War, politics, and Chechen statehood in S.A. Gapurov's book on Chechnya during the Caucasian War

The monograph “Chechnya during the Caucasian War (1818 - 1859)” by the well-known Chechen historian S.A. Gapurov which was published in 2016 is viewed in the context of contemporary historiography. Firstly, the wide documentary material and range of research it is based on are seen as a big advantage. The authors of the article argue that its source database is massive and reliable enough to facilitate a complex analysis of economic, social, political and other factors of the outbreak of the Caucasian War, to describe its stages and define the role of Chechnya and the Chechens in the Caucasian War. S.A. Gapurov's conclusion that the military victory of the Russian Imperial Army was preconditioned by a number of objective and subjective factors, argue the authors. One of such factors was the ability of the Russian commandment to adjust their tactics and army equipment to the natural conditions of North Caucasus. Another important factor was the Russian army's acquisition of the methods of waging the war which the inhabitants of the mountainous regions of North Caucasus resorted to as well as the elements of their military culture. On the other hand, S.A. Gapurov provided a complex and profound analysis of the factors which weakened the Chechens' military resistance and made part of the Chechen leaders side with the Russian authorities. The most significant ones were the threat of total extermination of the Chechen people, the Chechens' utter fatigue from the war and the inner corruption of the North Caucasus Imamat. Commending S.A. Gapurov's objective and reasonable approach the authors of the article conclude that this is the right way to study the history of the Caucasian War.