A short but inconclusive border war between newly independent Georgia and Armenia over disputed Caucasian territories in December 1918.
Key Facts
- Conflict duration
- December 7–31, 1918
- Disputed territories
- Borchaly (Lori) and Akhalkalaki
- Armenian advance
- Within 10 km of Georgian capital Tiflis
- Ceasefire
- Midnight, December 31, 1918, under Allied supervision
- Outcome
- Inconclusive; neutral zone declared in Borchaly district
- Post-war persecution
- Mass arrests of Armenians in Georgian-controlled regions
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Following their declarations of independence in May 1918 and the dissolution of their short-lived union, both Georgia and Armenia laid claim to the former Tiflis Governorate districts of Borchaly (Lori) and Akhalkalaki, which were predominantly Armenian-populated. This unresolved territorial dispute created mounting tension between the two new republics.
Open military conflict erupted on 7 December 1918 when Armenian forces launched surprise attacks, advancing to within 10 kilometers of the Georgian capital, Tiflis. Georgian troops reorganized and launched counterattacks, while Allied powers intervened to broker a ceasefire, with fighting continuing until midnight on December 31, 1918.
A neutral zone under Allied supervision was established in the Borchaly district, later divided between the two states. Armenia failed to achieve its objective of reaching the Khrami River, and the entire campaign was fought on Georgian-held territory. The result was deemed inconclusive, and the Armenian population in Georgian-controlled areas faced mass arrests and persecution both during and after the war.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Side B
1 belligerent