Why did British and Ottoman forces fight a bloody battle for Baku in 1918?
In the final months of World War I, the strategic oilfields of Baku became the epicenter of a complex struggle involving Ottoman, British, Bolshevik, and local forces. This clash, known as the Battle of Baku, reshaped the Caucasus, fueling cycles of ethnic violence and defining the region's path toward independence.
The Battle of Baku was a pivotal, violent chapter in the Caucasus Campaign of World War I. Following the Russian Revolution and the collapse of the Caucasus Front, the region descended into chaos. By 1918, the Ottoman Empire sought to expand its influence into the Caucasus, driven by Enver Pasha’s Pan-Turanian ambitions and the desire to secure Baku’s vital oil resources. Opposing them were the Bolshevik-led Baku Soviet, later replaced by the Central Caspian Dictatorship, and the British Dunsterforce—a small, specialized mission led by Major-General Lionel Dunsterville tasked with keeping the front intact and blocking Ottoman expansion.
The conflict was marked by intense inter-ethnic warfare. The 'March Days' of 1918 saw massacres of Azerbaijanis by Bolsheviks and Armenian Dashnaks, followed by the 'September Days,' where Ottoman and Azerbaijani forces retaliated with the mass killing of Armenian civilians upon entering Baku. Estimates suggest up to 30,000 Armenians were killed in the September violence, while the March events resulted in thousands of deaths on both sides. These atrocities horrified even German allies, who were present in the region and witnessed the systematic destruction of Armenian populations, leading to significant friction between German and Ottoman military leadership.
The military climax occurred between August and September 1918. Despite the efforts of the Dunsterforce and the Baku Army, the Ottoman Islamic Army of the Caucasus, commanded by Nuri Pasha, eventually overwhelmed the city’s defenses. By 14 September, the British and their local allies were forced to evacuate. However, the Ottoman victory was short-lived; the Armistice of Mudros on 30 October 1918 forced Ottoman troops to withdraw, and British forces under General William Thomson returned to occupy Baku in November. Today, the battle remains a cornerstone of Azerbaijani national history, symbolizing the enduring military and diplomatic cooperation between Azerbaijan and Turkey.
Source: Battle of Baku
