic 

Federative Republic but it was doomed immediately by Turkey's 

policy of breaking it up, because such an independent entity in the 

area of the Russian-Turkish border went contrary to the Turks' 

thinking. Turkish policy was more interested in bringing the entire 

region of Transcaucasia under the old Ottoman umbrella.

Ottoman Transcaucasia 320 years earlier click here for a 

recent 3-part TNT series about Ottoman exploits in this

region in the 1580s.

The Azerbaijan Tatars and the Turks were co-religionists so this was

the most powerful element joining them together.  In addition, these

two nations shared a vitriolic hatred and hostility towards the 

Armenians.  It seemed, though, that this would not preoccupy them

but the Turks' ambition and avarice drove them further.  The Turks

believed that the Caucasus, being majority Moslem, ought to be 

under Ottoman sovereignty.  If they succeeded then the Georgians,

as a Christian island in this sea of Islam, could not last for long.

The Turks occupied Batumi, Kars and Ardahan, which they had lost

in their luckless war with Russia in 1878.  Then they established 

relations with Azerbaijan and strived to assemble the necessary 

forces  to put their ambitious plans into practice.  They created the 

"İslam Ordusu" (Army of Islam), commanded by Enver Paşa's brother

Nuri Paşa.  This army was led by Turkish officers, with a nucleus of

Ottoman troops and the rank and file mostly Tatars.   

This Army of Islam's intentions were unknown so the Georgians in

Tbilisi were scared and, in consequence, appealed to the German 

government for protection.  If this situation had not involved German

interests at the time - Spring 1918 - then there is no need to say that

it would have been swiftly rejected, with regret.  However, Germany

did in fact have needs!  

Since 1916, our ever-growing war requirements had increased and 

the outlook for acquiring them was grim. Our raw materials for war 

were being exhausted.  I am referring to manganese for cannon 

ammunition, liquid stimulants for our submarines, gasoline for our 

airplanes and automobies,  and oil for our factories.

//END of PART II//