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{{Infobox Military Conflict
|conflict=Battle of Baku
|partof=] &<br>]
|image=]
|caption=Armenian defenders of Baku man a 4-inch ].
|place=], ]
|date=], ] &ndash; ], ]<ref name="caven"/>
|result=Ottoman victory<ref name="caven"/>
|combatant1={{flag|Ottoman Empire}}<br>{{flagicon|Azerbaijan|1918}} ]<br>] ]
|combatant2={{flagicon|UK}} ]<br>
] ]<br>{{flagicon|Russia}} ]
|commander1={{flagicon|Ottoman Empire}} ]<br>{{flagicon|Ottoman Empire}} ]
|commander2={{flagicon|UK}} ]<br>] ]<ref></ref><br>] ]<ref name="caven"/>
|strength1={{flagicon|Ottoman Empire}}<ref name="caven"/>]<br>''14,000 infantry''<br>''500 cavalry''<br>''40 guns''<ref name="caven"/>
|strength2={{flagicon|UK}} ]<br>''1,000 infantry''<br>''1 artillery battery''<br>''1 machine gun section''<br>''3 armored cars''<br>''2 planes''<ref name="caven"/><br>] ]<br>''6,000 infantry''<br>''40 guns''<ref name="caven"/><br>{{flagicon|Russia}} Bicherakhov detachment<br>''600''<ref name="caven"/>
|casualties1=''Total: 2,000''<ref name="caven"/>
|casualties2={{flagicon|UK}} ]<br>''200''<ref name="caven"/><br>] ]<br>?<br>
|}}
{{Campaignbox Caucasus Campaign}}

The '''Battle of Baku''' ({{lang-az|Bakı döyüşü}}{{Fact|date=August 2007}}, {{lang-ru|Бакинское сражение}}), also referred to as the '''Defense of Baku''' <ref>Yale, William (1968) ''Near East: A Modern History'' p. 247</ref>({{lang-hy|Բաքվի ինքնապաշտպանություն}}<ref>Dadyan, Khatchatur(2006) ''Armenians and Baku'', p. 118</ref>) was the final battle of the ] but just the beginning phase of ].

It took place in the vicinity of ], in September 1918 . The ]-]-]i forces of the ] led by led by ] won the battle against a coalition of ], ] and ] forces led by ].

== Background ==
Following the ] in ], the ] collapsed, and Russian troops evacuated ]. ] and ] were captured by the ]. <ref name=caven>{{cite book
| last = Missen
| first =Leslie
| author link =
| title = Dunsterforce. Marshall Cavendish Illustrated Encyclopedia of WWI, vol ix
| publisher = Marshall Cavendish Corporation
| date =1984
| location =
| pages = pp. 2766-2772
| isbn =0-86307-181-3}}</ref>

A number of Russian troops left through ], but 2 parties remained.<ref name="caven"/> General ] remained in ] with a substantial force, who could not evacuate before winter. He waited for spring. At ], a Russian colonel of ] origin named ] remained with 10,000 faithful troops. Both men were supplanted with ] liaison officers. <ref name="caven"/>

As a result of this collapse, the roughly 800 miles between ] and the ] were open for an Ottoman force to pass through<ref name="caven"/>. The situation was especially dire in the Caucasus, where ] had planned to place ], ] and ] under Turkish suzerainty as part of his ] plan<ref name="caven"/>. This would give the ] numerous natural resources, including the oilfields of Baku. The control of the Caspian would open the way to further expansion in ], and possibly ].<ref name="caven"/>

== Formation of the ] ==

Threatened by the possibility, the British chose to send a mission of officer and instructors to the region to counter the Turks<ref name="caven"/>. The belief behind the mission was that the three republics would fight the Turks to avoid massacre<ref name="caven"/>. It was hope that his would keep the Caucasus-Tabriz front intact and put a stop on Enver’s Pan-Turanian plans<ref name="caven"/>.

The British mission was headed by Major-General ], who arrived to take command of the mission force in ] on ], ]. The first few members of the force were already assembling<ref name="caven"/>.

He was set to proceed from ], through ] to the port of ], then board ship to ] and on. Dunsterville set out from Baghdad on ], ], with 4 NCO’s and batmen in 41 Ford vans and cars<ref name="caven"/>.

However, the country on their road was overrun by the anti-British Jangalis under ], a force about 5,000 strong. On ], he arrived at Anzali. Here he was denied passage to Baku by local ], who cited the change in the political situation. <ref name="caven"/>

=== March massacres ===
{{main|March Days}}
Meanwhile the arrest of General Talyshinski, the commander of the Azerbaijani division, and some of its officers all of whom arrived in ] on ], increased the anti-Soviet feelings among the city's Azeri population. On 30 March the Soviet based on the unfounded report that the ] crew of the ship ''Evelina'' was armed and ready to revolt against the Soviet, disarmed the crew which tried to resist <ref>''{{lang|ru|Документы об истории гражданской войны в С.С.С.Р.}},'' Vol. 1, pp. 282–283.</ref> This led to a 3 days of inter ethnic warfare
referred to as the ], which resulted in the massacre of up to 12,000 Azerbaijanis by the Bolsheviks and armed Armenian units in the city of ] and other locations of ].<ref>"New Republics in the Caucasus", ''The New York Times Current History'', v. 11 no. 2 (March 1920), p. 492</ref><ref>Michael Smith. "Anatomy of Rumor: Murder Scandal, the Musavat Party and Narrative of the Russian Revolution in Baku, 1917-1920", ''Journal of Contemporary History'', Vol 36, No. 2, (Apr. 2001), p. 228</ref><ref name="Smith">{{ru icon}} </ref>

===Situation continues to deteriorate===
], on far left, along with some staff of the ].]]
The situation continued to deteriorate, and in March, Turco-German forces occupied ], ], ], ] and ]<ref name="caven"/>. By May, a military mission under ], brother of ], settled in Tabriz to organize the Army of Islam to fight not only Armenians but also Bolsheviks<ref name="caven"/>. ⅓ of the newly-formed army consisted of Turkish soldiers, the rest being Azerbaijani forces and volunteers from Dagestan.<ref name="rusaz">{{cite book
| last = Swietochowski
| first =Tadeusz
| author link =
| title = Russian Azerbaijan, 1905-1920: The Shaping of National Identity in a Muslim Community
| publisher = Cambridge University Press
| date =1985
| location =Cambridge
| pages =
| isbn = }}</ref>
. Nuri Pasha's army occupied large parts of the Azerbaijani Democratic Republic without much opposition, influencing the fragile structure of the newly-formed state. Ottoman interference led some elements of Azerbaijani society to oppose Turks.<ref name="rusaz"/>

By June, Moscow had sent a Bolshevik commissar named ] with some troops to take charge in Baku<ref name="caven"/>. However much of the troops Shahumian requested to Moscow for the protection of Baku didn't arrive because they were held up on the orders of ] in Tsaristyn. Also on Stalin's order, the grain collected in Northern Caucasus to feed the starving people in Baku was directed to Tsaristyn. Shahumian protested to Lenin and to the Military Committee for Stalin's beahviour and he often stated: "Stalin will not help us". Lack of troops and food will be decisive for the fate of the Baku Soviet.
<ref>{{cite book
| last = Kun
| first =Miklós
| author link =
| title =Stalin: An Unknown Portrait
| publisher = Central European University Press
| date =2003
| location =
| pages =
| isbn = }}</ref>

=== Soviet-Ottoman clashes outside Baku ===

on June 5, 1918, the Ottoman Army launched an assault on Baku that was successfully repulsed by the Baku Soviet Army, though it was evident the Army of Islam had much more men than Soviet forces. On 10 June the Baku Army launched an offensive but was defeated by Turkish troops and retreated to Baku, while the latters started to prepare another attack.

At this point, earlier in June, Bicherakhov was in the vicinity of ], trying to go north<ref name="caven"/>. After defeating some Janglis, he proceeded to check the situation in Baku<ref name="caven"/>. Returning on ], he planned to save the situation by blocking the Army of Islam at Alyaty Pristan'<ref name="caven"/>. However, he arrived too late, and instead went farther north to ], planning to attack the invading Army of Islam from the north. At Baku he left only a small ] contingent<ref name="caven"/>.

Beside the Russians, the Janglis also harassed elements of the ] going to Anzali on their way to Baku. Once defeated, the Janglis dispersed. On reaching Anzali in late July, Dunsterville also arrested the local Bolsheviks who had sided with the Janglis<ref name="caven"/>.

=== Coup and arrival in Baku ===
], on the road to ].]]
On ], a ] overthrew the Bolsheviks in Baku<ref name="caven"/>. The new body, the ], wanted to arrest ], but he and his 1,200 Red Army troops seized the local arsenal and 13 ships, and began heading to Astrakhan. The ], loyal the new government, turned them back<ref name="caven"/>.

By ], the advance parties of the ] had reached the heights above Baku<ref name="caven"/>. Therefore, Dunsterville, immediately started sending contingents of his troops to Baku. On ], British troops were in Baku<ref name="caven"/>.

== Opposing forces ==

Inside Baku itself, the local commander was a former Tsarist General named Dokuchaev<ref>{{ru icon}} by Alexander Goryanin</ref>, along with his ] ], ]<ref name="caven"/>. Under their command were about 6,000 ] troops of the ]<ref name="caven"/> or ]<ref name="caven"/>. A vast majority of the troops in this force were ], though there were some ] among them. Their artillery was compromised of some 40 field guns. The British troops in battle under Dunsterville numbered roughly 1,000. They were supplanted by a field artillery battery, machine gun section, three armoured cars, and also 2 ]. Opposing them were roughly 14,000 Ottoman troops with 500 cavalrymen and 40 pieces of artillery<ref name="caven"/>.

== Abortive offensive by Baku Army ==
]
On ]th Duchachaiev took an offensive at ]<ref name="caven"/>. He planned for 600 Armenians under ] to attack to the north of Baku<ref name="caven"/>. He would further be reinforced by some ] and ], eventually taking ]. By doing this, they planned to close the gap to the sea, and control a strongly defensible line from one end of the ] to the other. The attack failed without artillery support, as the “Inspector of Artillery” had not been given warning<ref name="caven"/>.

The local counteroffensive failed to push the Army of Islam back<ref name="caven"/>. The operation was not given artillery cover, as the “Inspector of Artillery” had not been warned. As a result of the failure, the remnants of the force retired to a line slightly north of Diga<ref name="caven"/>.

== Main battle ==
While Baku and it's environs was the site of clashes since June, and into mid-August, the term ''Battle of Baku'' refers to the operations of ] - ].<ref name="caven"/><ref>{{cite web
| last =Comtois
| first =Pierre
| title =World War I: Battle for Baku
| publisher =HistoryNet
| url =http://www.historynet.com/wars_conflicts/20_21_century/3035386.html?page=1&c=y
| accessdate = 2007-07-19}}</ref>
=== First Turkish assault ===

On ], the Army of Islam launched their main attack against positions at ]<ref name="caven"/>. Despite a shortage of artillery, British and Baku troops held the positions against the Army of Islam. Following the main assault, the Turks also attacked ] farther north, but also failed. After these attacks, reinforcements were sent to the ], from where they held the heights to the north<ref name="caven"/>. However, faced with increased artillery fire from Turks, they finally retired to the railway line. <ref name="caven"/>

On ] and ], the Turks shelled the city heavily, and attacked the ] position. 500 Turks in close order charged up the hill, but were repulsed with the help of artillery. However, the under-strength British troops were forced to retire to positions farther south at ]<ref name="caven"/>.
]
Between August 29, and September 1, the Turks managed to capture the positions of Warwick Hill and Diga, several coalition units were overrun, and losses were heavy. By this point, allied troops were pushed back to a saucer-like position that made up the eights surrounding Baku<ref name="caven"/>.

However, Ottoman losses were so heavy that ] was not immediately able to continue his offensive. This gave the Baku Army invaluable time to reorganize<ref name="caven"/>.

=== Dunsterville’s dilemma ===

Faced with an ever worsening situation, Dunsterville organized a meeting with the ] on ]. He said that he was not willing to risk more British lives and gave them a heads up for his withdrawal. However, the dictators protested stating that they would fight to the bitter end, and the British should leave only when troops of the Baku Army did<ref name="caven"/>.

Dunsterville decided to stay until the situation became hopeless, and Bicherakhov had captured ], allowing him to send help to Baku. The reinforcement of 600 men from his force, including ] raised hope<ref name="caven"/>.

=== Lull in the fighting ===
]
Between ] and ], the Turks did not attack. During this period, the Baku force prepared itself and send out airplane patrols constantly<ref name="caven"/>. On ], an ] ] from the ] ], giving information suggesting the main assault would take place on the 14th<ref name="caven"/>.

=== Defeat and evacuation ===

On the night of the 13/14, the Turks began their attacks. The Turks nearly overran the strategic position of ], from where the whole battlefield could be seen. However, a counterattack stopped them. The fighting continued for the rest of the day, and the situation eventually became hopeless. By the Night of the 14th, the remnants of the ] and ] and evacuated the city for Anzali<ref name="caven"/>.

== Atrocities during the capture of the city ==
{{main|September Days}}
A terrible panic in Baku ensued when the Turks began to enter the city. Armenians crowded the harbor in a frantic effort to escape the fate that they knew always accompanied a Turkish victory<ref name="walker">{{cite book
| last = Walker
| first = Christopher
| author link =
| title = ARMENIA: The Survuval of a Nation
| publisher = St. Martin's Press
| date =1980
| location =New York
| pages = p. 260
| isbn = 0709902107}}</ref>. Regular Ottoman troops were not allowed to enter the city for two days, so that the local irregulars – ''bashibozuks'' – would conduct looting and pillaging<ref name="walker" />. The violence with which they turned on the Armenians knew no bounds<ref name="walker" />.The man in charge of posts and telegraphs in Baku, one of those who negotiated the surrender of the city and vainly tried to prevent the worst excesses, noted:

{{cquote|'' 'Robberies, murders and rapes were at their height . In the whole town massacres of the Armenian population and robberies of all non-Muslim peoples were going on. They broke the doors and windows, entered the living quarters, dragged out men, women and children and killed them in the street. From all the houses the yells of the people who were being attacked were heard. … In some spots there were mountains of dead bodies, and many had terrible wounds from dum-dum bullets. The most appalling picture was at the entrance to the Treasury Lane from Surukhanskoi Street. The whole street was covered with dead bodies of children not older than nine or ten years. About eighty bodies carried wounds inflicted by swords or bayonets, and many had their throats cut; it was obvious that the wretched ones had been slaughtered like lambs. From Telephone Street we heard cries of women and children and we heard single shots. Rushing to their rescue I was obliged to drive the car over the bodies of dead children. The crushing of bones and strange noises of torn bodies followed. The horror of the wheels covered with the intestines of dead bodies could not be endured by the colonel and the asker (adjutant). They closed their eyes with their hands and lowered their heads. They were afraid to look at the terrible slaughter. Half mad from what he saw, the driver sought to leave the street, but was immediately confronted by another bloody hecatomb.' ''<ref>{{cite book
| last = Kayaloff
| first = Jacques
| author link =
| title =The Fall of Baku
| publisher =
| date =1976
| location = Bergenfield
| pages = p. 12
| isbn = }}
</ref>}}

== Aftermath ==

The total British losses after the battle totaled about 200 men and officers killed, missing or wounded. Mursal Pasha admitted Ottoman losses to be at around 2,000<ref name="caven"/>. The casualties among Baku's 80,000 person Armenian community vary from 9,000 to 10,000, which was roughly equal to the number of Azeris massacred by Armenians and Bolsheviks during the ].<ref name="rusaz"/> Altogehter as many as 50,000 Armenians were either killed or deported.<ref name=bruno>{{cite book
| last = Coppieters
| first = Bruno
| author link =
| title =Commonwealth and Independence in Post-Soviet Eurasia
| publisher = Routlege
| date =1998
| location =
| pages = p.82
| isbn = 0714644803}}</ref>
It was the last major massacre of World War I.<ref>Andreopoulos, George(1997) ''Genocide: Conceptual and Historical Dimensions'' University of
Pennsylvania Press, ] p. 236</ref>

No oil from Baku’s oilfields got beyond ] before the ] and ] signed the armistice<ref name="caven"/>. By ], ] and ] were ejected from Baku and a British general sailed into the city, headed by one of the ships that had evacuated on the night of ]<ref name="caven"/>.

== Gallery ==
<gallery>
Image:Armenians_baku1918.jpg|Armenian units drilling in Baku.
Image:Dunsterforce Rus Arm.jpg|Shortly before the Turkish attack: Russian and Armenian soldiers near the front line.
Image:Dunsterforce training.jpg| Shortly before the Turkish attack: Training troops of the local Baku Army.
</gallery>

== References ==
<div class="references-small" style="-moz-column-count:2; column-count:2;">
<references />
</div>

== External links ==
*{{cite web
| last =Symes
| first =Peter
| title = The Note Issues of Azerbaijan: Part I – The Baku Issues
| publisher =P.J.Symes
| url = http://www.pjsymes.com.au/articles/az-baku.htm
| accessdate = 2007-07-24}}
*{{cite web
| last =Dunsterville
| first =Lionel
| title = The Diaries of General Lionel Dunsterville, 1918
| publisher =Great War Documentary Archive
| url = http://www.gwpda.org/Dunsterville/Dunsterville_1918.html
| accessdate = 2007-07-24}}
*{{cite web
| last =Judge
| first =Cecil
| title = With General Dunsterville in Persia and Transcaucasus
| publisher =Russia-Australia Historical Military Connections
| url = http://www.argo.net.au/andre/captain_judge.htm
| accessdate = 2007-07-24}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Baku 1918}}
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]

Revision as of 12:40, 13 September 2007