Victory Day in the Battle of Sardarapat
Description:
After the victory of the October Revolution in Russia, Russian troops left the regions of Western Armenia occupied during the First World War 1914-18. Taking advantage of this, the ruling circles of Turkey intended not to recapture Western Armenia, but also to occupy Eastern Armenia and the whole of Transcaucasia.
Violating the truce concluded in December 1917, the Turkish troops went on the offensive and occupied Yerznka, Erzrum, Sarikamysh, Kars, and on May 15 - Alexandropol (Gyumri). The corps operating on the Caucasian front consisted of three incomplete divisions. The Armenians retreated under the onslaught of many times superior enemy forces.
The hundred thousand-strong Turkish army of Vehiba Pasha was opposed by twenty thousand Armenian troops, consisting of soldiers and officers armed with rifles and machine guns of the old Russian army. The same number of militias and auxiliary troops. Colonel Danielbek Pirumyan commanded the troops.
"Armenians, go! The fate of the Fatherland is being decided! – this appeal of Pirumyan found a wide response among the population. Tens of thousands of workers, artisans, peasants armed with pitchforks, peaks, daggers joined the militia. A women's battalion was also created to help the wounded, supply the troops with water and food.
The Turks moved through the Araks Valley from west to east in the direction of Yerevan. Pirumyan met their avant-garde units behind Echmiadzin, defeated them with a series of successful blows and drove them back.
Encyclopedia "Armenian Question", forum.openarmenia.com