Armenians' Unyielding Valor in WWII: Challenging the Narrative of the "Great Patriotic War"

This blog post focuses on the contributions of Armenians to the Soviet army during World War II but challenges the concept of the "Great Patriotic War" as it pertains to Armenia. Despite sending the largest contingent of soldiers to the front, with many not returning, Armenia gained nothing for its sacrifices. The post aims to highlight the heroic struggles of Armenians on all fronts and debunk the myth of the "Great Patriotic War." It also raises concerns about Azerbaijan's enlistment practices, which seemingly discriminated against Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians and altered the demographics of the region.

While the heroism of Armenians in World War II is beyond doubt, and only admirable, it is also important to acknowledge the shortcomings of the Soviet political elite in recognizing and rewarding their contributions. Despite the immense sacrifices Armenian soldiers and civilians made during the war, the Soviet government failed to adequately acknowledge or reward their sacrifice. This is a complicated and multifaceted issue, but it is one that deserves to be examined and discussed, especially as we reflect on the legacy of World War II and the role of different nations and communities in that conflict.

Berlin in ruins

The final stages of World War II saw Soviet troops, aided by American and British air power, mount a major assault on the German capital of Berlin. As the Red Army closed in on the city, taking control of key sites such as the Gestapo headquarters, Adolf Hitler took his own life on April 30 in the Führerbunker. With the German surrender that followed shortly thereafter, the war was essentially ended.

While the vanquished German forces surrendered to the Allied powers on 8 May 1945, the news only reached the people of Moscow the following morning. At 2:10 am on 9 May, Radio Moscow broadcasted the announcement that Germany had surrendered without conditions and that the war was officially over. Along with this declaration of victory, the presidium of the Supreme Soviet declared May 9th as a national holiday, a day of celebration and commemoration of the victory, known as "Victory Day."

The central press was outpouring endless strings of emotional and even rhapsodic articles, all devoted to the victory. Every article was filled with praise for Stalin, thanking him for his leadership of the Party and the people, and presenting the victory as a validation of the Communist Party, the Red Army, and the socialist system.

Thus, the Great Patriotic War received its official celebration day. Idolized and mythicized, the war between the USSR and Nazi Germany became a centerpiece of Soviet propaganda, serving as a potent tool of influence in the country's foreign policy.

Dawn of Apocalypse

The instability in Europe caused by World War I (1914-18) played a significant role in the outbreak of another major conflict, World War II, just two decades later. The rise of Adolf Hitler, leader of the Nazi Party, in a politically and economically weakened Germany, marked a turning point in the lead-up to the war. Hitler pursued a policy of rearmament and signed strategic agreements with Italy and Japan, all with the aim of achieving his goal of world domination. The devastating impact of World War II, both in terms of human suffering and material destruction, made it one of the most significant and tragic events in modern history.

On March 15, 1939, Nazi Germany launched a full-scale invasion of Czechoslovakia, effectively violating the agreement it had signed with Great Britain and France in Munich the previous year. This was not the first instance of Hitler's territorial ambitions, as he had already annexed Austria and seized the Sudetenland region of Czechoslovakia in 1938. It was becoming increasingly clear that Hitler was intent on dismantling the international order established by the Treaty of Versailles, the 1919 peace settlement that brought an end to World War I.

The tyrants’ handshake

On 22 August 1939, German foreign minister Joachim von Ribbentrop traveled to Moscow to meet with Soviet foreign minister Vyacheslav Molotov and Soviet leader Joseph Stalin. On 23 August the Molotov-Ribbentrop (nonaggression) Pact was signed between Third Reich and USSR. This agreement included a secret protocol outlining the spheres of influence that Germany and the Soviet Union would have in Eastern Europe after Germany's invasion of Poland. According to the protocol, the Soviet Union would annex the eastern half of Poland, as well as the Baltic states of Lithuania, Estonia, and Latvia.

The pact effectively neutralized the earlier treaty between France and the Soviet Union, which helped to assure Hitler's generals and gave Germany the green light to attack Poland. This would ultimately lead to the outbreak of World War II and the widespread devastation that followed.

Following Hitler's invasion of Poland on September 1, 1939, France and Britain declared war on Germany two days later, starting World War II. On September 17, Soviet troops invaded Poland from the east, effectively sealing Poland's fate. By early 1940, Germany and the Soviet Union had divided control over the nation based on a secret protocol appended to the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact.

After Poland's defeat, Stalin's forces moved to occupy the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. In addition, the Soviet Union engaged in the Russo-Finnish War, ultimately defeating Finland despite their fierce resistance. The Soviet Union's aggressive expansion in Eastern Europe and their cooperation with Nazi Germany would ultimately lead to their involvement in World War II on the side of the Allies.

On April 9, 1940, Germany launched a surprise attack on Norway and simultaneously occupied Denmark, marking the beginning of World War II in earnest. The German military then implemented a "blitzkrieg" or lightning war strategy, swiftly conquering the Netherlands and Belgium on May 10. On June 14, German forces entered and occupied Paris, signaling the defeat of France.

At the beginning of 1941, Axis powers had gained the support of Hungary, Romania, and Bulgaria. Later that year, in April, German forces invaded Yugoslavia and Greece. On June 22, 1941, the largest invasion force in history, with more than 3 million German and Axis troops representing 80% of the Wehrmacht, invaded the Soviet Union along a 1,800-mile-long front in a military operation known as Barbarossa.

Post-truth

Russia maintains a stance of protest and condemnation against critical evaluations of the Soviet Union's foreign policy, including its actions leading up to and during World War II. These actions include the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact and the USSR's role in the war's outbreak, as well as the invasion of Poland and Finland, the annexation of the Baltic states, the Katyn massacre, in which approximately 22,000 Polish military officers and intellectuals were executed, and mass terror against Soviet citizens and residents of newly annexed territories.

Soviet authorities denied the existence of the secret protocols that divided Central-Eastern Europe into German and Soviet zones of influence. They presented the "non-aggression pact" as motivated by purely "defensive" intentions. However, in Putin's Russia, there has been an increasingly positive official perception of the pact.

Heroes all the way down

Armenian soldiers fought in various military units and on all fronts during the war. An estimated 600,000 Armenians participated in the war, with 200,000 of them losing their lives. Of those, around 300,000 Armenians fought in the war for the USSR. One in five residents of Armenia left for the frontline. The Armenians within the Red Army and Red Navy fought in the naval and land forces, in mechanized and infantry divisions, aviation, and cavalry. More than 100 thousand Armenians were enlisted into the armed forces of Allied forces, mostly into the French army as well as almost 20 thousand in the US army. More than 200 thousand Armenians did not return from the war, which is equal to 1/7th of the population of Armenia.

Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh and Northern Artsakh suffered significant losses during the war due to discriminatory conscription policies by the USSR and Azerbaijan SSR, which resembled a disguised genocide. Of the 133,000 residents in Nagorno Karabakh, around 45,000 Armenian men (more than two-thirds) and one thousand women were conscripted, with more than 22,000 of them dying. At the same time, only one of nineteen Azerbaijanis were conscripted.

Six Armenian national divisions took part in the Great Patriotic War, with five of them being established after the start of the war. One of these divisions was the 76th Rifle Division, which was created in May 1922 in Yerevan and included future Marshals Ivan Baghramyan and Hamazasp Babajanyan. The division was involved in special operations in Iran before participating in battles from Stalingrad to the Baltic states and Belarus, helping to liberate around 1,000 settlements.

The 89th Infantry Rifle Tamanyan Division was established in Yerevan in December 1941. The division commenced its military campaign in the Caucasus and liberated Sevastopol, Balaklava, and Kerch. As a result of their bravery on the Taman Peninsula, the division was named “Tamanyan”. During the war, they liberated more than 900 towns. Major General Nver Safaryan led the 89th Division, which was among the first to cross into Poland, and then made their way to Berlin, where they defeated the German garrison.

The 390th Infantry Division, which was established in September 1941, also fought in the battles for Kerch and showed great bravery in Crimea. Another division, the 408th Infantry Division, formed in August 1941, fought in Novorossiysk and Tuapse and successfully broke through enemy encirclement to claim victory on the Elbe in October 1942. The 409th Rifle Division, known as "Kirovograd-Bratislava" and formed in August 1941, initially defended the state border from Turkey until December 1942, and then participated in battles in various regions including Chechen-Ingush Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic, Stavropol, Krasnodar, and Hungary, where it displayed courage during the liberation of Bratislava. The 261st Rifle Division was formed in the fall of 1942 with the mission to protect the Soviet-Turkish state border.

Armenia established or expanded eight divisions and trained over 85,000 recruits. As Armenia was situated in the frontline zone and a significant part of the state border passed through its territory, there was a special emphasis on staff training to defend against potential invasion attempts by the enemy.

Armenian soldiers played a crucial role in various battles. The future Marshal of the Soviet Union, Hovhannes Baghramyan, commanded the Southwest Front during the defense of Moscow, in which many Armenian soldiers participated. Thirty thousand Armenians fought in the Battle of Stalingrad, with a third of them losing their lives. Ten thousand Armenian soldiers were also involved in the battle of Kursk, where Baghramyan and future air marshal Sergei Khudyakov demonstrated their commanding talents. Over 100,000 Armenians fought in the Caucasus and battles for the liberation of Kerch and Crimea. In addition, 80,000 Armenians participated in the liberation of Ukraine, while 50,000 fought in Belarus, with 45,000 Armenian soldiers losing their lives in these battles.

During the war, five Armenians were promoted to the rank of Marshal of the Soviet Union, including Ivan (Hovhannes) Baghramyan, who commanded the First Baltic Front and subsequently the Third Belorussian Front. Over 60 Armenian generals held command on all fronts of the war, including three army commanders and three corps commanders. At the end of the war, 83 army officers had been promoted to the rank of general.

Over 66,000 Armenians were recognized with state decorations for their participation in the war. 107 soldiers and army officers were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, including Ivan Baghramyan and Nelson Stepanyan who received the title twice.

Five Armenians became Marshals of the Soviet Union. Hovhannes Baghramyan commanded the First Baltic Front and subsequently, the Third Belorussian Front; Ivan Isakov (Hovhannes Isaakyan) became Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union; Amazasp Babajanyan was appointed Chief Marshal of Armored Forces; Sergey Khudyakov (Armenak Khamferyants) became Marshal of Aviation; and Sergey Aganov was appointed Marshal of Engineer Troops.

During World War II, the Armenian people both in the Soviet Union and in the diaspora played an active role in the fight against fascism. With the material help of Diaspora Armenians, "Sasuntsi Davit" and "General Baghramyan" tank columns were formed within the Soviet army. Diaspora Armenians also fought in the military units of various allied countries. There were 20,000 Armenians in the US army alone, of whom Ernest Dervishyan was awarded the highest US state award, the Medal of Honor, Harry Kizirian, one of the most decorated marines of the war, and Victor Maghakian, one of the most decorated American soldiers of the war.

More than 30 thousand Armenians fought in the British and French armies. Thousands of Diaspora Armenians participated in the countries conquered by German resistance and guerrilla movement. To this day, the poet Misak Manushyan, who was awarded posthumously, has his rightful place in the history of France as a Hero of the French resistance movement. Louisa (Las) and Arpiar Aslanians in France fell with a hero's death. There were pioneers of the struggle here, including the parents of the national hero of Armenia, the world-famous Charles Aznavour. In addition, Armenians participated in partisan movements in Greece, Yugoslavia, and Poland.

The myth

The concept of "Patriotic" wars has no universal definition. The 1812 invasion by Napoleon is referred to as the "Patriotic" War, whereas the war against Germany from 1941-45 is called the Great Patriotic War. The Russian perspective regards defensive wars fought on its own soil as "Patriotic." This kind of armed conflict could arguably refer to the class of "just wars." At any rate, everything boils down to the subjective definition of fatherland then. Soviet Armenia was part of the USSR, and the Soviet Union was considered the fatherland during World War II. Dissenting opinions were not tolerated, as the regime threatened fatal repression. Many Armenians were enlisted in the war effort, and their enthusiasm was genuine and necessary at the time.

However, from the 21st-century perspective, was it truly a Patriotic war for Armenians? It was a necessity, assuming one ignores the contradictory notion of a "just war." Armenia was part of the USSR, and the Soviet Union was attacked by a heinous fascist regime. It was noble to resist the aggressor. Armenians exhibited individual and collective heroism, and their sacrifice commands the utmost admiration. Nonetheless, the Soviet Union's apriori status as the victim is questionable. If Hitler had not attacked, Stalin would have most likely attacked and seized as much territory as possible, which he eventually did en route to Berlin. What did Armenia, our fatherland, gain from the war? Was the great sacrifice and sincere contribution of Armenians ever paid back?

Comrade, crash the Armenians hopes!

In the wake of WWII, there was a hopeful expectation that the Armenian question would be justly resolved. After all, Armenians had earned that, hadn’t they? The hope was that Kars Marz, Surmalu Province, and other territories in Western Armenia, which had been occupied by Turkey, would be ceded to Soviet Armenia.

These hopes were further amplified by the territorial demands presented to Turkey by the Soviet authorities. In June 1945, the Soviet Union's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Vyacheslav Molotov, presented a set of territorial demands to the Turkish ambassador in Moscow. From 1945 to 1953, the Soviet Union proposed various projects to normalize the border with Turkey, including territorial demands that would benefit the Soviet Union.

The Montreaux Convention of 1936 gave Turkey exclusive control over shipping through the Bosphorus Strait, which was a vital waterway for Russian exports. The Soviet Union had long opposed this convention. In 1945, when the 1925 Soviet-Turkish Treaty of Friendship and Neutrality expired, the Soviet side declined to renew the treaty. The Soviet foreign minister, Vyacheslav Molotov, informed the Turks that before any new treaty could be signed, territorial claims by Georgia and Armenia against Turkish-controlled land had to be resolved.

The disputed area around Kars and Ardahan had been under the jurisdiction of the Russian Empire from 1878 to 1921. After being handed over to Turkey, it continued to be populated by members of the respective ethnic groups who now had their own titular Soviet Socialist Republics. Molotov claimed that while the Soviets had normalized their border with Poland by ceding territories, they had taken during their period of weakness in 1921, Turkey had not undergone a similar renegotiation for the territories it had taken from the Soviets in 1921.

The Soviet Union presented three plans that demanded varying amounts of territory to be ceded by Turkey. The first plan proposed the inclusion of the former Kars Oblast and Surmalu uyezd of Erivan Governorate, which was part of the Russian Empire from 1878 to 1918 and then part of the Democratic Republic of Armenia from 1918 to 1920. The second plan sought to include the Alashkert Plain and the city of Bayazet to Kars and Surmalu. The third and most ambitious plan aimed to add a significant portion of eastern Anatolia, including Erzurum, Van, Moush, and Bitlis, to Kars, Surmalu, and the Alashkert Plain.

The Soviet government aimed to resettle the Armenian diaspora living in the acquired territories. Between 1946 and 1948, approximately 150,000 ethnic Armenians and their descendants from various countries such as Syria, Lebanon, Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Cyprus, Palestine, Iraq, Egypt, and France migrated to Soviet Armenia. The repatriation of Armenians from the diaspora was seen as an opportunity to populate the newly acquired territories and strengthen Soviet Armenia's demographic and economic base.

The United States had two main reasons for opposing the Soviet annexation of the Kars Plateau. First, the area was strategically important for the defense of Turkey, a key U.S. ally in the region. Second, there were ideological concerns within certain elements of the American government who saw the Soviet territorial claims as expansionist and like Nazi irredentism over the Sudeten Germans in Czechoslovakia.

The State Department had already shifted its stance towards Armenia since the 1930s. By 1934, it had concluded that its earlier support for Armenia, which dated back to President Wilson's tenure in office (1913-1921), had lapsed with the loss of Armenian independence in 1920. As a result, the United States did not support the Soviet Union's territorial claims over Turkish territory. The U.S. government viewed the Soviet demands as destabilizing to the region, likely to provoke Turkish hostility, and potentially damaging to American interests.

In 1952, Turkey joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), a military alliance created to counter the Soviet Union's influence in Europe. This move was seen as a strategic response to the Soviet Union's territorial claims on Turkey. However, after Joseph Stalin, the leader of the Soviet Union, died in 1953, the new Soviet leadership began to pursue a more conciliatory foreign policy toward the West. As part of this policy shift, the Soviet government abandoned its territorial claims on Turkey, signaling a desire to improve relations with the country and its ally, the United States.

As the dust settled and the geopolitical landscape shifted, hopes for long-awaited justice were dashed. A couple of decades after the Armenian Genocide, Armenians saw their rightful claims to land, and self-determination dismissed and ignored.

The heritage of the unfadeable pride

Armenia's role in the Soviet Union during WWII was unique, as it formed one of the republics and its participation in the war effort was the largest per capita in the entire USSR. Armenians made undeniable sacrifices and contributed greatly to the Soviet Union's victory, and as a result, they had legitimate expectations for a just solution to the Armenian question. Unlike other countries, Armenians had the highest level of social and political organization within the Soviet Union – embodied in the Armenian SSR, making their expectations of the USSR justified. Their hopes were a result of their immense contribution to the war effort and their desire for justice after the Armenian Genocide, which threatened to wipe out their people from the face of the Earth just a few decades earlier.

Armenians' contribution, heroism, and sacrifice during WWII were remarkable and will always be remembered. However, it is a sad reality that despite their immense sacrifices, Armenians were once again left without any real compensation or recognition for their contributions. It is a bitter pill to swallow, especially for those who gave everything they had to offer for the victory against Nazi Germany.

The 1941-1945 war between Nazi Germany and Soviet Russia cannot be considered "patriotic" for Armenia. While many enlisted Armenians fought with the defense of Armenia and their homes in mind. Many of them also fought with the hope of returning to their homes across the Turkish border after the war, as they were implicitly promised by Soviet propaganda. Thousands of them were sons and daughters of the Genocide survivors. Yet the reality is that Soviet Russia used the sacred sentiments of these people. It exploited entire nations for its own policies and ideologies. The Soviet Union, being yet another reincarnation of the Russian Empire, as the Russian Federation is now, was known as the "prison of peoples," and it never truly cared for the people under its control. Russia cannot be considered a true motherland for any nation, as human life has never been valued by the Empire. While Armenians made immense sacrifices during the war, they were ultimately left with little to show for it, and the exploitation of entire nations for the benefit of the Soviet Union is a bitter truth that cannot be ignored.

It is detrimental to emphasize that this blog post does not underestimate the heroism and sacrifice of Armenians in the war; rather, it seeks to glorify and pay tribute to the unwavering will, strength, and resilience of Armenian individuals and the nation as a whole in the face of adversity. Today, as we remember the heroism of Armenians in World War II, we must also remember that justice for the Armenian people remains a long-overdue debt. We must strive to honor the memory of those who gave their everything for the victory against Nazi Germany by continuing to work towards a world where justice and recognition are not only promised but also delivered. Their legacy, sacrifice, and heroism will forever be etched in our hearts and minds.