The Soviet Union's Expansion: Azerbaijan's Annexation

Azerbaijan was briefly an independent state after the collapse of the Russian Empire in 1917, but its independence was terminated when the Red Army arrived in 1920. From 1922 until 1991, Azerbaijan was a constituent republic of the USSR, known as the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic. In 1991, the Soviet Union collapsed and Azerbaijan became part of the Commonwealth of Independent States.

Azerbaijan's independence was short-lived, lasting from 1918 to 1920

After centuries of being fought over by Russian, Persian, and Ottoman forces, Azerbaijan became part of the Russian Empire in the 19th century. In the aftermath of the Russian Revolution in 1917, Azerbaijani nationalists fell out with the new Bolshevik government in Petrograd. The nationalists proclaimed Azerbaijan's independence in 1918, and the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic was established on 28 May 1918 by the Musavat Party. The name "Azerbaijan", which had previously been used to identify the adjacent region of northwestern Iran, was adopted for political reasons.

The Azerbaijan Democratic Republic was the Islamic world's first democratic republic. It was a secular state, with its first parliament meeting on 5 December 1918. However, the country faced internal conflicts and external threats from the beginning. In Baku, a coalition of Bolsheviks, Dashnaks, and Mensheviks fought against a Turkish Islamic army led by Nuri Pasha. This coalition, known as the Baku Commune, inspired or tacitly condoned the massacre of local Muslims by Dashnak-Armenian forces.

In 1920, the Red Army invaded Azerbaijan, and the country's brief independence came to an end. The Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic was established on 28 April 1920, and the country became part of the Soviet Union. The formation of the Azerbaijan SSR was facilitated by popular support for Bolshevik ideology, particularly among workers in Baku. The country was initially an independent state until its incorporation into the Transcaucasian SFSR along with the Armenian SSR and the Georgian SSR. In December 1922, the Transcaucasian SFSR became part of the newly established Soviet Union, and Azerbaijan remained a part of the USSR until its dissolution in 1991.

The Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic was established on 28 April 1920

The Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic, also known as the Azerbaijani Soviet Socialist Republic, was established on 28 April 1920. This was when the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic brought pro-Soviet figures to power in the region. The Azerbaijan SSR was created after the surrender of the government of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic to local Bolsheviks, led by Mirza Davud Huseynov and Nariman Narimanov, and the invasion of the Bolshevik 11th Red Army.

The Azerbaijan SSR was an independent country for the first two years of its existence. In 1922, it was incorporated into the Transcaucasian SFSR, along with the Armenian SSR and the Georgian SSR. In December 1922, the Transcaucasian SFSR became part of the newly established Soviet Union. The Azerbaijan SSR remained part of the USSR until the union's dissolution in 1991.

The Azerbaijan SSR was strictly controlled during its time as part of the Soviet Union, particularly under the rule of Joseph Stalin and Azerbaijan Communist Party leader Mir Jafar Baghirov. Extensive repressions continued during the 1940s, alongside the urbanisation and industrialisation of the region. During the first decades of the Soviet era, around 120,000 people were deported from Azerbaijan.

In the early Soviet period, the Azerbaijani national identity was finally forged. In 1991, the independent Republic of Azerbaijan was proclaimed following the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Azerbaijan was part of the Transcaucasian SFSR from 1920 to 1936

Azerbaijan was part of the Transcaucasian SFSR from 1922 to 1936. The Transcaucasian SFSR, also known as the Transcaucasian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic or Transcaucasia, was a republic of the Soviet Union that existed from 1922 to 1936. It was formed from the unification of the Armenian, Azerbaijani and Georgian SSRs, which were created when the Red Army invaded and sovietized the three Transcaucasian Republics of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia.

The Transcaucasian SFSR was one of the four founding members of the Soviet Union in 1922, along with the Russian SFSR, the Ukrainian SSR and the Byelorussian SSR. The Transcaucasian SFSR was dissolved in 1936, and its constituent republics were elevated to become individual republics of the Soviet Union.

The roots of the Transcaucasian SFSR can be traced back to the dissolution of the Russian Empire in 1918, following the October Revolution. The provinces of the Caucasus seceded and formed their own state, the Transcaucasian Federation, which lasted only two months due to competing ethno-national interests and conflict with the Ottoman Empire during World War I.

The three successor states, the First Republic of Armenia, the Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan and the Democratic Republic of Georgia, lasted until the end of the Russian Civil War, when they were invaded by the Red Army. In 1920, Azerbaijan was invaded by Soviet forces, which led to the establishment of the Azerbaijan SSR. The country was briefly independent for the first two years of the Azerbaijani SSR, until it was incorporated into the Transcaucasian SFSR in 1922.

The Azerbaijan SSR was renamed the Republic of Azerbaijan in 1991

Azerbaijan was invaded by Soviet forces in 1920, which led to the establishment of the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic (SSR). The Azerbaijan SSR was a constituent republic of the Soviet Union from 1922 to 1991. On 5 February 1991, the Azerbaijan SSR was renamed the Republic of Azerbaijan, according to Decision No.16-XII of the Supreme Soviet of Azerbaijan, which approved the Decree of the President of the Azerbaijan SSR dated 29 November 1990. The Azerbaijan SSR remained part of the USSR until it declared independence in October 1991.

The renaming of the Azerbaijan SSR to the Republic of Azerbaijan was part of the country's transition to independence from the Soviet Union. The name change reflected the country's desire to establish a national identity distinct from the Soviet Union and emphasize its sovereignty. The new name also harkened back to the name of the region before the Soviet invasion in 1920, when it was known as the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic.

The process of renaming the Azerbaijan SSR began with the Decree of the President of the Azerbaijan SSR on 29 November 1990. This decree was then approved by the Supreme Soviet of Azerbaijan, the country's main legislative body, on 5 February 1991. The Supreme Soviet was composed of deputies elected from all regions of Azerbaijan, and it had the power to make laws, approve the budget, and appoint the government. The Supreme Soviet played a crucial role in the country's transition to independence, as it was responsible for passing the resolution confirming the restoration of Azerbaijan's independence on 18 October 1991.

The renaming of the Azerbaijan SSR was a significant step towards establishing the independent Republic of Azerbaijan. However, the country's constitution continued to be that of the Azerbaijan SSR until 1995, when a new constitution was adopted, solidifying the country's independence and democratic system of government. The Supreme Soviet of the Azerbaijan SSR was also renamed the Supreme Soviet of the Azerbaijan Republic and continued to function as the country's legislative body until it was disbanded in 1995 and replaced by the National Assembly.

The transition to independence was a complex process that involved political, economic, and social changes. During this period, Azerbaijan faced challenges such as the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict with Armenia, which escalated into a full-scale war by the end of 1991. Despite these challenges, the country successfully transitioned to independence, and the United States recognized Azerbaijan's independence on 25 December 1991.

Azerbaijan declared independence from the USSR in 1991

Azerbaijan, officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, is a transcontinental country at the boundary of Eastern Europe and West Asia. It is a part of the South Caucasus region.

Azerbaijan was an independent nation from 1918 to 1920 but was then incorporated into the Soviet Union. It became a constituent (union) republic in 1936. Azerbaijan declared sovereignty on September 23, 1989, and independence on August 30, 1991. The country was recognised by the United States on December 25, 1991.

Azerbaijan was fought over by Russian, Persian and Ottoman forces for centuries. The Russo-Persian wars of 1804–1813 and 1826–1828 forced the Qajar Empire to cede its Caucasian territories to the Russian Empire. The region north of the Aras River was Iranian until it was conquered by Russia in the 19th century.

In the late 19th century, an Azerbaijani national identity emerged when the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic proclaimed its independence from the Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic in 1918, a year after the Russian Empire collapsed. In 1920, the country was conquered and incorporated into the Soviet Union as the Azerbaijan SSR. The modern Republic of Azerbaijan proclaimed its independence on 30 August 1991, shortly before the dissolution of the Soviet Union.

The Azerbaijan SSR was established on 28 April 1920 when the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic brought pro-Soviet figures to power in the region. The first two years of the Azerbaijani SSR were as an independent country until incorporation into the Transcaucasian SFSR, along with the Armenian SSR and the Georgian SSR. In December 1922, the Transcaucasian SFSR became part of the newly established Soviet Union.

In 1991, Azerbaijan participated in a union-wide referendum to preserve the union as the Union of Soviet Sovereign Republics but with different constitutional arrangements. The referendum was passed by 93.3% of valid polls. However, the Armenian SSR did not participate in the referendum.

Azerbaijan's independence was followed by the First Nagorno-Karabakh War, which began by the end of the year. This resulted in the creation of the self-declared separatist Republic of Artsakh, which became de facto independent with the end of the First Nagorno-Karabakh War in 1994, although the region and seven surrounding districts remained internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan.

The country is officially a unitary semi-presidential republic. It is one of six independent Turkic states and an active member of the Organization of Turkic States and the TÜRKSOY community. Azerbaijan has diplomatic relations with 182 countries and holds membership in 38 international organisations.

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