Reading for meaning.

Peace and War with Khiva?

The Khan of Khiva neighboring with these Russian fortifications watched cautiously upon the Russians. To a big surprise of the Khan, Russians repeatedly started proposing to conclude a peaceful treaty. This peaceful treaty between Russia and Khiva might easily take place if England didn’t intervene. Intrigues played a big role and eventually the Khan of Khiva refused to negotiate any peaceful talks with Russia. It certainly resulted in tenseness and suspiciousness between the neighbors.

Along the banks of the Syr-Darya River Russian traders since ancient times were routing their cargoes to Russia and soon after many of such cargoes started repeatedly disappearing. Then attacks on peaceful traders turned into unexpected raids on villages of Karakirgiz who voluntarily accepted Russian protection. Warriors from Khiva waged a hunt on Russians. And the General Governor of Turkistan Mr. Constantine Kaufman reported to Saint Petersburg about hundreds of Russians tortured in custody and captured Russians who were sold to the neighboring Koqand and later to Persia. The Russian government responded in a blink of eye and sent three thousand rubles in gold to repay and release captured Russians. But the Khan of Khiva refused to trade Russians.

However, capturing and slaving Russians became a heavy burden to the Russian forces located in Central Asia. General-Governor of Turkistan Mr. Constantine Kaufman kept reporting on enslaving of Russians and insisting on taking effective actions for their release.

Mikhail Skobelev arrived at Turkistan when preparations for a raid on Khiva were underway. And over here his nervousness and a lack of endurance rendered him a bad service, and it became a reason of his tense relations with some officers who scornfully called him at his back as a Petersburg upstart. Mikhail Skobelev was courageous and brave to stand for himself and twice dueled with his co-patriots. The Chief-Governor Mr. Constantine Kaufman reprimanded him and sent him away to Tiflis.

But the Grand Duke of Caucasus Mikhail Nikolayevich judged Mikhail Skobelev his own way. Mikhail Skobelev was given a great support for his inadequate way of thinking, impetuosity, irrepressible desire to prove that he was right. And Mikhail Skobelev once again crossed the Caspian Sea, having received an order to join the Mangishlak Military Group led by colonel Lomakin. The structure of this military expedition against Khiva also included Turkestani, Orenburg, Krasnovodsk Military units and the Aral Navy unit. The general leadership was carried out by Constantine Kaufman.

A scholar of the engineering school Constantine Petrovich Kaufman came out from an ordinary German family which had lived in Russia for too many years. He spent all his military green years in Caucasus in clashes with highlanders, made a lot for strengthening of the Russian Caspian province. He managed to combine good qualities of a military engineer and the army commander. He was awarded with an Honorable Cavalry Sabre with an inscription “For Bravery” as the result of the storm of the Turkish fortress during the Crimean War with Turkey. Having an extensive military knowledge, an organizing talent and being a fair and intelligent officer, he stepped the career ladder without any help of almighty connections and school ties. Before arriving in Turkistan in 1867 he participated in advancing military reforms, served at the Russian Emperor Court and soon after it was appointed and served at the Ministry of Defense and as the General Governor of Vilensk. His high insistence and a careful altitude to people and the powerful authority won in the army environment and respect.

Arriving at Turkistan, Constantine Kaufman tried as much as possible to study a life and customs of the local population and all his actions were carefully agreed with the local conditions. Regulations of Turkistan of those years were immutable. Firmly asserting interests of Russia, Constantine Kaufman made much for education of Turk community. Being the governor he initiated construction of sixty primary schools, two grammar schools – boys and girls, and Tashkent received the first public library in Central Asia. Various artistic theatre groups started frequently coming to perform plays. Russian authorities were informing local community about social and cultural events.

Russian armies advanced during the campaign of 1873 when Mikhail Skobelev with two hundred of Cossacks and two guns beat the avant guarde of the enemy Mangishlak group of two thousand hundred forty people. And then Mikhail Skobelev started his way to Khiva fighting back attacks of Uzbek nomads. Mikhail Skobelev received seven wounds and was compelled to overcome a part of the way lying on an Asian carriage.

The Mangishlak and Orenburg groups were incorporated in Kungrad, and the general command passed to a General - Major Verevkin. These 250 kilometers up to Khiva appeared to be the most difficult, dramatic and the most bleeding. There was no a single day without large skirmishes[13] with Khivinians who were setting on fire bridges, houses and destroying dwells.

In the meantime the Turkestani Russian Military group was stopped at the edge of Khiva. Over here Constantine Kaufman received news that city dwellers faced contradictions. The part of the population hospitably was ready to fling open a gate; the others were going to battle up to the fatal end. Constantine Kaufman decided to postpone a storm and advised to do the same to General Verevkin. It seemed possible to end the campaign peacefully. But the Khivinian chiefs and spiritual leaders didn’t want to let Russians in and the camp of the Mangishlak-Orenburg group underwent to an attack. Khivinians, using district and twilight, made some sorties, putting the Russian corps into sensitive losses. General Verevkin gave an order on the storm, and Mikhail Skobelev charged to carry out a developing attack.

Khivinians welcomed Russians with lead and shells. But accurate and exact Russian guns shot made the enemy artillery silent. Mikhail Skobelev was the first Russian who rushed on the walls and penetrated into the fortress and after transient fights seized walls and towers. Then Mikhail Skobelev with a small group of soldiers, fighting for each street, made the way to the Khan’s Palace. On 29^th of May, 1873 Khiva fell.

After possessing of Khiva Constantine Kaufman allowed the khan to come back to the capital. Winners stuck to the word firmly. Slavery disappeared at a blink of eye. And once from a minaret of a palace mosque the lingering voice of a muezzin, calling people on a pray was distributed. The pleasure, from which the population met the khan’s decree written obviously under dictation of winners, was immeasurable. The Khan’s Court sparing contribution was assigned to Khiva at a rate of two million two hundred thousand rubles with annual payment of two hundred thousand rubles to the Treasury of Russia. War cost a lot of money.

This campaign became a serious military school for Mikhail Skobelev who sustained it with honor. And even among the experienced in fights Turkestani he was allocated with the amazing self-control and bravery. The initiative, true eye estimation, speed in acceptance of decisions already then distinguished the young officer. Mikhail Skobelev had to carry out frequently many of the most difficult and dangerous tasks, applying an ingenuity and resource.

Comprehension Check:

1. “Winners stuck to the word firmly” means:

a) Winners wanted to take the given words back

b) They promised something else

c) Promises came true.

2. “Slavery disappeared at a blink of eye” means:

a) Slavery came true immediately

b) Slavery is gone after ten years of life

c) Slaveries labor was prohibited at once.

3. “Received news that city dwellers faced contradictions” means:

a) Mr. Kaufman learnt that city dwellers wanted to fight up to the death

b) City dwellers wanted to prevent the Russians to enter the city

c) Some people wanted to resist while the others wanted to welcome the army