578 Chapter 5
MID#612
Dispute Number: 612
Date(s): February 27, 1921 to March 16, 1921
Participants: 365 Russia/640 Turkey
Outcome (and Settlement): Compromise (Negotiated)
Fatalities: None
Narrative: This was a dispute between Soviet Russia and Turkey over possession
of modern-day Batumi (Georgia). The Soviets wanted to subsume Georgian territory
under their control, while officials in Ankara hoped to control Batumi so they could
control Armenia. On February 23, 1921, the Turkish government at Ankara issued
an ultimatum to the Georgian government to abandon Ardahan, Artvin, and Batumi.
Two days later Soviet troops occupied Tblisi, and on February 26, Turkey and Soviet
Russia entered negotiations. The Turks moved 10,000 troops to the border with
Batumi the following day.
In early March, Georgia requested that Turkey take partial and temporary
control of Batumi, thereby freeing troops to fight the Soviets. By March 9, the
Georgians requested that Turkey occupy the port at Batumi to prevent the Soviets
from capturing it; however, the Georgians insisted the administration in Batumi
remain in Georgian hands. Turkey refused to agree to a Georgian administration
there, and Turkish officials landed in Batumi and began to establish a Turkish
administration the next day. The Turks imposed martial law and disarmed Geor-
gian troops.
On March 16, Soviet Russia and Turkey signed the Treaty of Moscow where Rus-
sia would not recognize international agreements not approved by Turkey’s National
Assembly and would free Turkish shipping from customs and harbor dues through
Batumi, while Turkey ended its claim to Georgia and Batumi.
Under this agreement Batumi gained full autonomy under a Georgian adminis-
tration. However, Georgian troops continued to fight. On March 17, Soviet troops
entered Batumi, and refugees reported that the Soviets ransacked the city and slaugh-
tered civilians. The Georgian administration then declared itself Bolshevist. Georgian
troops attacked the Turkish troops in Batumi, and Turkish troops abandoned Batumi
by the end of the month. On October 23, Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia
signed the Treaty of Kars, which delimited the border.
Coding changes: End day changed from Missing.
MID#252
Dispute Number: 252
Date(s): December 4, 1945 to October 4, 1946
Participants: 365 Russia/2 United States of America, 640 Turkey
Outcome (and Settlement): Unclear (None)
Fatalities: None
Narrative: Anti-communist protests began on December 4, 1945, in Istanbul, Turkey.
On December 8, the Soviet ambassador to Turkey declared that the Soviet Union
protested these demonstrations, deemed the demonstrations “hostile to the Soviet
Union,” and laid the responsibility on the government of Turkey. Turkey’s response