Papers of the Interdepartmental Conference on Middle Eastern Affairs [‎35v] (70/290)

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fiie extreme view of the Armenian question is that there is an agreement betwe n
the volunteer army of Denikin and the Armenian Society known as the Dachnachatsoun.
What is more probable is that certain individuals composed of groups of officers and
members of the Dachnachatsoun, seeing that friction was likely to arise between the
Georgians and Armenians, have done their utmost to bring about a state of war, and are
now doing their utmost to complicate matters further. It is evident that members of
the volunteer army and members of the Dachnachatsoun are very deeply concerned in
the whole affair. r
Wlnle touching on the whole Armenian question generally, it is to be sincerely
hoped that every effort will be made at the Peace Conference in Paris to liquidate once
and for all the Armenian Political Society known as the Dachnachatsoun, and that it
will be made an international offence against law and order to be a Dachnatsagan, i.e.,
member of the society. This society, originally started with a view to assisting’and
helping the Armenian people, is now nothing more than a political society of revenge,
and thousands of Armenians themselves will testify to the fact that once this wretclled
society ceases to exist, all political intrigues and consequent troubles and massacres will
also cease to exist.
Prince Mugalov and his Aims. —General Prince Mugalov, a Georgian, was formerly
in command of the Mussulman Tartar Division, and took action against the Bolshevists
together with the famous General Patlotsov. He also commanded a brigade against
Azerbaijan, but retired his troops directly he heard that the British had arrived in Baku
with General Dunsterville.
He has received unofficial consent from the Georgian Government to form a corps
to take action against the Bolshevists in Yladikavkas ; one of the conditions is that he
undertakes not to interfere with the internal policy of Georgia. He hopes to be able to
raise from ten to twenty thousand men, mostly of the better classes and the country
districts which have as yet been untouched by Socialism. He is a supporter of the
independence of Georgia in some form or another, but not a Socialist, and is in sympathy
with Denikin in his struggle against Bolshevists.
General Mugalov’s representative, Baron Steinhell, is leaving for Ekaterinodar with
a v .iew to endeavouring to come to some arrangement with Denikin as to the aims and
claims of Georgia, and in the hopes of arranging concerted action between Mugalov and
Denikin against the common enemy Bolshevist.
, a . • e al Mu & alov wish to interview the British authorities
with a view to obtaining support in finance and equipment, as the Georgian Government
has refused them anything but their moral support.
General Mugalov has considerable influence among the hill tribes, and is convinced
that the Ingushi, Checheni, and Daghestan tribes will also follow him.
The Ingushi.—This tribe inhabit the districts around Vladikavkas, and have now
declared their readiness to take action against the Bolshevists. The chiefs declare that
they can put into the field from ten to fifteen thousand men, all used to carrying arms.
As a people they are not very dependable, as they lack funds and strong backing.
They have existed for years by backing the strongest side, hence their wavering policy,
one day Bolshevist and the next against them. They are courageous and goodlio-hters,
but, owing to their geographical situation, require to realise that they are strongly
backed. In this respect our support of Mugalov would be invaluable. Once the Ingushi
and other tribes felt that Mugalov’s detachment was strongly backed by the Allies,
there would be no doubt as to their loyalty. To ensure this, finance and a strong
detachment of British troops at Kazbek is undoubtedly necessary. These people ue all
now morally too weak to stand alone.
Bolshevism. It is a mistake to think that because Bolshevism is not seen in the
Caucasus that it does not exist. Bolshevism in Tiflis is a very real danger, and their
agents are working hard. Both Baku and Tiflis are teeming with them. The virulent
form felt up in Russia cannot appear until the armed forces are affected. In Azerbaijan
and Baku this is at present practically an impossibility, but in Tiflis it is a real danger.
Hence one of the great dangers is a change of the present Government, which is able to
hold the army together; the Georgians can mobilise about 30,000 men, and have some
700 Lewis guns, sent to the Grand Duke’s army in 1917. The Georgian outposts on
the Georgian road are known to be fraternising with the Bolsheviks, and should be
constantly changed or entirely replaced by foreign troops.
. T * 16 g re at mistake made by so many, especially the Russians, is that the combat
against Bolshevism merely consists of killing Bolshevists and conquering the territory
they occupy, whereas the fight against Bolshevism is in reality a struggle against an
idea or doctrine. It is a doctrine which appeals to the uneducated classes in Russia, of"