Crimean People's Republic
1917 — The Kurultay and the Birth of a Republic
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# World Situation — December 26, 1917 ## General Situation With the collapse of the Russian Empire, central authority in the north of the Black Sea has dissolved. Following the October Revolution, Bolshevik military committees, Red Guard units, and Black Sea naval units acting alongside the Bolsheviks are attempting to expand Soviet power across the geography of the former empire, while the national movement in Ukraine, local governments, military units, and various political organizations are also trying to determine their own futures. The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army has not yet been officially established; this name will be adopted following the foundation decree of January 28, 1918 (January 15, Old Style). The First World War has not yet ended; the situation of the fronts and supply lines directly influences politics in the region. ## Crimean People's Republic Representatives of the Crimean Tatar national movement have institutionalized their claim to political representation and self-governance through the First Kurultay, which gathered at the Hansaray in Bakhchisaray. The Kurultay opened on December 9, 1917 (November 26, Old Style); on December 26, 1917 (December 13, Old Style), the establishment of the republic was declared on a constitutional basis. Numan Çelebicihan and Cafer Seydamet are prominent figures of the national movement. The national government faces urgent issues such as administrative organization, security, finance, provisioning, education, law, and relations with neighboring powers. The Kurultay has established the republic solely as the national state of the Crimean Tatars: state organs and cadres consist of Crimean Tatars, and the official language is Crimean Tatar; Russian is not an official language. The Constitution of the Crimean Tatars has entered into force, guaranteeing popular sovereignty, the concentration of legislative power in the Kurultay, gender equality, women's right to vote and stand for election, and universal suffrage. The state is establishing a regular army through conscription, inspired by the Ottoman/Turkish model. Infantry and artillery divisions, the Crimean 15th Brigade, a cavalry regiment, and Nogay militias, along with the Crimean Grand Navy, tankers, and the 1st Crimean Air Fleet, are under the command of the national government; however, overcoming issues regarding personnel, weapons, instructors, supplies, and morale will take time. The declaration of the republic does not mean that all military units, ports, cities, and institutions on the peninsula are automatically subordinated to the government. In the game, Bolshevik land forces, the Red Guards, and Black Sea naval units aligned with the Bolsheviks are represented as a single Bolshevik military faction; this does not mean that an institutionalized Red Army exists in December 1917. Sailors and other Russian military units not aligned with the Bolsheviks are not automatically included in this faction. Pro-Ukrainian circles, regional administrations, and representatives of different communities act according to their own goals. The strength and stance of these actors vary based on local conditions. ## Society and Economy Crimea is a multi-national and multi-religious society. Crimean Tatars, Russians, Ukrainians, Greeks, Armenians, Jews, and other communities live in different cities and regions of the peninsula. Although state organs are composed of Crimean Tatars, legitimacy and stability will be shaped not only by political declarations but also by the security of life and property of different communities, equal citizenship before the law, and the fulfillment of daily needs. War, revolution, and administrative disintegration are putting pressure on transportation, railways, port trade, currency circulation, food supply, and military discipline. Winter conditions and interrupted supplies can exacerbate the situation of cities and units. ## Regional Balance of Power The city center of Aqyar is in the hands of Bolshevik sailors and the Red Guards; the TCG Yavuz Navy keeps the port under blockade. The rest of Crimea, including Kerch, is under the Crimean People's Republic, and the railway network in Dzhankoy, Qurman, and Simferopol, the arms and ammunition industry in Balaklava, and the iron and steel facilities in Kerch are under the republic's control. The Ottoman 15th and 6th Corps are on their way to support Crimea; Enver Pasha's Army of Islam is advancing in the North Caucasus against the remnants of the Russian Tsarist forces. In the north, the Bolsheviks are producing weapons, ammunition, and supplies in their own factories, mines, and railway workshops on the mainland stretching from the Sea of Azov to the Don basin, and are making preparations in the direction of Crimea. ## Possible Turning Points for Historical Developments The following developments are potential scenario branches inspired by the historical conflict dynamics at the end of 1917 and beyond; they are not pre-written mandatory events or guaranteed dates. Similar events may occur if the current balance of power, player decisions, and independent actions of the actors create appropriate conditions; if conditions are not met, they may be delayed, occur in a different form, result in favor of another party, or not happen at all. - **January 1918 — Bolshevik offensive and government crisis in Crimea:** The organization of pro-Bolshevik sailors and Red Guards in Sevastopol, control of the port and railway, the Crimean People's Republic's defense preparations, and the stance of local garrisons may trigger conflict. The national government may unify its defense, seek compromise, retreat, or find military/political support. The historical Bolshevik victory is not mandatory in this scenario. - **April 1918 — Ukrainian and German forces turning toward Crimea:** Ukraine's political and military objectives regarding Crimea and the German army's campaign in the region will only come to the agenda if the general course of the war, Ukraine's capacity, German decisions, and supply conditions allow. Coordination, competition, following separate routes, or abandoning the operation by these two forces is possible. - **June 1918 and beyond — Crimea's status and the search for government:** German military presence, Ukraine's demands, the Crimean Tatar national movement, and local political groups may give rise to crises and negotiations over autonomy, independence, federation, a protectorate, or another form of government. The historical Sulkevich government is not the only possible outcome. - **1919–1920 — The White Army, Red Army, and the future of the peninsula:** In the event of an expansion of the Civil War, White Army units, the Red Army, and local forces may fight for Crimea. The arrival, permanence, and outcome of these fronts in Crimea depend on the results of previous battles, logistics, foreign support, and political alliances. These turning points are not a chronological mission list. The fact that an event occurred historically does not require it to be repeated in the game on the same date or with the same result. The world simulation must be based on the current situation; historical patterns from the past should only be used as context for plausible options and the goals of the actors. ## Game Approach This world begins with the historical conditions of late 1917; the outcome of historical events is not predetermined. Player decisions, the independent goals of other actors, available resources, and geographical conditions together give rise to new developments. The Black Sea outside of Crimea and the surrounding regions are important in terms of trade, diplomacy, military activity, and foreign intervention.