Anti-Soviet Armed Revolt in Turkmenistan

Abstract

In April - October, 1931 in a steppe part Turkmenistan there was a revolts of the Turkmen nomads. The main reasons of their revolts were violent modernization of cattle breeding economy and Sovietization of the nomadic regions of Turkmenistan. These actions were carried out by means of terror, a rough arbitrariness and violence from the authorities and therefore they caused a sharp protest from inhabitants of sands. Therefore, in various places of Kara Kum steppe the revolt which captured practically all layers of the nomadic population of Turkmenistan broke out. In the same time a part of cattle-farmers of the Western Kazakhstan came to the territory of Turkmenistan and, having united with local nomads, led fight against the Soviet power. Thus, in the beginning 1931, in various places of the Kara Kum steppe the insurgent centers, groups of which systematically made raids on the cities, villages, railway stations and traveling, economical and other objects, and they also committed acts of terrorism against the party and Soviet workers and rural activists. Revolts of the Turkmen and Kazakh nomads were cruelly suppressed by parties and divisions of the Central Asian military district, and also troops of OGPU. Several thousands of people were condemned for participation in the movement, hundreds were shot. The revolt of 1931 is one of the poorly studied subjects of the Soviet and Turkmen history. In this article, on the basis of new archival materials, the attempt is made to reflect in a new way questions of this resonant event.