Establishment of Soviet Power in Central Asia

Abstract

The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) was indeed a multinational state, with a vast and diverse territory inherited from the Tsarist conquests that took place from the early 16th century to the first quarter of the 20th. The Russian empire’s final territorial acquisition was the region known as Turkestan, which is now called Central Asia. Significant changes occurred with the Tsarist Imperial Decree of June 25, 1916, and the Bolshevik Revolution of November 7, 1917. The Bolshevik Revolution marked the beginning of transformative processes that further altered Central Asia. Following the revolution, civil war erupted across the young Soviet states. Muslim guerrillas, referred to as “Basmachis” by the Soviets, fought against the Bolsheviks during the 1920s. However, by the early 1930s, the Soviet forces had largely crushed the armed opposition. As Bolshevik power consolidated in Central Asia, certain administrative changes were implemented. The former Tsarist Governorate-Generals of Turkestan and the Steppe Region were transformed into the Turkestan and Kirghiz Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republics (ASSRs) in 1918 and 1920, respectively. Additionally, the vassal khanates of Bukhara and Khiva became People’s Republics in 1920, appearing to be independent but ultimately under Soviet control. Overall, the history of Central Asia within the context of the USSR reflects a complex interplay of conquests, revolutions, civil wars, and administrative changes that shaped the region’s political landscape during the early 20th century.