Zemstvo of Maritime Territory

Zemstvo of Maritime Territory (Russian: Приморская областная земская управа) was a local government that existed in the eastern part of Russia during the Russian Civil War.

An Idea of Buffer State

In 1919 White forces in Western Siberia were defeated by the Reds. Now the main threat for the young Soviet State was in Europe; Russian Far East was occupied by the forces of different foreign countries (mainly Japan). Central Committee of Russian Communist Party (bolsheviks) (RCP(b)) issued an order "to find a way of solving the complicated question of Eastern Siberia, trying to avoid the military conflict with Japan". At the end of December SR-led Political Centre overthrown Aleksandr Kolchak in Irkutsk; during negotiation with the Revolution Military Council of Red 5th Army at the January, 1920, Political Centre offered to organize a buffer republic in Far East region with Irkutsk as its capital. A.M.Krasnoshchekov - representative of Irkutsk Revolution Committee - offered a similar idea. Soviet government rejected an attempt of Political Centre to lead the creation of buffer state, but the idea itself was approved.

Vladivostok - the capital of Maritime Territory - was ruled by general S.N.Rozanov, who subordinated to A.Kolchak. At the beginning of January, 1920, an underground bolshevik's conference in Vladivostok decided to organize an uprising against Rozanov with the slogan "Whole power to Soviets!". In the middle of January a strong group of cooperative merchants and Zemstvo members organized itself in Vladivostok to oppose the Rozanov's dictatorship. Bolsheviks in Vladivostok realized that establishing a Soviet regime in Maritime Territory could slow the evacuation of foreign troops and Japanese troops could fight against the rebels, and decided to transfer the power to Zemstvo office after the overthrowing the Rozanov dictatorship. At January, 26, military revolution organisations created a United Revolution Operation Staff, led by Bolsheviks. It was decided to start the uprising at January, 31.

Vladivostok Uprising

At the same time White authorities learned about revolution mood in Jager Battalion and decided to disarm it, but soldiers arrested the officers and created a Battalion Committee. Rozanov threw Gardes de la Marine and Junkers to suppress the mutiny. At January, 26, Whites encircled the Jager Battalion, disarmed it and transferred to Russky Island, but this didn't relieve the situation. At the night of January, 31, the Vladivostok Uprising began, and in the middle of the day the whole city was captured by rebels. Foreign troops had to keep neutrality, but helped Rozanov to flee and escape to Japan.

Provisional Government of Zemstvo of Maritime Territory set the purposes:

Bolsheviks organized a party conference at the beginning of February and decided to support Provisional Government of Zemstvo of Maritime Territory on the condition of keeping the Bolshevik influence in it (especially in military and organizing sections).

Building of a Buffer State

For creation the buffer state Central Committee of RCP(b) organized at March, 3, the Dal'bureu (Russian: Дальбюро, an abbreviation of "Дальневосточное бюро" - "Bureau for Far East"). I.G.Kushnarev, S.G.Lazo and P.M.Nikiforov became a Vladivostok members of Dal'bureu. But members of Dal'bureu had different opinions about the creation of buffer state: for example, in Vladivostok Kushnarev supported an idea of buffer state, but Lazo was against it. At the middle of March, 1920, a representative of Siberian Revolution Committee - V.D.Vilenskij - arrived at Vladivostok with party's directives about the creation of a buffer state. At March, 16 – 19, on Territorial Party Conference in Nikolsk-Ussuriysky Lazo spoke against the Vilenskij. Lazo said: "We don't have to organize here the democratic buffer. If the centre wish us to organize a buffer - it will be a soviet buffer". Conference members supported Lazo. Centre representatives had to compromise between popular willing and strategic necessity.

To stop the spontaneous sovietizing of Maritime Territory Siberian Revolution Committee sent a message (transferred by Kushnarev, who returned from Moscow): "There is a process of organizing a government in Verkhneudinsk; Krasnoshchekov is our representative there. All Far Eastern governments should coordinate their movements and organize themselves similar to Transbaikal government". In this situation Dal'bureu decided at March, 29, to stop the sovietizing of Maritime Territory and offer the Zemstvo to expand its authority on the whole Russian Far East. At March, 31, Zemstvo issued such a declaration and organized an election of Popular Council. Maritime Popular Council elected a government headed by a Bolshevik; Zemstvo also continued to exist.

Far Eastern Republic and Zemstvo of Maritime Territory

At April 6, 1920 an Assembly of workers of Western Transbaikal Region proclaimed in Verkhneudinsk the creation of Far Eastern Republic. "Declaration of creation an independent Far Eastern Republic" set a purpose of uniting the whole Russian Far East. Therefore there became two pretenders for the position of its capital: Vladivostok and Verkhneudinsk. Amur Oblast with its pro-Soviet government - recognized Verkhneudinsk, Russia Eastern Outskirts had to negotiate with Vladivostok. Grigory Semyonov - head of Russia Eastern Outskirts - and N.P.Pumpianskij - representative of Maritime Territory government - met at Manzhouli railway station, but couldn't agree about the unification.

Directions of Siberian Revolution Committee weren't too strict, and Bolsheviks of Vladivostok use this situation for supporting the idea of making Vladivostok the capital of Far Eastern Republic. This situation was favourable for Semenov, because Maritime Territory Popular Council negotiated with Semenov's government as with equal side.

At August 13, 1920, Political Bureau of Central Committee of RCP(b) approved "The Short Thesises about the Far Eastern Republic". After reading them representatives of Vladivostok in Verkhneudinsk signed a preliminary agreement with the government of Far Eastern Republic, recognizing Verkhneudinsk as its capital.

At August 24, 1920, on Khadabulak railway station Grigory Semyonov and representatives of Maritime Territory Popular Council signed an agreement about the unification of Maritime Territory and Transbaikal Territory under the leadership of Maritime Territory government. Representatives of Transbaikal Territory should have a one third places in the united Popular Assembly of Far East. Semenov agreed to organize an election in Transbaikal Territory according to the election law of Maritime Territory. But Maritime Territory Popular Council rejected to ratify this agreement.

In October, 1920, Chita (capital of Russia's Eastern Outskirts) was captured by the Reds. At Chita Conference (October, 28 – November, 11) three local governments (Transbaical government, Amur government, Maritime government (also ruled the Kamchatka and Chukotka Peninsulas)) joined in the united Far Eastern Republic.

Sources

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