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Index

Armenia

The Urartu Civilisation

Victory for Independence

Artashisian Dynasty on the Armenian Throne

Armenia caught between Rome and the Arsacids

The Acceptance of Christianity

Defending Christianity

Armenia Under the Bagratouni Dynasty

Cilicia - the New Armenia

Armenia Under Turanian Rule

The Renaissance or the Resurrection of Armenia

The Eastern Question

Russia in the Caucasus

The Armenian Question

Battle on Two Fronts

Tsarist Russia Against the Armenians

The Revolution of the Young Turks and the Armenian People on the Eve of World War I

The First World War

The Resurrection of Armenia

Armenia on the Road to Independence, 1918

- Armenia on the Road to Independence, 1918

Eastern Armenia

Western Armenia

"The Fateful Years" (1914-1917)

"Hopes and Emotions" (March-October, 1917)

The Bolshevik Revolution and Armenia

Transcaucasia Adrift (November, 1917

Dilemmas (March-April, 1918)

War and Independence (April-May, 1918)

The Republics of Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Armenia

The Suppliants (June-October, 1918)

In conclusion

Soviet Armenia

The Second Independent Republic of Armenia

Epilogue

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At the request of Russia, and supported by England and France, a reform plan was signed on February 8, 1914. 11 According to this plan, two international supervisors from neutral countries would be appointed to monitor the administration of the Armenian provinces of the Ottoman Empire. The resolution also guaranteed that, in relation to their numbers in each province, Armenian advisors and officials would be involved in the local governments.

Thus the Turkish government was forced to agree, against its judgement and policy, to certain privileges for the Armenians. For these privileges, the Armenians were once again indebted to the Russians. Previously, Russia had opposed all suggestions of reform in the Armenian provinces, especially if reform would require representatives from foreign major powers to be deployed in the border areas adjacent to the Russian Empire. The shift in policy towards Western Armenia occurred under a certain amount of outside pressure; but it also bore witness to motives other than Russian self-interest (to which the German media was always referring), motives in line with the increasing influence of liberal forces in Russia who defended the Armenian Question and the creation of an independent Armenian state. 12

A new era appeared to be dawning on the Armenian provinces in the former Ottoman Empire. The Armenian dream, of a self-governing Armenia within the framework of the Ottoman Empire, fought for and sacrificed for over generations, was on the brink of realisation.

However, when the two observers from neutral countries, namely Westeneck from Netherlands and Hoff from Norway, had been appointed and the latter had just arrived at his office in the city of Van, (June 1914), the fuse of the First World War was lit. Chateaubriand writes: "Throughout history there are events which are as mockeries of human fate."

Armenia on the Eve of the First World War

As world war broke out, the Armenian nation's gaze was fixed more hopefully and confidently on the future. Armenian life and existence within the Ottoman Empire was to enjoy increased security in accordance with the 1914 reform plan.

In Transcaucasia, Russian rule, whilst not allowing freedom, still guaranteed order and the security of the Armenian population, with improving welfare and comfort.

The Armenians took full advantage of the improved situation. A more successful people than both the Georgians and the Tatars (known as Azerbaijani after 1920), they led the development of agriculture and industry in the region. Despite their resistance to the Russian bureaucracy, the Armenians essentially remained loyal to the Russian Empire. As with all non-Russian peoples in the empire, the Armenians were merely struggling to initiate a more liberal regime which would respect their national language, customs and traditions. Their attitude was paraphrased by the Canadian premier, Sir Wilfrid Laurier, as: "We wish to remain loyal towards our countrymen whom we have our lives to thank for, at the same time as we wish to be loyal to our second country which has given us freedom."