1920-2023 – the unlearned lessons of our history

The well-known saying that history has a tendency to repeat itself has become more relevant to us, especially today. Many parallels are drawn in professional and non-professional circles with the 1920s, and in 2023 between Armenia. Without going into the details of the historical facts, we can distinguish at least three important parallels that existed between 1920 and 2023:

1. Armenia’s bad steps in foreign policy,

2. The Turkish-Armenian war,

3. Waiting for Russian troops. And finally, on December 2, 1920, the humiliating Treaty of Alexandropol – a humiliating declaration on September 21, 2023. Because of all this, the so-called Caucasian Armenia (Russian Armenia) dissolved its independence in 1920, Western Armenia (Turkish Armenia) which experienced a genocide recognized by the whole world was not affected by this dissolution, and an important part of our subjectivity and our sovereignty in 2023.

But the parallels between 1920 and 2023 do not stop there. Perhaps by an “astonishing” coincidence, there are also striking similarities in the realm of propaganda. Thus, in 1920, some circles of the Armenian army and society clearly preached that the attacking Turkish army was the army of “good Turks” and that there was no need to fight against them. After 103 years, in 2023 From the podium, deputies consider ethnographic songs dangerous and once again speak literally of “good Turks”. Various grant programs aimed at Armenian-Turkish “reconciliation and dialogue” have been implemented.

In the summer of 1920, such a geopolitical situation was formed that the regional and geopolitical interests of Bolshevik Russia and Turkey were very close. Barely three years ago, these states facing each other on the battlefield had a common enemy, the West, whose policies posed a threat to all. Furthermore, the struggle against imperialist countries and the liberation of oppressed and colonized peoples formed the basis of Bolshevik ideology. Kemal presented his movement exactly like this, which during this historical period completely coincided with Bolshevik ideology. Russia and Turkey have tried at all costs to drive Western powers out of our region. They therefore both considered the Treaty of Sèvres and the creation of Armenia as a threat to their vital interests.

In order to deepen the military-political cooperation of the two powerful states, reliable land communication through Zangezur was necessary, which motivated the attack of the Soviet army on the mountain of Armenia, which was stopped by Garegin Nzhdeh through heroic efforts.

The culprits of war and defeat

Such was the geopolitical situation in the fall of 1920, when the Turkish-Armenian war began, the main accusations of its defeat can be conditionally divided into two groups:

a) the Armenian army was not ready and could not defend the country,

b) the army fought a heroic battle, but due to the omissions of political leaders, it could not complete the task assigned to it.

The truth, as always, lies in the middle: in the Turkish-Armenian war, Armenia suffered a heavy defeat due to numerous military failures, disorganization, short-sightedness of political leaders, mismanagement of the ‘back, superstition and other reasons.

Let us highlight another parallel linked to the spiritual and cultural sphere. In 1920, during the negotiations following the defeat, we tried to preserve at least the ruins of the capital Ani within the borders of Armenia as an outstanding example of Christian culture, we are trying to save the monastery of Amaras.

In 2023, one of the slogans during the war was “this is our last war”, which I disagree with. In my opinion, the Turkish-Armenian war has been going on for about a thousand years, since the Turkic tribes invaded the Armenian highlands, and it will continue. The territorial and other aggressive ambitions of the Turks and Azerbaijanis will not stop, and their ultimate goal is the non-existence of the Armenian state.

Turkish-Armenian battles have been recorded for a thousand years, some of which we won and some of which we lost.

100 years ago, during this period, we lost and the symbol of this defeat was Kars, which was not captured by the enemy but was given to the enemy. After 103 years, in 2023 the symbol of our defeat is Artsakh, which was also given.

To be continued…

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