The policy of Soviet Russia in Azerbaijan (1920-1940)

Azerbaijan has always attracted the attention of Russia due to its geographical location and the natural resources it has. 19th century. Azerbaijan, which was occupied by tsarist Russia at the beginning of the century, was founded on May 28, 1918 by M.E. It declared independence under the leadership of Rasulzade, but was occupied by Bolshevik Russia again on April 27, 1920. This Soviet regime, which lasted for seventy-one years until 1991, had negative consequences on Azerbaijan. Soviet Russia, which implemented a colonial policy in Azerbaijan, caused great damage to the country's agriculture, industry and culture. Baku oil was transported to Russia and agricultural products needed by Russia were grown on the territory of Azerbaijan. People have been tried to be separated from their essence by being digested. Soviet Russia aimed to raise generations that served its interests, to separate the people from Islamic and Turkish culture and melt them into the Soviet cultural crucible, and wanted to create a "Soviet model of a new person". Especially the Soviet policy implemented in the 1920s and 1930s is more serious in this sense. Stalin, who took over the government with the death of Lenin in 1924, implemented a policy of repression (mass repressions) in Azerbaijan, as in the entire Soviet Union. Those who were against the regime were labeled with names such as Pan-Turkist, Pan-Islamist, enemy of the people, bandit, golçomak. Thousands of intellectuals raised by Azerbaijan were either executed by shooting or abandoned to their fate in the penal camps of Siberia and Central Asia. Repressive policies that arouse distrust and dissatisfaction among the Azerbaijani people have led to popular uprisings from time to time. But the regime suppressed these uprisings. What was done during this period was kept secret from the Soviet people and the world public opinion for many years or was reflected in a distorted way. Finally, with the Gorbochov period, the Soviet archives were opened for researchers to examine and the events that took place during that period were brought to light. In this study, it is aimed to take into account the policies implemented by the Soviet regime in Azerbaijan in the 1920s and 1930s and to provide a healthy understanding of the problems experienced in the same geography today. It is aimed that the study will contribute to different studies to be conducted in this field from now on. What happened in the historical period we are talking about has been tried to be revealed in this study by examining archival documents, printed materials belonging to the period and research related to the subject in the context of its causes and consequences. Keywords: Azerbaijan, Stalin, golçomak, Pan-Turkist, Pan-Islamist, policy of oppression (mass repressions