Czar Alexander II may have freed the serfs, but his war against the stateless people of the Caucasus cannot be ignored

The czar’s approval of this rapid expulsion of hundreds of thousands of Circassians to the Ottoman Empire resulted in an ethnic cleansing through disease and drowning as overcrowded ferries crossed the Black Sea. The Ottomans were unprepared for the influx of refugees, and the absence of adequate shelter caused even more deaths from exposure. Those Circassians who attempted to remain in the Russian Empire and fight for their land were massacred. Sochi’s “Red Hill,” where the skiing and snowboarding events will take place during these Olympic Games, was the site of the Circassian last stand, where the Imperial Russian armies celebrated their “victory” over the local defenders.

Seth Dixon‘s insight:

I mentioned this before, but it is worth repeating.  As the international spotlight in on Sochi, our students interest in the region is also heightened.  This makes it the perfect time to shine a light on parts of history that many have conveniently tried to brush aside. 

Tags: Russia. historical, colonialism.

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