The Great Purge reached its highest point in 1924. Although the Bolsheviks were without any control, they couldn’t break national-liberation movement in Georgia. People of any class (nobles, bourgeoisie, working-class and peasantry) were dissatisfied with the existing Soviet regime. I was time to prepare an uprising in the country.

The Committee for the Independence of Georgia (Damkom) or the Parity Committee was responsible for the preparation and guidance of the abortive August Uprising of 1924. The Committee was formed early in May 1922 as a result of the negotiation of the Georgian Social Democrats (Mensheviks) with its erstwhile political opposition – the National Democratic Party, the Federalist Party, the Social Revolutionaries (SRs) and the Skhivi (“Beam”) Party.

The Committee set up a military center which was to prepare for a popular insurrection. The members of the committee were as follows: Konstantine Andronikashvili (d. 22310), Iason Javakhishvili (d. 25326), Nikoloz Kartsivadze, Kirile Ninidze (d. 2262), Mikheil Botchorishvili (d. 24352-62), Mikheil Ishkhneli, Giorgi Jinoria, Shalva Amiredzhibi, Nikiphore Imnaishvili (d. 22140), Samson Dadiani (d. 2254), Giorgi (Gogita) Paghava (d. 21151), Vaso Nodia (d. 21157), Giorgi Tsinamdzghvrishvili and Giorgi Zaldastanishvili.

August Uprising was to start on August 17, 1924.

According to the plans for a general insurrection laid by the Damkom, uprising was to start simultaneously in every city and region of the country. After overthrowing the local authorities they were to move to Tbilisi. The main responsibility was on the army led by Kakutsa Cholokashvili. Spiridon Chichinadze was commander-in-chief. The Damkom sent Vaso Nodia to the Government of Georgia-in-exile.

In May 1924 V.Nodia along with the following members of the Government of Georgia-in-exile arrived in Georgia: Valiko Jugheli (d. 24160), Noe Khomeriki (d. 23587), Beniamin (Benia) Chkhikvishvili (d. 24343) and Vlasa Mgeladze.

The Cheka managed to arrest the following leaders of the uprising: G. Tsinamdzghvrishvili, N. Khomeriki, G. Paghava and G. Jinoria. On August 6 V. Jugheli and G. Chkhikvishvili fell in the hands of the Cheka too. The Great Purge began again.

The uprising shifted on August 29.

The Damkom and the rebels met each other at the Shio-Mgvime Monastery (“The Cave of Shio”) seven days before. It is a place where Georgian kings prayed before going to the battle.

The plan of the simultaneous uprising miscarried, however, through some misunderstanding the mining town of Chiatura, Western Georgia, rose in rebellion a day earlier, on August 28. This enabled the Soviet Government to timely put all available forces in the region on alert. Yet, at first the insurgents achieved considerable success. The uprising quickly spread to neighbouring areas and a large portion of the cities and villages of Georgia wrested out of the Soviet control.

The Red Army began to act.

Chiatura played a fatal role in the revolt. The special organs of the government had opportunity to take some measures for liquidation the rebels. A lot of innocent people in the train were shot in Shorapani. The exact number of the casualties remains unknown. Their blood was running like the river.

The Soviet government took punitive measures in the Regions of Senaki and Zugdidi. The number of those who were executed during the uprising in Senaki amounted to 500 or even more.

The insurgents were defeated in Guria and Samegrelo. They gathered in Svaneti in a vain attempt to take Kutaisi.

Kakutsa Cholokashvili managed to take the town of Dusheti in a surprise attack. However, he couldn’t hold off a Red Army counter-offensive. The Pshav-Khevsurians and Kakhetians didn’t support him. For this reason, Cholokashvili didn’t dare to attack Tbilisi. Along with his adopted brothers he had to go in exile.

The Soviet authorities managed to suppress August Uprising in 1924. The persecution didn’t end, however. Approximately 4.000 died during the Great Purge.

The national-liberation movement continued its activity after the uprising. For this reason, the Georgians were under the Great Purge after the 1920s.

The Social Democratic Party was very active. It restored and reinforced the local organizations, armed detachments and illegal printing-house. Besides, it carried out propagandistic activities.

The Marxist organizations liven up. In 1927 there were 6.000 members enrolled.

The political activists-in-exile backed up the local anti-Soviet movements. The Georgian-in-exile didn’t lose their hope for many years. In 1924 anti-Soviet Georgia emegre group formed an organization ‘Tetri Giorgi’ (White Georgia) in Paris. The organization was to lead counter-revolutionary and anti-Soviet agitation. The political organization ‘Tetri Giorgi’ was formed in Georgia too. One of the conspiracy groups was led by Evgen Gvaladze.

The Soviet authority didn’t idle away the time. Through the agents it created a special organization for the Georgian emegres the head of which was Grigol Veshapeli (encyclopedia, v.4, 389).

Through the mass repressions the national-liberation movement became weak inside the country and abroad. Mainly it was caused by the punitive measures taken during the collectivization. In 1926-1927 10,000 people were punished for crossing the border and on February 4, 1930 approximately 1.500 were arrested.