Ultra-Simplistic Timeline of Chechen History

16^th c.: Conversion of Chechens and Ingushs to Sunni Islam. Ivan the Terrible and the Cossack army tries to conquer the Caucasus: held off by the Crimean khanate.

1783: Region is annexed by the Russian empire, who try to colonize it.

Fierce resistance follows, a jihad under Sheikh Mansur. Basically a standoff.

1830: Russian forces move into region to secure the border against the Ottoman Empire. Again fierce resistance, led by national hero Imam Shamil. Full annexation achieved in 1859.

1877-78: Caucasus rise against Russians again during Russo-Turkish war. Again defeated.

1942-43 (winter): Nazi troops occupy parts of the Caucasus. Stalin accuses them of collaboration. Exiles the entire population (circa 500,000) to Western Siberia on cattle cars. At least a quarter of the population is killed. Finally allowed to return in 1957 by Kruschev. Many of the main players in the Chechen wars were born in exile.

1991: As the Soviet Union collapses, Chechens like many other regions push toward independence under Dzhokar Dudayev, whose troops occupy the Soviet gov headquarters in Grozny.

1993: Russian federation declares Dudayev's gov illegitimate and threatens invasion.

1994: Occupation of Grozny in November. Incredible incompetence and corruption. Aslan Maskhadov conducts guerilla war in the hills.

1995: Chechen guerillas occupy a hospital in Budyonnovsk and take 1,000 hostages. Two attempts to storm the hospital fail, and the guerillas walk away.

1996: Federal forces withdraw and begin negotiations for independence. Maskhadov is elected pres of independent Chechnya, but the place is a mess of warring factions.

1999: Chechen commanders lead a band of soldiers into Dagestan, perhaps trying to foment a region-wide Islamic independence movement. Terrorist actions in Moscow (suspicious). Yeltsin's new Prime Minister, Vladimir Putin, vows vengeance and to re-take Chechnya. Yeltsin resigns, Putin elected President largely on Chechen agenda.

2002: Putin declares victory. Truck bombs destroy Russian headquarters in Grozny.

2004: Puppet pres Akhmad Kadyrov killed at stadium, May 9. Beslan Sep 1 etc. Oct 5: new puppet Al Alkhanov installed.