Southern Asia 1918: Treaty of Brest-Litovsk

Changes to the map 18 December 1917–3 March 1918

The Bolsheviks have gained control over much of the former Russian Empire and declared the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic in January.

In the Caucasus, the Ottomans have renewed their offensive against Transcaucasia and retaken Erzincan and Trebizond. In addition the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk has extended their border to include Kars in Transcaucasia.

The Transcaucasian Commissariat is holding a parliament to discuss its impending declaration of independence, but is facing increasing internal problems - particularly with Baku. In the north, Terek Cossacks, Daghestanis, Chechens, and other mountain peoples are revolting against the Bolsheviks and Transcaucasia alike.

The British offensive in Palestine has stalled again, while in Mesopotamia the British are more concerned with securing northern Persia.

In Persia, a small British force under Dunsterville has entered Hamadan, traveling from there to Enzeli on the Caspian Sea by armored car. However Enzeli is dominated by a group known as the Revolutionary Committee, which forces them to withdraw. Nearby the Jangali movement threatens Qazvin. In eastern Persia the British are extending their East Persian Cordon to Mashhad and the Russian border.

British Protectorates in the Persian Gulf

The British Residency of the Persian Gulf maintains British India influence in a number of Gulf states. These states are nominally independent - and shown as such in most atlases from the period - but have all signed treaties guaranteeing British control over their foreign affairs.

The Sultanate of Muscat and Oman is the only one of these states with significant international relations, having obtained trade agreements with the US and France before it signed its treaty with Britain. Maps of the time often show Trucial Oman and even Qatar as regions of Oman.

Trucial Oman is the region to the west of Oman which collectively signed treaties with Britain. The sheikhdoms of this region are often called the Trucial States, and will become the United Arab Emirates. However at this time they have little unity, with no regional council until 1952.

Indian Empire

The British Indian Empire, also known as the British Raj, is comprised of a complex of presidencies, provinces, protectorates, and agencies. Only the top level subdivisions are shown here.

The area under direct British rule is known as British India and made up of presidencies and provinces - a presidency simply being the name for an older province.

Outside British India, but often included within the sphere of the presidencies/provinces, are the hundreds of protectorates or 'princely states'. These are indirectly ruled states, the largest being Hyderabad, Kashmir, and Mysore. The others are either collected into agencies - which may in turn contain other smaller agencies - or fall under the sway of the provinces.