10 Things you should know about how the First Republic of Armenia was born

Armenia as a modern country was first formed in 1918. Behind the popular and national beliefs, there are some realities that without them our grasp of this important historic period will remain incomplete.

1. Armenia's independence was not from Russian, Ottoman or Persian empires, it was from a country called Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic

Via google.com

Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic was a really short lived country, (between April and May 1918) that spanned over what is basically today modern Gerogia, Azerbaijan and Armenia. Its flag was Yellow-Black-Red. Short lived, yet decisive in the life of all the nations of this forgotten corner of the world. What brought Transcaucasia back to the global scene is the oil in Baku, its proximity to the infuriated Mesopotamia and the Anatolia refugee crisis. After being under Russian control since 1828, things changed during the World War.

2. It was the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, German and Turkish victory over Russia, that paved the way to independence

By the treaty of Brest-Litovsk, Russian armies started abandoning not only their newly conquered lands of Anatolia but also whole of Transcaucasia. By that the fast track process of independence of Armenia had started. The treaty was signed in 3 March 1918 with no clear agreements concerning Transcaucasia.

3. Armenia was the last to announce its independence among the Transcaucasian partners - in other words it was left independent

Georgia was first to declare independence on 26 May 1918. This means Armenia and Azerbaijan were actually united in one state for two days :) Then Azerbaijan declared its independence and Armenia was left independent, a declaration was made though. The Armenian national authority - composed mainly of Tashnaks - did not want independence, did not want to depart from Russian influence, because they were aware of the Turkish danger. But the Russians were not interested, or at least most of them were not interested, we don't know exactly. What is important is that this also marks the day when the Tashnaks turned their eyes to the next supporter: Britain that was marching northwards from Mesopotamia.

4. It was still the World War I, the British, the Germans, the Ottomans and the Russians were all in South Caucasus

National Army Museum / Via collection.nam.ac.uk

While the Germans secured their way to Baku via Georgia, the British Dunsterforce, named after its commander Major-General Lionel Dunsterville, was tasked with securing the vulnerable oil installations at Baku and the strategically important Trans-Caucasian railway from both the Turks and the Bolsheviks. Such a move would also secure the right or eastern flank of the British forces fighting in Mesopotamia, now exposed following the Russian withdrawal. This was all to be achieved by organizing local groups of Armenians, Assyrians, Georgians and anti-Bolsheviks into an irregular army. Dunsterville even had the authority to encourage the establishment and maintenance of independent friendly nations, such as Georgia and Armenia, in order to stabilize the Caucasus and simultaneously help safeguard the approaches to British India from any possible Turkish attack.

5. Turkey wanted the control of South Caucasian Railroad in its race to Baku against the Germans

National Army Museum / Via collection.nam.ac.uk

Turkish-German alliance was in trouble. While Germany secured its way to Baku via the Northern Caucasian Railroad in Georgia, and the British headed to Baku via Iran and the Caspian Sea, Turkey raced to Baku for oil and had no other choice but the South Caucasian Railroad, that passed through the Armenian areas, Kars, Alexandrapol, Nakhichevan and Elizavetpol (Karabakh). This same line is the one that goes from modern day Yerevan to Gyumri. Ottoman Third Army that reached to Caucasus after afvancing from Erzincan to Kars, was tasked to reach to Baku and secure the railroad on the way. Apparently Armenians were not ready to give free pass to the Ottoman Army and they fought, and the fight started before the independence and ended after it.

6. Experienced Armenian military commanders of the Russian Empire saved the day

The famous Sardarapat Battle, along with Gharakilisa and Bash Aparan Battles between the Armenians and the Ottoman Third Army are known as the decisive battles that led to the proclamation of the First Republic. Although it is more complicated, but still, Russian Army officers, Lieutenant General Tovmas Nazarbekian, Major General Movses Silikian and Colonel Poghos Bek-Pirumyan were the key commanders. Tashnag military men Drastamad Ganayan and Garegin Nzhdeh played an important role in gathering numbers but the real battles were fought by regular armies. Specially, the 5th Armenian Regiment under the command of Poghos Bek-Pirumyan was a single unit that made a difference and kept the 2nd Caucasian Army Corps of the Ottoman Third Army, east of Arax River till 29 May 1918, marking the end of the Sardarapat Battle.

7. Despite the military gains, Armenians lost the politics

The military situation forced Ottoman Empire to account for Armenians and sign a treaty. Armenians were forced to sign the treaty because they had ran out of choices. Treaty of Batum signed on 4 June 1918 was devastating for the newly independent Armenia. The 14 articles of the treaty gave Armenia a land of no more than 10000 KM, free passage of Ottoman forces through Armenia by using the highways and rails, free use of the telegraph lines, immediate demobilization of the military forces, retreat of all military activity from Baku, and most importantly presence of permanent Ottoman military personal on Armenian soil. The treaty was signed, as the Ottoman Army was stationed 7 KM from Echmiadzin, by Tashnag members Khadisyan and Kajaznuni.

8. Allied victory of WWI saved independent Armenia from total capitulation

Both the Germans and the Ottomans had made it to Baku, one over Georgia, the other over Armenia, they defeated the British and their Armenian and other allies on their way. Armenians lost the politics in Batum and Tbilisi and lost the battles in Yerevan and Baku, the Armenians were once again on the verge of losing everything. Yet, having survived one way or another between May and November 1918, Armenia benefited largely from the Allied victory. They had something in hand for the new phase and an ally called Britain.

9. Allied with the British, the Armenians resisted the Ottomans not only in Yerevan, but also in Baku

IWM / Via iwm.org.uk

The Battle of Baku began on 26 August 1918, and ended with the evacuation of Dunsterforce on 14 September. The British fought alongside Bolshevik soldiers of the Red Army and volunteer Armenian units. Although the vastly outnumbered and underequipped soldiers of Dunsterforce were forced to concede Baku and its prized petroleum resources to the Ottomans, they kept the Ottomans and Germans from acquiring much-needed oil for six crucial weeks in August and September while the war with Germany was decided on the Western Front, and victory over the Ottomans was secured in Mesopotamia.

10. The beginning was the end

After the Mudros Armistice of October 1918, Armenia was rescued from the Treaty of Batum, as the Ottomans were in the losing side. The road to 1919 Paris Peace Conference was open, but was not immune from the new international interplay among the winners. Now it was between Russia and Britain.