Invasion of Tabriz, World War I

Invasion of Tabriz during World War I was multiple occupations and re-occupations of the city of Tabriz in Iranian Azerbaijan by forces of the Ottoman Empire and the Russian Empire during World War I.

History

Before World War I Tabriz was already held by Russian forces and had been since the Russian Invasion of Tabriz, 1911. On June 31, 1914, three days after the war began, the Iranian government declared neutrality. Despite this, once the Russians started their campaign in autumn, they sent additional forces to northwestern Iran, reinforcing the 10,000 men already there with an additional 60,000.

On January 2, 1915, at the Battle of Sarikamish in the Caucasus, Ottoman forces started their campaign inside Iran and forced Russian forces to retreat to Jolfa. During this campaign, Ottoman forces occupied Tabriz.

Ottoman troops around Tabriz, 1917.

With fresh forces, the Russians defeated Ottoman forces south of Jolfa and regained control of Tabriz. The Russians proceeded on toward the west, invaded Urmia and went up to Van Lake. At the same time the Russians entered central Iran and occupied Qazvin, Karaj, and Tehran.

After the February Revolution in 1917, front-line Russian forces dissolved and started to retreat from Iran. Ottoman forces quickly took action and occupied northwestern Iran and Tabriz.[1] They stayed in Tabriz up until August 23, 1918.[2]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Clifford Edmund Bosworth (1 January 2007). Historic Cities of the Islamic World. BRILL. ISBN 90-04-15388-8.
  2. ↑ Edward J. Erickson (12 March 2007). Ottoman Army Effectiveness in World War I: A Comparative Study. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-135-98456-4.
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