Caucasian War: results are more important than causes

The official date of the Russian Empire's victory in the Caaucasian War is May 21, 1864. On that day, the Russian forces took over Kbaada (today's Krasnodaya Polyana, Krasnodar Territory). It is the moment combat ended, though highlanders were still putting up resistance until the end of the year. Spontaneous uprisings in Chechnya and Dagestan kept happening for decades.

Even today, when 151 years have passed since the events, attempts to play the nationalistic card on the political board of the modern North Caucasus continue, using facts and circumstances ripped from the context. The objective reality is totally ignored.

Countless scientific and pseudo-scientific works about the Caucasian War have been written. It would seem that everything has already been covered and proven: the empire was protecting its borders and geopolitical interests, the highlanders were fighting for their independence. But, as they say, there are nuances. The problem is that basic historical points are interpreted in a biased fashion. Instead of an impartial revision of historical facts, we get manipulation of minds and sentiment of descendents of the veterans of the war. It is pure psychology that takes the over-personal perception of the topic by numerous people into account. Finding examples is easy.

Myth one. The empire was fighting against highland peoples to exterminate them. Wrong. The Russian Empire was pursuing a state policy in the region, and its key enemies were powerful countries of the time. The highland peoples got between the mill stones of interests and ambitions of the most powerful countries. A tragedy? Undeniably. For separate people and large ethnicities. But was there genocide and hell-bent strive to wipe them and the memory about highlanders from the face of the earth by any means? Not at all.

The war continued. A hideous, cruel and merciless war. The enemy on the field was destroying its enemy. The stronger one won. But there was no extermination based on ethnic or religious origins. On the contrary. There are plenty of examples of alliances between Russia and many Caucasians. They were not only cases of kunachestvo, Russia established strong military bonds with states in the Caucasus. The examples are numerous, any reference materials on the topic are demonstrative.

The Russian army had many Armenian, Georgian, Tatar, Chechen and other Caucasian volunteers. They were fighting quite well. Many local natives were officers in the Caucasian army. Prince Merhchersky said in his diary published in 1876: 'The Caucasus was conquered by weapons of Russians... and weapons of natives of the Caucasus...' Those who forget about it betray the memory about true partiots who wanted only prosperity and peace for their land.

We can speculate about what would have happened with many other small ethnicities of the Caucasus if they had not joined the enormous powerful state. The fate of some erstwhile conspicuous ethnicities on other territories of the planet who lost self-identity says a lot. However, the history cannot be rewritten. What has happened - has happened. Time cannot be reversed.

Myth two. Caucasians lacked a positive choice, they were doomed for 'multi-century slavery' or total destruction. Lies. Despite the overt criticism, the concept of voluntary mergence of Caucasian ethnicities with Russia (which was especially evident in the 'sovereignty parade' of the 90s), ignoring the objective facts of non-forced solidarization in the process is impossible.

All peoples fought. The military and political elite was at war. The ethnicities wanted to live peacefully and were ready for peaceful coexistance. The assumption is proven by further harmonious and equitable development of Caucasian ethnicities in the territorial boundaries of Russia. They were guaranteed freedom of religion and socio-cultural development in the imperial and the Soviet periods. The tendency continued and was realized in modern conditions so well that it simply lost topicality. What 'Russian slavery' are people talking about if Caucasians were proving their loyalty and fidelity with unprecedented military and labour deeds later on? One can recall the merit of the sons of the Caucasus during the Great Patriotic War. Would slaves protect their masters with such zeal? No. That is how citizens of one mighty state protect their Homeland.

What violation of the rights of Caucasian nationalities could there be if the highlanders have been playing an enormous role in the life of the greatest country in the imperial and the Soviet times. The examples are so obvious that they do not even need mentioning!

Those who sing about the fabled 'Caucasian genocide' on the bidding of their overseas masters should be reminded about the true genocide committed by their overseas State Department curators in colour revolutions, about extremination of the native population of North America by colonialists. For some reason, it is unpopular to recall how many millions of natives were actually killed in the process of 'civilizing the natives peoples.' Our 'foreign partners' are even more reluctant to raise the topic of the condition of natives' remains on the territory of the US. The degradation and extinction in reservations or total assimilation. Are the 'conquered' Caucasian peoples in modern Russia in such condition? Answer it yourself. But be honest.

Myth three. The Caucasian War was presumably permanent. The resistance was clandestine but vivid. The freedom-loving region will throw off the chains of its imperial conquerors and gain the long-awaited freedom. That is how the slogan 'Does Russia need the Caucasus?' is replaced by 'Does the Caucasus need Russia?'

A typical provocation based on equivocation. A small pile of extremists encouraged from abroad is groundlessly associating itself with the whole population of the region. Unfortunately, part of the population (especially young people) is naively falling for the provocations, catching the ideas of separatism. They are the target. Fortunately, it is not the determining tendency. Most people understand that someone benefits from the irrational question. The Caucasus is Russia. Russia is the Caucasus as a whole.

The author of the article had a conversation with an average native of the Chechen Republic during the First Chechen War. He was quite a successful medium-sized businessman who had spent past years making eking out. He was saying the following:

'Why engage in a war? I have everything: a house, parents, two sons and a daughter, wife. I had business I was doing with people I had never asked about the nationality. I have freedom and honour. Who would take them from me? No one. I do not need a war, I need peace. I do not know what to do now. Maybe I will go to Moscow or Petersburg, wait there...'

Need I mention that many people in the republic shared the opinion? But their desires were ignored, others, whose names are well-known, decided for them. Active attempts are made to choose the fate for people now.

We can recall many myths and speculations about the date. Why? Unfortunately, they will inevitably be voiced in light of the anniversary of the Caucasian War as part of some sort of information resources. But you should not be confused with their purpose.

It is once again worth quoting Dagestani poet Rasul Gamzatov, a citizen of peace and a son of a great country: 'We have not volutarily entered Russia and will not voluntarily leave it.'

The words contain the deepest meaning. Integration of the Caucasus into the empire was entailed by many tragic events. But it turned out to be fateful. Small ethnicities of the Caucasus got a chance to preserve their culture, language, traditions, uniqueness and faith. They can do it as a close-knit family of ethnicities of an enormous state. And they are ready to stand for the new reality.

The Day of the End of the Caucasian War is highlighted by the word 'end'. The war ended 151 years ago. And, thank God, it ended. Deaths stopped, mass tragedies and deprivations stopped. Any peace is better than war. Especially when the furute has shown both safe aspects of any peaceful process and its prospects for further development of Caucasian peoples.

The date is plenty of tragedy. But there is a lot more good in it. Everyone relating thoughts to peace and construction need no explanations.