The Occupatıon, Lıberatıon And Partıcıpatıon Of Oltu To Homeland (1878-1920)
Selami Kılıç
Keywords: Armistice of Mudros, Oltu Şûra Goverment, Oltu Islamic Comittee, 9th Kafkas Division
Abstract
According to the Ayastefanos (Yeşilköy) Treaty on 3 March 1878, Oltu was delivered to Russia together with the districts of Kars, Ardahan, Batum and Bayezid as a reparation of war. The Russian occupation lasted 40 years and came to an end with the coming of the Turkish Army on 25 March 1918.
People in Oltu began to reorganize themselves, refusing to obey the articles of Armistice of Mudros signed on 30 October 1918. In the "Council Offices", ancillary to "Cenubi Garbi Kafkas Hükümeti" founded in Kars on 18 January 1919, Oltu took place, after the annihilation of this Government by the English, The Oltu Islamic Comittee went into action and founded "Oltu Şûra Government".
The "Oltu Şûra Government" successfully governed Oltu around a year and did not let the Armenians into its borders. Oltu Şûra Government also let the Grand National Assembly Government know that Oltu wanted to join the motherland. The Grand National Assembly declared that Oltu had been added to motherland on 17th of May in 1920. Though the Armenians attacked Oltu in June 1920 in order to conquer, they were defeated by the local forces and the 9th Kafkas division. As a result of this, the fact that Oltu was a land of Turks was accepted.