APPENDIX III
THE TURKO-BOLSHEVIST ATTACK ON THE
LABOR GOVERNMENT OF GEORGIA
{{c|An Appeal to Labor
The Government of Georgia has issued from Constantinople an appeal to all Socialist Parties and Labor organizations "in the name of the Georgian people, whose liberty and independence has just been destroyed by the armies of the Russian Bolsheviks." The appeal describes how the Moscow Government have striven to extend their power over Georgia by "sovietizing" the country through insurrections organized by its subsidized agents. These efforts being unsuccessful, others were tried, and military operations resorted to.
On November 28, 1920, Trotzky, in a long speech before the Commissars of the Communist Party assembled at Moscow, pronounced the death sentence on the Republic of Georgia. "Armenia being sovietized, it is now the turn of Georgia," he said. "It will be sufficient to tighten our hold in order to connect Baku with Batum."
Bolshevist troops were massed at the frontiers despite protests of the Georgian Government. After refusing to discuss matters the Moscow Government launched the attack in the middle of February. The attack on Tiflis was at first repulsed. On February 21 a radio telegram
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