Resisting Empire: A History Podcast

Learn about Abdurauf Fitrat, a giant in Central Asian literature and a statesman who played a key role in creating the modern state of Uzbekistan and its language. Support this podcast by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠joining my Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Join my newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠ and stay up to date on all my projects ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow me on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow me on Tiktok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Follow me on Bluesky⁠ ⁠...

Learn about the five tactics the Basmachi used against the Bolsheviks and why they, ultimately failed. Support this podcast by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠joining my Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Join my newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠ and stay up to date on all my projects ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow me on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow me on Tiktok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Follow me on Bluesky⁠ ⁠Visit my website

Learn about the five tactics Red Army General Mikhail Frunze used against the Basmachi. Support this podcast by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠joining my Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Join my newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠ and stay up to date on all my projects ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow me on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow me on Tiktok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Follow me on Bluesky⁠ ⁠Visit my website

What happens when a former Ottoman Pasha, sentenced to death in absentia finds himself in Central Asia? If you're Enver Pasha, you first align with the Bolsheviks before jumping ship and joining the Basmachi. Learn how Enver led the Basmachi until his death in a small village in eastern Bukhara. Support this podcast by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠joining my Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Join my newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠ a...

After disbanding the Musburo and overthrowing the Emirs of Khiva and Bukhara, Frunze has one more enemy to eliminate before communism can take hold in Central Asia: the Basmachi. Learn how Frunze created an counter-insurgency strategy against the Basmachi while dealing with mountain warfare, a ragtag army, and a region wracked with famine and sectarian violence. Support this podcast by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠joi...

General Mikhail Frunze has arrived in Turkestan and identified the Musburo and the two Emirs of Khiva and Bukhara as threats to Communism. But can he win a war with the Emirs when facing an insurgency and famine? Support this podcast by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠joining my Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Join my newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠ and stay up to date on all my projects ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow me on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Fol...

In honor of International Worker's Day, we've taken a break from Central Asia to discuss how Jim Larkin, James Connolly, and the ITGWU fought for worker rights in Ireland in 1913. Support this podcast by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠joining my Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Join my newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠ and stay up to date on all my projects ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow me on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow me on Tiktok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...

Join me as I discuss the fate of Central POWs in Turkestan, what Indian Revolutionaries were doing in Tashkent, and how the British attempted to continue their Great Game spy adventures during the Russian Civil War. Support this podcast by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠joining my Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Join my newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠ and stay up to date on all my projects ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow me on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...

The Basmachi are facing famine, growing Red Army forces, and an uneasy alliance between the Bolsheviks and modernizing Muslim reformers. It's time to organize or die. Support this podcast by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠joining my Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Join my newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠ and stay up to date on all my projects ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow me on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow me on Tiktok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Follow me on Blu...

Turar Risqulov: mighty intellectual, leader of the Musburo, and a powerful Kazakh member of the Soviet Union. He was betrayed by the very ideology he supported, and executed along with others like him because their nationalistic legacy threatened an insecure Stalin. Learn about how he tried to save Turkestan during a Russian Civil War, his showdown with Bolshevik General Mikhail Frunze, and what u...

Kobozev arrived in Turkestan in 1918 and tried to bring order to the region. Facing resistance from the Russian Settlers, he turned to the Muslim population and created different political and governmental opportunities for them. One such opportunity was the Central Bureau of Muslim Communist Organizations of Turkestan (the Musburo). However, when the Muslims start using the language and principle...

The Alash Orda can no longer trust the White Movement, but they burnt their bridges with the Bolsheviks back in 1918. As the Red Armies sweep the White Army out of Siberia, the Alash Orda have to repair their relationship with the Bolsheviks or become powerless and irrelevant. But why should the Bolsheviks accept the overtures of their former enemy? Support this podcast by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠joining my Patre...

The Jadids are chased out of Kokand, Khiva, and Bukhara and they are outnumbered and outmaneuvered by their enemies: the Russian settlers, the Ulama, and the Basmachi. Their best hope lies with the Bolsheviks who need Turkestan to spread communism into the rest of Asia and Turkestan's resources. But can a Islamic, nationalist, modernizing movement work together with an atheist, socialist, movement...

Join us as we discuss two giants of Alash Orda and fathers of modern Kazakhstan: Alikhan Bukeikhanov and Akhmet Baitursynov. Support this podcast by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠joining my Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Join my newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠ and stay up to date on all my projects ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow me on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow me on Tiktok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Follow me on Bluesky⁠ ⁠Visit my website

After negotiations with the Bolsheviks stall, the Alash Orda turn to the White Movement in Siberia. What they find are endless political factions, Cossacks, numerous battles with the Red Army, and a White Army coup. Support this podcast by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠joining my Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Join my newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠ and stay up to date on all my projects ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow me on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...

The Russian Civil War knocks on the door of Siberia and the Steppe. The newly created Alash Autonomy must decide who they will ally with: the Bolsheviks or the White Army. Attracted by Bolshevik rhetoric, the Alash Orda start negotiates with the Soviets, but quickly learn that they have two, conflicting definitions of "self-determination" Support this podcast by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠joining my Patreo...

The Tashkent Soviet just overthrew the Kokand Autonomy and now they rule Turkestan which is being threatened from all directions by famine, the Red and White Armies, the Basmachi, and violent tensions between the Russian Settlers and the indigenous peoples. So, obviously, the bests thing to do is invade their neighbor the Bukharan Khanate. Support this podcast by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠joining my Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...

Mustafa Cho'qoy activist, minister, refugee, and Bolshevik enemy #1. Learn how a Kazakh activist went from being a minister in Turkestan's first all Muslim, autonomous government to isolated expat in Paris struggling to get Europe to care about the plight of his people and Turkestan bogeyman that haunted Bolshevik dreams. Support this podcast by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠joining my Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Join...

In November 1917, the Muslim modernizers of Turkestan came together to create the Kokand Autonomy. But how can people with no governing experience govern a region racked by ethnic violence and famine while their neighbors, the Tashkent Soviet, are planning an all out assault? Support this podcast by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠joining my Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Join my newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠ and stay up to date on al...

Famine, civil wars, complete breakdown of authority-it only makes sense to join a guerilla movement that promises provisions and safety, right? Learn about the Basmachi, a group of warlords turned guerilla movement that became one of the Soviet's most persistent headaches in Central Asia during the 1920s and 30s. Support this podcast by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠joining my Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Join my newslette...

In this episode I discuss two giants within the Jadid movement in Turkestan: Munavvar qori Abdurashidxon and Mahmudxo’ja Behbudiy. Both men came from religious families, both men were successful merchants, and both men believed that reform was the only way to save Turkestani society. Support this podcast by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠joining my Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Join my newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠ and stay up to da...

The Russian Revolution provided the Kazakh intellectuals an opportunity to create their own government and redistribute land that had been taken from them by Russian settlers. But what sort of government can you create when you and your fellow indigenous intellectuals can't agree on the best way to rule and the Russian Civil War is breathing down your neck? Support this podcast by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠join...

Today I am discussing how Russia's second protectorate, the Khiva Khanate, reacted to the fall of the Romanov Dynasty. I'll discuss Turkmen Revolts, a desperate Khan clinging to power, and a coup. Support this podcast by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠joining my Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Join my newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠ and stay up to date on all my projects ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow me on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow me o...

Did you ever wonder how the Russian Revolution affected Central Asia? This episode discusses how the various political factions in Central Asia-the Jadids, Alash Orda, the Ulama, and the Russian Settlers-responded to the fall of the Tsar and the rise of the Bolsheviks. Support this podcast by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠joining my Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Join my newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠ and stay up to date on all my pr...

Tomorrow is our one year anniversary! To celebrate we posted our first ever Bird's Eye View episode. This format allows us to take a step back and discuss the definitions, theories, and common features of an aspect of asymmetrical warfare. Today I discuss what a civil war is and isn't. Support this podcast by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠joining my Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Join my newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠ and sta...