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COMMUNIST TAKEOVER AND OCCUPATION OF ARMENIA
COMMUNIST TAKEOVER AND OCCUPATION OF ARMENIA
13
THE ARMENO-TURKISH WAR
(2) Pending the calling of a congress of the soviets of Armenia, a
temporary military revolutionary committee would take over the
While the Government of the Independent Republic was busy with
Government of Armenia.
the Soviet armies and the ensuing negotiations, Mustafa Kemal was
(3) The Soviet Government of Russia would accept the indisputable
preparing to attack Armenia. The only question was the timing.
admission into the boundaries of the Armenian Soviet Socialist
Kiazim Karabekir Pasha, the commander of the Eastern Army,
Republic the following regions: The Province of Erivan, a part of the
wanted to attack at once, while Mustafa Kemal and Ismet Pasha
Province of Kars, the region of Zangezur in the Province of Ganzak
demurred. The latter demanded the Kiazim Karabekir lead his divi-
as defined by the boundary of August 10, and parts of the Province
sions against the Greek Army, which, at the time, had invaded
of Tiflis which were under Armenia's rule on September 28, 1920.
Anatolia.
(4) The command of the Armenian Army would not be persecuted
In September, Kiazim Karabekir left for Ankara personally to per-
for any anti-Communist acts previous to the sovietization of Armenia.
suade Mustafa Kemal of the necessity of attacking Armenia at once.
(5) The members of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation and
His task was further facilitated by the news of signing the Sevres
other socialist parties would not be subject to persecution for their
Treaty. Meanwhile, Khalil Pasha's Islamic Army from Baku, loaded
membership in these parties, nor would they be persecuted for their
with Soviet gold, already had arrived at Erzerum to reinforce the
fight against the Communist Party prior to sovietization of Armenia.
invading army. Thereupon Ankara yielded and gave Kiazim Kara-
(6) The Military Revolutionary Committee would consist of
5
bekir the green light. On September 23 the Turkish Army invaded
members appointed by the Communist Party and 2 leftist Dashnak
Armenia, and the forces of the Armenian Republic, slim as they were,
approved by the Communists.
had to fight on two fronts; against the Red armies to the north, and
(7) The Soviet Government of Russia would take immediate steps
the Turkish forces in the south and southwest. It was under these
to furnish the necessary military forces for the consolidation and
conditions, where Armenia was militarily in an impossible position
defense of the Armenian Socialist Soviet Republic.
that Legran arrived "accompanied by over 40 counselors" and loaded
(8) After the signing of the agreement, the Government of the
with stacks of propaganda literature. The very next day he presented
Armenian Republic would withdraw, and until the coming of the
the Soviet terms. These were: (1) Armenia should renounce the
Revolutionary Committee, a military command headed by General
Treaty of Sevres; (2) Armenia should give the Soviet troops free
Dro with the participation of Comrade Silin of the R. S. F. S. R. would
passage through Armenia to join Mustafa Kemal's army in his fight
take over.
against the Allies; and (3) the Soviets would mediate in Armenia's
This treaty was signed in Erivan on December 2, 1920, by General
disputes with her neighbors concerning the boundaries.
Dro and Derderian on behalf of the Armenian Republic and Legran
The Government of Armenia categorically rejected the first point
on behalf of the R. S. F. S. R. As B. Navassardian testified this
but agreed to discuss the others.
treaty "will be found in the volume entitled 'Collection of Valid
However, the commanding and cardinal consideration of the day
Treaties' published by the Soviet Commissariat of Foreign Affairs,
was the fighting on the fronts. From the north was the mighty Red
in Leningrad, in 1922.
army, while on the south Communist propagandists had infiltrated
the Armenian Army and were issuing proclamations to Armenian
ARMENIA UNDER SOVIET RULE
soldiers calling upon them not to fight the Turks. One of these read:
Despite the fact that the loss of independence-in its genuine form-
Armenian soldier, when you see the Turk advancing do not fire upon him.
He is your brother, your fellow worker.
was received with deep misgivings by the Armenian people, however,
the elimination of the immediate and real threat of total annihilation
On those fronts where the soldiers had not been exposed to Com-
from military invasion from all sides caused a temporary wave of
munist subversion, they fought stubbornly and long but, hopelessly
hope that "the Great Russian brothers" would bring an era of com-
outnumbered, they were forced to yield ground.
parative peace to Armenia. This hope was dashed to smithers in a
On the other hand Armenia received no aid from the outside world.
matter of weeks. As General Dro testified, referring to the December
The West was innocent of any knowledge of the Communist world
2 treaty which the Soviets had signed with Armenia and which they
threat.
considered a valid treaty, "they trampled everything underfoot."
By the end of November the Turkish forces were at the gates of
This is how the Communist historian Borian describes the Red take-
Erivan and Karabekir was threatening to occupy the entire country.
over of Armenia:
This is what the Soviet "negotiators" in Erivan were waiting for.
The Revolutionary Committee started a series of indiscriminate seizures and
However, despite the military catastrophe, the Armenian Government
confiscations, without regard to class, and without taking into account the general
worked out a treaty which, although accepting the sovietization of
economic and psychological state of the peasantry. Devoid of revolutionary
Armenia-as the only alternative to new massacres and the complete
planning, and executed with needless brutality, these confiscations were unor-
physical destruction of the Armenian people-was far from an abject
ganized and promiscuous. Unattended by disciplinary machinery, without pre-
surrender. In fact, under the conditions, the terms of the treaty
liminary propaganda of enlightenment, and with utter disregard of the country's
unusually distressing condition, the Revolutionary Committee issued its orders,
were the best possible. They stipulated:
nationalizing the food supply of the cities and the peasantry. With amazing
(1) Armenia was proclaimed an Independent Soviet Socialist
recklessness and unconcern, they seized and nationalized everything-military
government.
uniforms, artisans' tools, rice mills, water mills, barbers' implements, beehives,
linen, household furniture, and livestock.
Reproduced at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum
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"ocrText": "12\nCOMMUNIST TAKEOVER AND OCCUPATION OF ARMENIA\nCOMMUNIST TAKEOVER AND OCCUPATION OF ARMENIA\n13\nTHE ARMENO-TURKISH WAR\n(2) Pending the calling of a congress of the soviets of Armenia, a\ntemporary military revolutionary committee would take over the\nWhile the Government of the Independent Republic was busy with\nGovernment of Armenia.\nthe Soviet armies and the ensuing negotiations, Mustafa Kemal was\n(3) The Soviet Government of Russia would accept the indisputable\npreparing to attack Armenia. The only question was the timing.\nadmission into the boundaries of the Armenian Soviet Socialist\nKiazim Karabekir Pasha, the commander of the Eastern Army,\nRepublic the following regions: The Province of Erivan, a part of the\nwanted to attack at once, while Mustafa Kemal and Ismet Pasha\nProvince of Kars, the region of Zangezur in the Province of Ganzak\ndemurred. The latter demanded the Kiazim Karabekir lead his divi-\nas defined by the boundary of August 10, and parts of the Province\nsions against the Greek Army, which, at the time, had invaded\nof Tiflis which were under Armenia's rule on September 28, 1920.\nAnatolia.\n(4) The command of the Armenian Army would not be persecuted\nIn September, Kiazim Karabekir left for Ankara personally to per-\nfor any anti-Communist acts previous to the sovietization of Armenia.\nsuade Mustafa Kemal of the necessity of attacking Armenia at once.\n(5) The members of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation and\nHis task was further facilitated by the news of signing the Sevres\nother socialist parties would not be subject to persecution for their\nTreaty. Meanwhile, Khalil Pasha's Islamic Army from Baku, loaded\nmembership in these parties, nor would they be persecuted for their\nwith Soviet gold, already had arrived at Erzerum to reinforce the\nfight against the Communist Party prior to sovietization of Armenia.\ninvading army. Thereupon Ankara yielded and gave Kiazim Kara-\n(6) The Military Revolutionary Committee would consist of\n5\nbekir the green light. On September 23 the Turkish Army invaded\nmembers appointed by the Communist Party and 2 leftist Dashnak\nArmenia, and the forces of the Armenian Republic, slim as they were,\napproved by the Communists.\nhad to fight on two fronts; against the Red armies to the north, and\n(7) The Soviet Government of Russia would take immediate steps\nthe Turkish forces in the south and southwest. It was under these\nto furnish the necessary military forces for the consolidation and\nconditions, where Armenia was militarily in an impossible position\ndefense of the Armenian Socialist Soviet Republic.\nthat Legran arrived \"accompanied by over 40 counselors\" and loaded\n(8) After the signing of the agreement, the Government of the\nwith stacks of propaganda literature. The very next day he presented\nArmenian Republic would withdraw, and until the coming of the\nthe Soviet terms. These were: (1) Armenia should renounce the\nRevolutionary Committee, a military command headed by General\nTreaty of Sevres; (2) Armenia should give the Soviet troops free\nDro with the participation of Comrade Silin of the R. S. F. S. R. would\npassage through Armenia to join Mustafa Kemal's army in his fight\ntake over.\nagainst the Allies; and (3) the Soviets would mediate in Armenia's\nThis treaty was signed in Erivan on December 2, 1920, by General\ndisputes with her neighbors concerning the boundaries.\nDro and Derderian on behalf of the Armenian Republic and Legran\nThe Government of Armenia categorically rejected the first point\non behalf of the R. S. F. S. R. As B. Navassardian testified this\nbut agreed to discuss the others.\ntreaty \"will be found in the volume entitled 'Collection of Valid\nHowever, the commanding and cardinal consideration of the day\nTreaties' published by the Soviet Commissariat of Foreign Affairs,\nwas the fighting on the fronts. From the north was the mighty Red\nin Leningrad, in 1922.\narmy, while on the south Communist propagandists had infiltrated\nthe Armenian Army and were issuing proclamations to Armenian\nARMENIA UNDER SOVIET RULE\nsoldiers calling upon them not to fight the Turks. One of these read:\nDespite the fact that the loss of independence-in its genuine form-\nArmenian soldier, when you see the Turk advancing do not fire upon him.\nHe is your brother, your fellow worker.\nwas received with deep misgivings by the Armenian people, however,\nthe elimination of the immediate and real threat of total annihilation\nOn those fronts where the soldiers had not been exposed to Com-\nfrom military invasion from all sides caused a temporary wave of\nmunist subversion, they fought stubbornly and long but, hopelessly\nhope that \"the Great Russian brothers\" would bring an era of com-\noutnumbered, they were forced to yield ground.\nparative peace to Armenia. This hope was dashed to smithers in a\nOn the other hand Armenia received no aid from the outside world.\nmatter of weeks. As General Dro testified, referring to the December\nThe West was innocent of any knowledge of the Communist world\n2 treaty which the Soviets had signed with Armenia and which they\nthreat.\nconsidered a valid treaty, \"they trampled everything underfoot.\"\nBy the end of November the Turkish forces were at the gates of\nThis is how the Communist historian Borian describes the Red take-\nErivan and Karabekir was threatening to occupy the entire country.\nover of Armenia:\nThis is what the Soviet \"negotiators\" in Erivan were waiting for.\nThe Revolutionary Committee started a series of indiscriminate seizures and\nHowever, despite the military catastrophe, the Armenian Government\nconfiscations, without regard to class, and without taking into account the general\nworked out a treaty which, although accepting the sovietization of\neconomic and psychological state of the peasantry. Devoid of revolutionary\nArmenia-as the only alternative to new massacres and the complete\nplanning, and executed with needless brutality, these confiscations were unor-\nphysical destruction of the Armenian people-was far from an abject\nganized and promiscuous. Unattended by disciplinary machinery, without pre-\nsurrender. In fact, under the conditions, the terms of the treaty\nliminary propaganda of enlightenment, and with utter disregard of the country's\nunusually distressing condition, the Revolutionary Committee issued its orders,\nwere the best possible. They stipulated:\nnationalizing the food supply of the cities and the peasantry. With amazing\n(1) Armenia was proclaimed an Independent Soviet Socialist\nrecklessness and unconcern, they seized and nationalized everything-military\ngovernment.\nuniforms, artisans' tools, rice mills, water mills, barbers' implements, beehives,\nlinen, household furniture, and livestock.\nReproduced at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum"
}