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Following the allied victory over Germany and its Axis powers, Armenia, at the start of 1919, retook the provinces of Alexandropol and Kars. The latter province was especially of great importance for the new government, since it held the most fertile farmlands for cultivating wheat and could supply the country with crops.
The Turkish retreat resulted in a brief war between Georgia and Armenia over the areas of Tchalov and Akhalkalak, which ended in Georgian defeat. 21 There was also conflict with Azerbaijan regarding Karabakh.
The Turks used their retreat from the occupied territories of Eastern Armenia to arm the Turkish, Tatar and Kurdish groups in the area. These groups were organised by Turkish officers to start a guerrilla war against Armenia, in order to weaken the Armenian government and force it to disregard its territorial claims on Western Armenia. The Turks concentrated their guerrilla groups in Nakhichevan, which was of great strategic significance for Turkey, as it formed a corridor for Turkey to be linked to the rest of the Turkish people, and an opportunity to resume their expansion eastwards in the realisation of Pan Turkism. 22
Nevertheless, between 1918 and 1920 the government of Armenia, which was led by men such as Kachaznouni, -Khatisian and Ohanjanian, gradually established order and security in the country, rebuilt the communication facilities and raised the agricultural standard. Armenia owes a great debt of gratitude to these men, who guided the first steps of the nation after its resurrection from oppression.
On May 28, 1919, on the first anniversary of independence, the government of Armenia, in accordance with the decision taken in the Armenian parliament and the council in Western Armenia, declared the annexation of Western Armenia to the Republic of Armenia and hence the reunion of West and Eastern Armenia.
In 1920, the economic situation of Armenia had improved considerably thanks to the persistent labour of the Armenian peasants, who proved once more that all that was needed to recover the riches and the welfare of Armenia was a brief period of safety, security and freedom. The newly recovered independence blew excitement and exaltation into the spirit of the Armenian nation, both inside and outside Armenia.
From various Armenian communities abroad, from Georgia to Constantinople, countries in the Balkans, Egypt, Europe and the USA, gifts and money poured into the state treasury, along with volunteers to defend the new government and professionals to rebuild the homeland.
Lochemese, after his visit during the summer of 1920 to the Transcaucasian republics, wrote: "The Armenians see that security is gradually returning to the country and its difficulties are decreasing. Today the country is stronger than ever despite her two young years. As long as her fate lies in her own hands she has proven that she is capable of defending it, but this destiny is also dependent on savage foreign powers." 26
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21) About the war between Georgia and Armenia and its outcome refer to the report from General Milner, published in London Gazette, January 4, 1921 (amendment 4) and Roberts Bechofer, In Denikin's Russia and the Caucasus, London, 1921, p. 12 and 52; M. Varandian, Le arméno-g´rorgienne Conflicte, Paris,
22) See the discusion between the first Armenian with Wardrop, chief commissar, October 19, 1919, Documents of the Foreign Policy of Brittania, London, series 1, vol. III, 1949, p. 548-549
26) Le Chesnais, Les Peuples de la Transcaucasie pendant la Guerre et devant la Paix, Paris 1921, p. 196. About the Republic of Armenia and the successes of the young republic refer to the testimonies of J. Loris Melicof, La Révolution russe et les Républiques Transcaucasiennes, Paris, 1920; A. Poidebard, Au Correfour des Routes de Perse, Paris, 1923; Roberts Bechofer, In Denikin's Russia and the Caucasus, London, 1921; General Harbord, Investigations in Turkey and Transcaucasia, Armenian journal, 1951-1952; Sir Harry Luke, Cities and men, London, 1953, vol. II, chapter 20, Armenians and their Republic and two other important works; A. Khatisian, La naissance et le développment de la République arménienne, Hairenik Monthly, Boston, 1923-1927, in Armenian and S. Vratzian, Le République arménienne, Paris, 1928, in Armenian
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