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The Modern History of Georgia

In an attempt to form an independent republic, Georgia, along with Armenia and Azerbeijan, declared independence from Moscow, only to quickly fall again to the Red Army in 1920. At this time, linked with the neighboring territories, it was called the Transcaucasian Soviet Federated Socialist Republic (TSFSR). As Stalin rose to power, a nationalist movement swept over Georgia resulting in thousands of locals being shipped off to Siberia and the dismantling of TSFSR in 1936. Georgia then became its own recognizable territory under Soviet control. The country experienced a time of public order and high living standards during the 1960s and 70s. Following the disintegration of the USSR in the late 1980s, Georgia became an independent republic in 1991. A period of chaos ensued when Shevardnadze, the elected chairman of the parliament and head of state, pursued conflicts in the South Ossetia and Abkhazia regions. Georgia went on to oscillate between periods of relative peace and periods of crime, gang warfare and corruption.

In November of 2003, the Rose Revolution ushered a new president into power, Makhail Saakashvili, the youngest president in Europe. After working with certain secessionist regions to offer autonomy under the cover of Georgian authority, many groups are learning to work out their differences peacefully and through diplomacy. With a peaceful outlook, the republic has opened itself up to travel, and a tour of Georgia is quickly becoming a unique destination to foreign visitors. The future for the nation looks very bright and peace seems promising thanks to military intervention from Russia, a US military presence, and huge aid packages from the West. While the effects of the more recent conflicts are still felt and remembered, many Georgians are hopeful and eager to build their state into a stable country.