Most recently, this city was in the center of attention of the whole world, the reason for this is the first and second military Chechen campaigns. The history of Grozny in the twentieth century is a history of wars and victories, human grief and the desire for a peaceful life, destruction and restoration. Although the reason for the appearance of a new geographical point on the map of Russia was the same - the protection of the Caucasian borders of the empire.
Foundation of the fortress
In the 19th century, the Russian Empire significantly expanded its borders, including in the Caucasus. Naturally, this was not to the liking of the locals, who regularly raided Russian settlements. The government of Alexander I concentrated significant military resources in this region, the main goal of which was to conquer the peoples of the Caucasus.
For these purposes, forts, fortresses, roads were built, which could provide communication between settlements. In 1818 a fortress with the symbolic name Groznaya was laid. True, for this, the troops of General Yermolov destroyed about 20 auls of local residents, the rebellious highlanders more than once raised an uprising against the Russians, but these actions were severely punished.
From war to peace
In the middle of the 19th century, the policy of the Russian state changed, military operations were mostly completed. The Groznaya fortress was losing its original defensive significance. It was even proposed to organize several seasonal fairs here.
In 1870 the fortress became a city, finally losing its strategic importance. After 20 years, oil is found in the vicinity of Grozny (this is the name given to the settlement), respectively, the extraction of a valuable mineral begins. In this regard, the city is expected to undergo significant changes, firstly, it is turning into a large industrial center, and secondly, a branch of the railway is being built here, and transport links are improving. Unfortunately, peacetime and the flourishing of the city did not last long, the beginning of the twentieth century was marked by revolutionary events and the beginning of the First World War.
Soviet power and modernity
In November 1917, the Soviets established their power in Grozny, but they were opposed by local units of the so-called "Wild Division", and in April of the following year, the inhabitants met the army of Baron Wrangel. And only in 1920 the city finally became red, and Chechnya, together with Ingushetia, became part of the Mountain Autonomous Republic.
This is the story of Grozny briefly until 1941, when Nazi Germany attacked the Soviet Union in June. The Germans planned to seize Grozny as an oil production center, but these plans were not destined to come true. The post-war period cannot be called happy for local residents, and 1944 will remain in the history of Grozny one of the saddest pages associated with the forced deportation of indigenous peoples - Chechens and Ingush.
