The People's Guard of Georgia ( ka, საქართველოს სახალხო გვარდია) was a Social-Democrat-dominated volunteer force of

Georgian Georgian may refer to: Common meanings * Anything related to, or originating from Georgia (country) ** Georgians, an indigenous Caucasian ethnic group ** Georgian language, a Kartvelian language spoken by Georgians **Georgian scripts, three scrip ...

former soldiers and civilians, active during the Russian Revolution of 1917 and the Democratic Republic of Georgia from 5 September 1917 to 18 March 1921. It consisted of 2,000 full-time members and 18 field battalions (300-800 soldiers in each) drafted on a territorial basis. In war time it could mobilize up to 10,000 to 12,000 citizens. The commander of the People's Guard was

Valiko Jugheli Vladimir “Valiko” Jugheli ( ka, ვალიკო ჯუღელი) (January 1, 1887 - 30 August 1924 ) was a Georgian politician and military commander. He was involved in the Marxist movement in Georgia (then part of the Russian Empire) ...

, and notable members included

Kakutsa Cholokashvili Kaikhosro "Kakutsa" Cholokashvili ( ka, ქაიხოსრო ��აქუცაჩოლოყაშვილი; french: Kakoutsa Tcholokachvili; russian: Кайхосро �акуцаЧолокашвили �елокаев}, ''Kaikhosro Che ...

Alexander Koniashvili Alexander is a male given name. The most prominent bearer of the name is Alexander the Great, the king of the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia who created one of the largest empires in ancient history. Variants listed here are Aleksandar, Ale ...

Alexander Maisuradze Alexander is a male given name. The most prominent bearer of the name is Alexander the Great, the king of the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia who created one of the largest empires in ancient history. Variants listed here are Aleksandar, Ale ...

, and Vladimer Goguadze. The People's Guard of Georgia conducted its first combat mission on 29 November ( N.S. 12 December) 1917, when it seized a former Imperial Russian army arsenal and artillery depot in Tiflis which had hitherto been under the control of units sympathetic to the Bolsheviks. In the words of a Guard commander Valiko Jugheli, the operation "determined the fate of the revolution on a Transcaucasian scale." Throughout 1918–1921, 12 December was celebrated as the Guard's day. From 1920 to 1921, the Guard published its illustrated periodical ''sakhalkho gvardieli'' (სახალხო გვარდიელი, "People's Guardsman") twice a month.

References

Militias Democratic Republic of Georgia Military history of Georgia (country) Military units and formations of Georgia (country) Military units and formations established in 1917 Military units and formations disestablished in 1921 {{Georgia-stub