Central Asia expansion

• By the start of WW2, USSR had influence in Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan & Azerbaijan

  Central Asia was a highly valued part of the Empire/USSR, but unlike other regions, it was allowed to keep its national identity

  • Central Asia largely avoided Russification - given the complexity of their societies & difficulties w/ communication & transport, Russification was not practical or desirable
• Tsars used forceful methods to take territory into Russian control, Communists used more peaceful political methods (e.g. constitutions) - motives were the same though. Central Asia could provide living/working space for large numbers of peasants. The region was developed for cotton cultivation to serve the textiles industry.

  Central Asian territories bordered Afghanistan, India & China - possibility of further expansion & influence
• Steppe Statute 1891:

  • 40 acres of land granted to peasant settlers (enough to establish successful farm units) - movement to consolidate influence
• 1910: Stolypin pushed for even greater migration to Asia as peasant demands for land were growing
• Islam

  • Under Tsars: Islam recognised & respected as a major religion; Nich II - All Russian Muslim League allowed representation in the first Duma, but then disallowed after the 1907 electoral law
  • Under Communists: guarantees that their rights would be protected, condemnation of the repression they encountered under the Tsars
• War involvement

  • 1915-17: gov initially tried to conscript to help with the war effort, but Central Asians were not deemed fit for combat & were given other jobs
  • This caused a conscription revolt - showed how sensitive they were to Russian involvement in their affairs
• Deportation zones:

  • Central Asia was used as a ‘dumping ground’ for groups that were being punished (e.g. those accused of German collaboration during WW2)
  • Khrushchev: “On the Rehabilitation of Deported Peoples” - allowed many (but not all) deported groups to return to their homelands
• Virgin Lands Scheme:

  • Khrushchev involving himself in Central Asian affairs - Russia would become self-sufficient by growing maize in areas of Kazakhstan (this plan failed badly)
  • Sentiment was negative in Central Asia - they felt that the immigrants were taking their land