Հայկական Սովետական Սոցիալիստական Հանրապետություն (Armenian) Армянская Советская Социалистическая Республика (Russian) Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic
← 1936 — 1991 →
Flag Coat of arms
Capital	Yerevan
Official language	Armenian and Russian
Established In the USSR:  - Since  - Until	November 29, 1920 December 30, 1922 September 21, 1991
Area  - Total  - Water (%)	Ranked 15th in the USSR 29,800 km² 4. The Transcaucasian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic (Հայաստանի Խորհրդային Սոցիալիստական Հանրապետություն Azerbaijani: Year 1936 ( MCMXXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Year 1991 ( MCMXCI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar. Armenia (Հայաստան transliterated: Hayastan,) officially the Republic of Armenia (Հայաստանի Հանրապետություն Hayastani Yerevan (Երևան Երեւան or Երեվան ˌjɛrəˈvɑːn sometimes written as Erevan, Iravan, Erewan, Ayrivan, and Erivan A language is a dynamic set of visual auditory or tactile Symbols of Communication and the elements used to manipulate them The Armenian language (hy հայերեն լեզու hajɛɹɛn lɛzu —, conventional short form) is an Indo-European language spoken by the Armenian Russian ( transliteration:,) is the most geographically widespread language of Eurasia, the most widely spoken of the Slavic languages The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 Events 1777 - San Jose California, is founded as el Pueblo de San José de Guadalupe Year 1920 ( MCMXX) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display 1920 of the Gregorian calendar Events 1460 - Wars of the Roses: Battle of Wakefield. 1816 - The Treaty of St Year 1922 ( MCMXXII) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1217 - The Estonian tribal leader Lembitu of Lehola was killed in a battle against Teutonic Knights. Year 1991 ( MCMXCI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar. Area is a Quantity expressing the two- Dimensional size of a defined part of a Surface, typically a region bounded by a closed Curve. The Republics of the Soviet Union were according to the Article 76 of the 1977 Soviet Constitution, Sovereign Soviet Socialist states that had united with other Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of 7%
Population  - Total   - Density	Ranked 13th in the USSR 3,287,700 (1989) 110. In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology The density of a material is defined as its Mass per unit Volume: \rho = \frac{m}{V} Different materials usually have different The Republics of the Soviet Union were according to the Article 76 of the 1977 Soviet Constitution, Sovereign Soviet Socialist states that had united with other 3/km²
Time zone	UTC + 4
Anthem	Anthem of Armenian SSR
Medals	Order of Lenin (3), Order of the October Revolution, Order of Friendship of Peoples

The Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic (Armenian: Հայկական Սովետական Սոցիալիստական Հանրապետություն Haykakan Sovetakan Sotsialistakan Hanrapetutyun; Russian: Армянская Советская Социалистическая Республика Armyanskaya Sovetskaya Sotsialisticheskaya Respublika), also known as the Armenian SSR for short, was one of the republics that made up the former Soviet Union. A medal is usually a Coin -like sculpted object of metal or other material that has been engraved with an Insignia, Portrait or other artistic rendering Design of the decoration The first design of the Order of Lenin was made of silver with See also Order of Lenin Order of the Red Banner See also Order of Friendship The Armenian language (hy հայերեն լեզու hajɛɹɛn lɛzu —, conventional short form) is an Indo-European language spoken by the Armenian Russian ( transliteration:,) is the most geographically widespread language of Eurasia, the most widely spoken of the Slavic languages The Republics of the Soviet Union were according to the Article 76 of the 1977 Soviet Constitution, Sovereign Soviet Socialist states that had united with other The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 It came into being when the Communist Party of Armenia proclaimed control of Armenia on November 29, 1920. The Armenian Communist Party (Հայաստանի կոմունիստական կուսակցության abbreviated ՀԿԿ Hayastani Komunistakan Kusaktsutyun) is a Communist Armenia (Հայաստան transliterated: Hayastan,) officially the Republic of Armenia (Հայաստանի Հանրապետություն Hayastani Events 1777 - San Jose California, is founded as el Pueblo de San José de Guadalupe Year 1920 ( MCMXX) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display 1920 of the Gregorian calendar On December 1, 1920, Prime Minister Simon Vratsian ceded control of the country. Events 800 - Charlemagne judges the accusations against Pope Leo III in the Vatican Year 1920 ( MCMXX) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display 1920 of the Gregorian calendar The Prime Minister of Armenia is the most senior minister within the Armenian government and is required by the constitution to "oversee the Government's regular activities Simon Vratsian (Սիմոն Վրացյան was born in 1882 in Great Sala village of New Nakhichevan, Russia and died in 1969 in Beirut, Lebanon It later changed its name to the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic. The period is sometimes known as the Second Republic of Armenia, which followed the short lived Democratic Republic of Armenia (also known as the First Republic of Armenia). The Democratic Republic of Armenia ( DRA; Armenian: Դեմոկրատական Հայաստանի Հանրապետություն Demokratakan Hayastani Hanrapetutyun

From 1828 to the October Revolution in 1917, Armenia was part of the then Russian Empire and confined to the borders of the Erivan Governorate. The October Revolution (Октябрьская революция Oktyabrskaya revolyutsiya) also known as the Soviet Revolution The Russian Empire ( Pre-reform Russian: Pоссійская Имперія Modern Russian: Российская Империя translit: Rossiyskaya Erivan Governorate ( Old Russian: Эриванская губернія) was one of the Guberniyas ' of the Russian Empire, with its centre By Article 4 of the Treaty of Turkmenchay, the Erivan khanate (most of present-day central Armenia), which was a part of Persia was annexed by Russia in 1828. The Treaty of Turkmenchay (Туркманчайский договор Persian: عهدنامه ترکمنچای was a treaty negotiated in Turkmenchay by which The Erivan ( Yerevan) Khanate (ایروان was a Muslim controlled principality under the dominion of the Persian Empire between 1747 and 1828 Armenia (Հայաստան transliterated: Hayastan,) officially the Republic of Armenia (Հայաստանի Հանրապետություն Hayastani The Persian Empire was a series of Iranian empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau, the original Persian homeland and beyond in Western Asia ^[1]

After the October Revolution, Bolshevik leader Vladimir Lenin's government announced that minorities in the empire could pursue a course of self-determination. The Bolsheviks, originally also Bolshevists ( Большевик Большевист (singular, derived from bolshe, "more" were a faction Following the collapse of the empire, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia, declared themselves independent from Russian rule and each established their respective republics. Azerbaijan ( English; Azərbaycan officially the Republic of Azerbaijan (Azərbaycan Respublikası is the largest and most populous country in the South Georgia ( საქართველო, Sakartvelo) is a Transcontinental country in the Caucasus region situated at the dividing line between After suffering numerous casualties under Ottoman rule during the Armenian Genocide and the subsequent Turkish-Armenian War, the historic Armenian area in the Ottoman Empire was overrun with despair and devastation. When the Democratic Republic of Armenia was invaded by the Bolsheviks in 1920, it was declared a Soviet republic.

Under Soviet rule, the Armenian SSR transformed from a largely agricultural hinterland to an important industrial production center. On August 23, 1990, it was renamed into Republic of Armenia, but remained in the Soviet Union until its official proclamation of independence in 1991. Events 79 - Mount Vesuvius begins stirring on the feast day of Vulcan the Roman god of fire Year 1990 ( MCMXC) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar) The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991

Government

Main article: Politics of the Soviet Union

The structure of government in the Armenian SSR was identical to that of the other Soviet republics. The Political system of the Soviet Union was characterized by the superior role of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU the only party permitted by The highest political body of the republic was the Armenian Supreme Soviet which included the highest judicial branch of the Republic, the Supreme Court. The Supreme Soviet of the USSR (Верхо́вный Сове́т СССР Verkhóvnyj Sovét SSSR) was the highest legislative body in the Soviet Union in A supreme court, also called a court of last resort or high court, is in some Jurisdictions the highest judicial body within that jurisdiction's Members of the Supreme Soviet who were part of the plenipotentiary body served for a term of five years whereas regional deputies served for two and a half years. The word plenipotentiary (from the Latin, plenus + potens, full + power has two meanings ^[2] All officials holding office were mandated to be members of the Communist Party and sessions were convened in the Supreme Soviet building in Yerevan.

Economy

Main article: Economy of the Soviet Union

Under the Soviet system, the centralized economy of the republic banned private ownership of income producing property. The economy of the Soviet Union was based on a system of State ownership, administrative planning Socialist competition and free labour Nevertheless, the authorities in Moscow tacitly approved the economic plans in certain republics, including Armenia, that did not strictly adhere to socialist guidelines. ^[3]

Culture and life

Main article: Culture of the Soviet Union

With the establishment of the Republic, Soviet authorities worked tenaciously to eliminate certain elements in society, in whole or in part, such as nationalism and religion. The Culture of the Soviet Union passed through several stages during the 70 year existence of the Soviet Union. At first, Armenia was not impacted significantly by the policies set forth by Lenin's government. Prior to his debilitating illness, Lenin encouraged the policy of Korenizatsiya or "nativization" in the republics which essentially called for the different nationalities of the Soviet Union to "administer their republics", establishing schools, newspapers, and theaters. Korenizatsiya (коренизация sometimes also called korenization, meaning "nativization" or "indigenization" literally "putting down roots" ^[4] In Armenia, the Soviet government stipulated that all illiterate citizens up to the age of fifty were to attend school and learn Armenian, which became the official language of the republic. The Armenian language (hy հայերեն լեզու hajɛɹɛn lɛzu —, conventional short form) is an Indo-European language spoken by the Armenian

Like all the other republics of the Soviet Union, Armenia had its own flag and coat of arms. The latter became a source of dispute between the Soviet Union and Turkey in the 1950s when Turkey complained as to why it contained the image of Mount Ararat, which held a deeply symbolic importance to Armenians but is located on Turkish territory. Turkey (Türkiye known officially as the Republic of Turkey ( is a Eurasian Country that stretches Mount Ararat (see section Names for other names is the tallest peak in Turkey. Turkey felt that by having the image on the flag, the Soviet Union was making a territorial claim against it; Nikita Khrushchev, the leader of the Soviet Union at the time, responded by saying, "Why do you have a moon depicted on your flag? After all, the moon doesn't belong to Turkey, not even half the moon. Nikita Sergeyevich Khrushchev (April 17 1894 – September 11 1971 served as First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1953 to 1964 following . . . Do you want to take over the whole universe?"^[5] The government of Turkey dropped the issue after this. ^[6]

History

Sovietization

Armenians crowding the building where the 1920 plenum officially declared Armenia a Soviet republic.

Many Armenians joined the advancing Bolsheviks including those in the formation of the 20^th and 22^nd divisions of the 11th Soviet Red Army. ^[7] Afterwards, both Turkey and the newly proclaimed Soviet republic negotiated the Treaty of Kars, in which Turkey ceded Adjara to the USSR in exchange for the Kars territory, corresponding to the modern day Turkish provinces of Kars, Iğdır, and Ardahan. Turkey (Türkiye known officially as the Republic of Turkey ( is a Eurasian Country that stretches The Treaty of Kars (Kars Antlaşması Карсский договор / Karskiy dogovor) was a friendship treaty between the Grand National Assembly of Turkey Kars is a province (il of Turkey, located in the northeastern part of the country Iğdır (Iğdır Îdir Իգդիր İğdır Игдир ایگدیر is a province in eastern Turkey, located along the border with Armenia, Azerbaijan Ardahan Province is a province in the far north-east of Turkey, at the very end of the country where Turkey borders with Georgia and Armenia. The medieval Armenian capital of Ani, as well as the spiritual icon of the Armenian people Mount Ararat were located in the ceded area. History Armenian chroniclers such as Yeghishe and Ghazar Parpetsi first mentioned Ani in the 5th century AD Mount Ararat (see section Names for other names is the tallest peak in Turkey. Additionally, Joseph Stalin, then acting Commissar for nationalities, granted the areas of Nakhchivan and Nagorno-Karabakh (both of which were promised to Armenia by the Bolsheviks in 1920) to Azerbaijan. Joseph Stalin ( ნამდვილი გვარი ჯუღაშვილი|Iosif Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili; March 5 1953 was General Secretary of the Communist Party The Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic (Naxçıvan Muxtar Respublikası Նախիջևանի Ինքնավար Հանրապետություն Нахичеванская Автономная For the republic see Nagorno-Karabakh Republic Nagorno-Karabakh is a Region in the South Caucasus. ^[8] Stalin also felt that that the Armenian population was far too small to be accorded a republic of its own, and considered instead granting them autonomy under the auspices of another republic. However, Armenian leaders protested, and he reversed his decision.

With the induction into the Soviet Union, Armenians, along with Russians, Ukrainians, Belarusians, Georgians, Germans, and Jews were judged as "advanced" peoples, while other nationalities were deemed culturally backward. The Russian people (Русские— Russkie) are an East Slavic Ethnic group, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries Ukrainians (Українці Ukrayintsi,) are an East Slavic Ethnic group primarily living in Ukraine, or more broadly— Citizens Belarusians or Belorussians (Беларусы Biełarusy previously also spelled Belarussians, Byelorussians and Belorusians, also The Georgians (ქართველები kartvelebi) are a Nation and Ethnic group originating in the Caucasus, the oldest group of the The German people (Deutsche are an Ethnic group, in the sense of sharing a common German culture, descent and speaking the German language as PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ ^[9] The Caucasus and particularly Armenia were recognized by academic scholars and in Soviet textbooks as the "oldest civilisation on the territory" of the Soviet Union. ^[10]

From March 12, 1922 to December 5, 1936, Armenia was part of the Transcaucasian SFSR together with the Georgian SSR and the Azerbaijan SSR. Events 538 - Witiges, king of the Ostrogoths ends his siege of Rome and retreats to Ravenna, leaving Year 1922 ( MCMXXII) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 63 BC - Cicero reads the last of his Catiline Orations. Year 1936 ( MCMXXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Transcaucasian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic (Հայաստանի Խորհրդային Սոցիալիստական Հանրապետություն Azerbaijani: The Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic (საქართველოს საბჭოთასოციალისტური რესპუბლიკა This article is about the former Soviet republic for other similar uses see Azerbaijan (disambiguation. Armenians enjoyed a period of relative stability under Soviet rule. Life under the Soviet Union proved to be a soothing balm in contrast to the turbulent final years of the Ottoman Empire. The Armenians received medicine, food, as well as other provisions from Moscow. Additionally, the Armenian alphabet was reformed to increase literacy among the populace. The Spelling reform of the Armenian language 1922-1924 was a spelling reform of the Armenian alphabet conducted in the Armenian SSR. The situation was difficult for the church, which was regularly criticized in educational books and struggled greatly under Communism. The Armenian Apostolic Church (Հայաստանեայց Առաքելական Եկեղեցի Hayasdaneaytz Arakelagan

Stalin's reign

After the death of Vladimir Lenin in 1924, Joseph Stalin took the reins of power. see History of Armenia (Moses of Chorene for the historiographical work The Armenian Highland shows traces of settlement from the Neolithic era Hayasa-Azzi or Azzi-Hayasa was a confederation formed between the Kingdoms of Hayasa located South of Trabzon and Azzi, located North of Nairi ( Armenian: Նայիրի in TAO or Նաիրի in RAO) is the Assyrian word rivers, given from the 13th to 10th centuries BC ( Urartu ( Assyrian: Urarṭu Urartian: Biainili Ուրարտու was an Iron Age kingdom in Eastern Anatolia ( Transcaucasia) rising The Kingdom of Armenia (or Greater Armenia) was an independent kingdom from 190 BC to AD 387 and a client state of the Roman and Persian empires until The Orontid Dynasty (in Armenian: Երվանդունիների հարստություն was the first known Armenian dynasty The Kingdom of Sophene (Ծոփքի Թագավորութուն was an ancient Armenian kingdom The Artaxiad Dynasty ruled Armenia from 189 BC until their overthrow by the Romans in AD 12. The Kingdom of Commagene (Βασίλειον τῆς Kομμαγηνής Կոմմագենէի Թագավորութուն was an ancient Armenian kingdom of the Hellenistic The Arsacid Dynasty (Arshakuni Dynasty ruled the Kingdom of Armenia from 54 to 428 The medieval history of Armenia (Միջնադարյան Հայաստան covers the history of Armenia during the Middle Ages. Marzpanate period (Մարզպանական Հայաստան refers to the period in Armenian history after the fall of the Arshakuni Dynasty of Armenia Byzantine Armenia is the name given to the Armenian part of the Byzantine Empire. The Arab conquest of Armenia was a part of the Muslim conquests which began after the death of Muhammad. The Bagratuni Kingdom of Armenia (Բագրատունիների Թագավորություն also known as Bagratid Armenia, was an independent state established by Vaspurakan (also transliterated as Vasbouragan in Western Armenian; Վասպուրական meaning the "noble land" or "land of princes" was first a province The Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia (also known as Little Armenia, Kingdom of Lesser Armenia, Cilician Kingdom; Classical Armenian: Կիլիկիոյ The term Zakarid Armenia (Զաքարյան Հայաստան is used to describe territories of Armenia given to the Zakarid-Mxargrzeli princes as a Fief Persian Armenia corresponds to the Armenian territory controlled by Persia throughout history The Ottoman rule of Armenia or Ottoman Armenia begins with the initial accession of Mehmed II, and the Ottoman support to initiate the Armenian Russian Armenia ( Armenian: Ռուսական Հայաստան is the period of Armenia's history under Russian rule beginning from 1829 when Eastern Armenia The Hamidian massacres, also referred to as the Armenian Massacres of 1894-1896, refers to the massacring of Armenians by the Ottoman Empire, with estimates of the The Democratic Republic of Armenia ( DRA; Armenian: Դեմոկրատական Հայաստանի Հանրապետություն Demokratakan Hayastani Hanrapetutyun see History of Armenia (Moses of Chorene for the historiographical work The military history of Armenia encompasses a period of several thousand years as the Armenian people have existed as a nation since the Early Bronze Age. Earliest 6000-4000 BC Neolithic cultures of the South Caucasus, such as the Shulaveri-Shomu culture. Joseph Stalin ( ნამდვილი გვარი ჯუღაშვილი|Iosif Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili; March 5 1953 was General Secretary of the Communist Party Armenian society and its economy were changed dramatically by Stalin and his fellow Moscow policy makers. In 1936, the TSFSR was dissolved under Stalin's orders and the socialist republics of Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia were established instead. For the Armenian people, however, conditions only became worse under Stalin's iron fist. In a period of twenty-five years, Armenia was industrialized and educated under strictly prescribed conditions, and nationalism was harshly suppressed. Stalin took several measures in persecuting the Armenian Apostolic Church already weakened by the Armenian Genocide and Russification policy of the Russian Empire. The Armenian Apostolic Church (Հայաստանեայց Առաքելական Եկեղեցի Hayasdaneaytz Arakelagan Russification (in Russian: русификация rusifikátsiya)is an adoption of the Russian language or some other Russian attribute (whether voluntarily The Russian Empire ( Pre-reform Russian: Pоссійская Имперія Modern Russian: Российская Империя translit: Rossiyskaya

In the 1920s, the Church was robbed of its worldly possessions. Initially, Stalin's attempts to remove religion from the Soviet Union did not immediately reach Armenia. In 1932, for example, Khoren Muradpekyan became known as Khoren I and assumed the title of His Holiness the Catholicos. Khoren I Mesrop Paroyan (24 November 1914 Nicosia - 9 February 1983 Antelias) was the Catholicos of the Holy See of Cilicia, from 1963 ^[11] However, in the late 1930s, the Soviets began attempts to physically eliminate the Church. This culminated in the murder of Khoren in 1938 as part of the Great Purge, and the closing of the Catholicate of Echmiadzin on August 4, 1938. Great Purge (Большая чистка transliterated Bolshaya chistka) was a series of campaigns of Political repression and Persecution Events 70 - The Destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem by the Romans. Year 1938 ( MCMXXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Church however survived underground and in the diaspora. ^[12] Talented Armenian leaders of the communist party such as Vagarshak Arutyunovich Ter-Vaganyan and Aghasi Khanjian also fell victim to the Great Purge, the former being a defendant at the first of the Moscow Show Trials. Vagarshak Arutyunovich Ter-Vaganyan (1893-1936 was an Armenian communist party leader who was one of the first victims of Joseph Stalin 's Great Purge Aghasi Khanjian (Աղասի Խանջյան January 30, 1901 &mdash July 6, 1936; sometimes transliterated as Aghasi Khanchian or The Moscow Trials were a series of trials of political opponents of Joseph Stalin during the Great Purge.

As with various other ethnic minorities who lived in the Soviet Union under Stalin, tens of thousands of innocent Armenians were executed and deported. In 1936, Lavrenty Beria and Stalin worked to deport Armenians to Siberia in an attempt to bring Armenia's population under 700,000 in order to justify an annexation into Georgia. Lavrentiy Pavlovich Beria (ლავრენტი პავლეს ძე ბერია Lavrenti Pavles dze Beria; Russian: Лаврентий Павлович Siberia (Сиби́рь Sibir) is the name given to the vast region constituting almost all of Northern Asia and for the most part currently serving ^[13] Under Beria's command, the Communist Party of Armenia used police terror to strengthen its political hold on the population and suppress all expressions of nationalism. The Armenian Communist Party (Հայաստանի կոմունիստական կուսակցության abbreviated ՀԿԿ Hayastani Komunistakan Kusaktsutyun) is a Communist Many writers, artists, scientists and political leaders were executed or forced into exile.

Additionally, in 1944, roughly 200,000 Hamshenis (Sunni Muslim Armenians who live near the Black Sea coastal regions of Russia, Georgia and Turkey) were deported from Georgia to areas of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. Kazakhstan, also Kazakstan ( Қазақстан, Qazaqstan, qɑzɑqˈstɑn Казахстан, Kazakhstán,) officially the Uzbekistan, officially the Republic of Uzbekistan ( Uzbek: O‘zbekiston Respublikasi or Ўзбекистон Республикаси is a doubly Further deportations of Armenians from the coastal occurred in 1948, when 58,000 nationalist Armenian Dashnak supporters and Greeks were forced to move to Kazakhstan. The Armenian Revolutionary Federation ( ARF or ՀՅԴ) (Հայ Յեղափոխական Դաշնակցութիւն — Hay Heghapokhakan Dashnaktsutiun ^[14]

World War II

Armenia was spared the devastation and destruction that wrought most of the western Soviet Union during the Great Patriotic War of World War II. The Eastern Front of World War II (die Ostfront 1941-1945, der Rußlandfeldzug 1941-1945 (Russian campaign or der Ostfeldzug 1941-1945 (Eastern Campaign World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including The Nazis never reached the South Caucasus, which they intended to do in order to capture the oil fields in Azerbaijan. Nazism, which was a short name for National Socialism (Nationalsozialismus refers primarily to the Ideology and practices of the National Socialist German Still, Armenia played a valuable role in aiding the allies both through industry and agriculture. Many Armenians served in the war, with many attaining the highest rank of Hero of the Soviet Union. The title Hero of the Soviet Union ( Russian: Герой Советского Союза Geroy Sovyetskovo Soyuza) was the highest distinction in the Soviet ^[15]

Armenian Army General Hovhannes Bagramyan (later on a Marshal of the Soviet Union) was the first non-Slavic commander to hold the position of front commander when he was assigned to be the commander of the First Baltic Front in 1943. Hovhannes Khachatury Bagramyan (Հովհաննես Խաչատուրի (or alternatively Քրիստափորի Christapory Բաղրամյան Оване́с Хачату́рович Баграмя́н Marshal of the Soviet Union ( Marshal Sovietskovo Soyuza Советского Союза'' was the de facto highest military rank of the Soviet Union. The First Baltic Front was a Front of the Soviet Army during the Second World War. For recapturing the river Dniester, he was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. The Dniester (Дністер translit Dnister; Nistru is a river in Eastern Europe. The title Hero of the Soviet Union ( Russian: Герой Советского Союза Geroy Sovyetskovo Soyuza) was the highest distinction in the Soviet ^[16]

Some Armenians who were captured by the Germans as POWs opted to serve in German battalions rather than risk life-threatening conditions in POW camps. As with many Soviet soldiers who surrendered to German forces during fighting, Armenians were punished by Stalin and sent to work at labor camps located in Siberia. Siberia (Сиби́рь Sibir) is the name given to the vast region constituting almost all of Northern Asia and for the most part currently serving Armenia contributed an estimated 300-500,000 men to the war effort, nearly half did not return. ^[17] Additionally, there were a total of 50 generals among other senior officers who served in the Soviet armed forces during the war.

Stalin temporarily relented his attacks on religion during the war. This led to the election of bishop Gevork II as the new Catholicos in 1945. He was subsequently allowed to reside in Echmiadzin.

At the end of the war, after Germany's capitulation, many Armenians in both the Republic and worldwide lobbied Stalin to reconsider the issue of taking back the provinces of Kars, Iğdır, and Ardahan that Armenia had lost to Turkey in the Treaty of Kars. Kars is a province (il of Turkey, located in the northeastern part of the country Iğdır (Iğdır Îdir Իգդիր İğdır Игдир ایگدیر is a province in eastern Turkey, located along the border with Armenia, Azerbaijan Ardahan Province is a province in the far north-east of Turkey, at the very end of the country where Turkey borders with Georgia and Armenia. ^[18] On September 25, 1945, the Soviet Union announced that it would annul the Soviet-Turkish treaty of friendship that was signed in 1925. Events 303 - On a voyage preaching the Gospel, Saint Fermin of Pamplona is beheaded in Amiens, France Head Soviet diplomat Vyacheslav Molotov, presented the claims put forth by the Armenians to the leaders of the Allies of World War II however opposition stemmed from British leader Winston Churchill who objected to these territorial claims. Molotov redirects here For other uses see Molotov (disambiguation. The Allied Leaders of World War II consists of the important political and military figures that fought or supported the Allies during World War II. Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, KG, OM, CH, TD, FRS, PC, PC (Can ( 30 November 1874

Turkey itself was in no condition to fight a war with the Soviet Union which had emerged as a superpower after the second world war. By the autumn of 1945, Soviet troops in the Caucasus were already assembling for a possible invasion of Turkey. However, as the feelings of hostility between the East and West had transpired into the Cold War, while Turkey had strengthened its ties with the West, the Soviet Union ceased its claims over the lost territories - realizing that the United States might enter and aid Turkey in such a conflict. Cold War is the state of conflict tension and competition that existed between the United States and the Soviet Union (USSR and their respective allies from the ^[19]

Armenian immigration

With the republic suffering heavy losses after the war, Stalin allowed an open immigration policy in Armenia where the diaspora was invited to settle in and revitalize the country's population and bolster its workforce. The Armenian diaspora is a term used to describe the communities of Armenians living outside of Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh. Armenians living in countries such as Cyprus, France, Greece, Iraq, Lebanon, and Syria were primarily the survivors or the descendants of the Genocide and were presented the option of having the expenses paid by the Soviet government for their trip back to Armenia. Cyprus (Κύπρος transliterated: Kýpros,; Kıbrıs officially the Republic of Cyprus (Κυπριακή Δημοκρατία Kypriakī́ Dīmokratía This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Greece (Ελλάδα transliterated: Elláda, historically, Ellás,) officially the Hellenic Republic (Ελληνική Δημοκρατία For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iraq topics. Lebanon (ˈlɛbənɒn Arabic: ar لبنان Lubnān) officially the Republic of Lebanon or Lebanese Republic (ar الجمهورية اللبنانية Syria ( سوريّة or) officially the Syrian Arab Republic (Arabic ar الجمهورية العربية السورية An estimated 150,000 Armenians emigrated to Soviet Armenia in the time period from 1946 to 1948. ^[20]

Lured with numerous incentives such as food coupons, better housing and other benefits, they were often viewed with contempt by Armenians living in the Republic when arriving there and also since most of them spoke the Western Armenian dialect of the Armenian language (contrary to the Eastern Armenian spoken in Armenia). Western Armenian (արեւմտահայերէն is one of the two modern Dialects of Armenian, an Indo-European language spoken by the Armenian diaspora Eastern Armenian is one of the two modern Dialects of Armenian (an Indo-European language) spoken in the Caucasus Mountains (particularly in They were often addressed as aghbar (աղբար) or "brother" by Armenians living in the Republic due to their different pronunciation of the word. Although initially used in a good sense of humor, the word went on to carry on a more pejorative connotation. ^[21] One of them, who immigrated with his family as a baby, Syrian-born Levon Ter-Petrossian, would reach the highest office of the republic in the 1990s. Syria ( سوريّة or) officially the Syrian Arab Republic (Arabic ar الجمهورية العربية السورية Levon Ter-Petrossian ( Armenian: Լևոն Տեր-Պետրոսյան Russian: Левон Тер-Петросян (born January 9 1945)

Revival under Khrushchev

Athletes taking part in the annual May 1 parade in Yerevan's Lenin Square. Events 305 - Diocletian and Maximian retire from the office of Roman Emperor.

Following a power struggle after Stalin's death in 1953, Nikita Khrushchev emerged as the country's new leader. Nikita Sergeyevich Khrushchev (April 17 1894 – September 11 1971 served as First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1953 to 1964 following The Kremlin soon began a process allowing for greater expression of national feeling. Khrushchev's De-Stalinization process also eased fears for many Soviet residents. The Cold War ensued as the USSR and the United States struggled indirectly for influence around the world Additionally, he put more resources into the production of consumer goods and housing. Almost immediately, Armenia began a rapid cultural and economic rebirth. To a limited degree, some religious freedom was granted to Armenia when Catholicos Vazgen I assumed the duties of his office in 1955. His Holiness Vazgen I (Վազգեն Ա born Levon Garabed Baljian; September 20, 1908 &mdash August 18, 1994) was the Catholicos One of Khruschev's advisers and close friends, Armenian politburo member Anastas Mikoyan urged Armenians to affirm their national identity. Politburo, short for Political Bureau, Russian Politicheskoye Buro, is the executive organization for a number of Political parties, most notably Anastas Hovhannesi Mikoyan ( Armenian: Անաստաս Հովհաննէսի Միկոյան ( - October 21 1978 was an Armenian Old Bolshevik and In 1954, he gave a speech in Yerevan where he encouraged them to "republish the works of writers such as Raffi and Charents that were earlier banned" indicating that Mikoyan himself "harbored such sentiments. Hakob Melik Hakobian (Յակոբ Մելիք-Յակոբեան better known by his pen name Raffi (Րաֆֆի is a renowned Armenian author born in 1835 Yeghishe Charents (Եղիշե Աբգարի Չարենց March 13, 1897 &ndash November 29, 1937) was an Armenian Poet "^[22]

On April 24, 1965, thousands of Armenians demonstrated in the streets of Yerevan during the fiftieth anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. Events 1479 BC - Thutmose III ascends to the throne of Egypt, although power effectively shifts to Hatshepsut (according to Year 1965 ( MCMLXV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the 1965 Gregorian calendar. The 1965 Yerevan demonstrations were a 24 hour mass Protest in Yerevan, Armenian SSR on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Armenian genocide ^[23] Soviet troops entered the city and attempted to restore order. To prevent this from happening again, the Kremlin agreed to have a memorial built in honor of those who perished during the atrocities. By 1967, the memorial (designed by architects Kalashian and Mkrtchyan) was completed at the Tsitsernakaberd hill above the Hrazdan gorge in Yerevan. An architect is a licensed individual who leads a design team in the Planning and Design of buildings and participates in oversight of Building Construction Tsitsernakaberd (Ծիծեռնակաբերդ Russian: Цицернакабéрд is a memorial dedicated to the victims of the Armenian Genocide located on a hill Hrazdan (Հրազդան, also Romanized as Razdan; formerly Akhta, Akhti, Akhtala, Nizhniye Akhty, Nizhne Akhti For the song see CANYONMID. For the band see Canyon (band. A canyon (rarely cañon) or gorge ^[24] The 44 meter stele symbolizes the national rebirth of Armenians. A stele (from Greek:, stēlē, ˈstiːli plural stelae,, stēlai, ˈstiːlaɪ also found Latinised singular stela The Armenians (Հայեր Hayer) are a Nation and Ethnic group originating in the Caucasus and in the Armenian Highlands A large Twelve slabs are positioned in a circle, representing twelve lost provinces in present day Turkey. Turkey (Türkiye known officially as the Republic of Turkey ( is a Eurasian Country that stretches In the center of the circle, in depth of 1. 5 meters, there is an eternal flame. Along the park at the memorial there is a 100 meter wall with names of towns and villages where massacres are known to have taken place.

Many Armenians rose to prominence during this era including one of Khruschev's friends, Mikoyan, who was the older brother of the designer and co-founder of the Soviet MiG fighter jet company, Artem Mikoyan. JSC "RSK "MiG" or Russian Aircraft Corporation MiG in full (formerly Mikoyan or Mikoyan-i-Gurevich Design Bureau, Микоян Artem Ivanovich Mikoyan (Արտյոմ (Artyom Հովհաննեսի Միկոյան or Անուշավան Հովհաննեսի Միկոյան Артём Other famous Soviet Armenians included composer Aram Khachaturyan, who wrote the ballets Spartacus and Gayane that featured the well known "Sabre Dance", and also renowned astrophysicist and astronomer Viktor Hambartsumyan. A composer (literally meaning 'one who puts together' is a person who creates Music, usually in the medium of notation, for Interpretation and Performance Aram Khachaturian ( Armenian: Արամ Խաչատրյան Aram Xačatryan; Russian: Аpaм Ильич Xaчaтypян Aram Il'ič Hačaturjan Spartacus, or Spartak, is a Ballet by Aram Khachaturian (1903-1978 Gayane (also Gayaneh and Gayne, after the Armenian saint) is a four-act Ballet with music by Aram Khachaturian. The "Sabre Dance" is a movement in the final act of the Armenian composer Aram Khachaturian 's Ballet Gayane Astrophysics is the branch of Astronomy that deals with the Physics of the Universe, including the physical properties ( Luminosity, Historically Astronomy was more concerned with the classification and description of phenomena in the sky while Astrophysics attempted to explain these phenomena Victor Amazaspovich Ambartsumian (Վիկտոր Համբարձումյան, Tbilisi &ndash August 12, 1996, Byurakan) was a Soviet

Under Brezhnev

After Leonid Brezhnev assumed power in 1964, much of Khruschev's reforms were reversed. The Brezhnev era entered into a new state of stagnation and saw a decline in both the qualities and quantities of products in the Soviet Union. Armenia was severely affected by these policies, as demonstrated several years later in the 1988 Spitak earthquake. The Spitak Earthquake (also called Leninakan Earthquake and Gyumri Earthquake) was a tremor with a Magnitude of 6 New homes being built during the 1970s largely had materials such as cement and concrete being diverted for other uses. Bribery and a lack of oversight saw the completion of poorly built and weakly supported apartment buildings. As the earthquake hit on the morning of December 7, 1988, the houses and apartments that collapsed the most effortlessly were the ones built during the Brezhnev years. Events 43 BC - Marcus Tullius Cicero assassinated 1696 - Connecticut Route 108, one of the oldest highways Year 1988 ( MCMLXXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar) It was said that the older the date of the dwellings, the better they withstood the quake. ^[25] Brezhnev's policies continued in trend following the subsequent changes in the leadership in the early 1980s.

The Gorbachev era

Mikhail Gorbachev's introduction of the policies of Glasnost and Perestroika in the 1980s also fueled Armenian visions of a better life under Soviet rule. Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev ( Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachyov;; born 2 March 1931 in Privolnoye Stavropol Krai) is a Russian politician (Гла́сность)is literally defined as publicity and sometimes figuratively interpreted as "tipping a vase to let someone see into the vase but not the bottom of the vase" (Перестройка) is the Russian term (now used in English for the economic reforms introduced in June 1987 by the Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev The Hamshenis who were deported by Stalin to Kazakhstan began petitioning for the government to move them to the Armenian SSR. This move was denied by the Soviet government because of fears that the Muslim Hamshenis might spark ethnic conflicts with their Christian Armenian cousins. ^[14] However, another event that occurred during this time made an ethnic clash between Christian Armenians and Muslims inevitable.

Armenians in the region of Nagorno-Karabakh, which was promised to Armenia by the Bolsheviks but transferred to the Azerbaijan SSR by Stalin, began a peaceful, democratic movement to unite the area with Armenia. For the republic see Nagorno-Karabakh Republic Nagorno-Karabakh is a Region in the South Caucasus. The majority Armenian population in the area claimed to be fearful of the "forced Azerification" of the region. ^[26] On February 20, 1988, Armenian deputies to the National Council of Nagorno-Karabakh voted to unify that region with Armenia. Events 1472 - Orkney and Shetland are left by Norway to Scotland, due to a Dowry payment Year 1988 ( MCMLXXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar) ^[27] Demonstrations took place in Yerevan showing support for the Karabakh Armenians. Azerbaijani authories encouraged counter demonstrations. However, these soon broke down into violence against Armenians in the city of Sumgait. The Sumgait pogrom (also known as the Sumgait Massacre or February Events) was an Azeri -led Pogrom that targeted the Armenian population Sumgayit (Sumqayıt Сумгаит also Sumgait and Sumqayyt) is a city in Azerbaijan, located near the Caspian Sea, about 30 kilometres away

Soon, ethnic riots began breaking out between both Armenians and Azeris, thus preventing a solid unification from taking place. A formal petition written to Gorbachev and senior leaders in Moscow asked for the unification of the enclave with Armenia but the claim was rejected in the spring of 1988. Until Gorbachev's rejection to Armenia demands, the Soviet leader was viewed favorably by Armenians. As Gorbachev refused to change his stance on the issue, his standing amongst Armenians deteriorated sharply.

Independence

On May 5, 1990, Armenians took part in creating the New Armenian Army (NAA), a defense force that was to serve as a separate entity from the Soviet Union's military. Events 553 - The Second Council of Constantinople begins 1215 - Rebel Barons renounce their allegiance to King John Year 1990 ( MCMXC) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar) The Armenian Army is the largest branch of the Armed Forces of Armenia and consists of the ground forces responsible for the country's land-based operations On May 27, many Armenians planned on celebrating the anniversary of the creating of the first Armenian republic which fell on May 28. Events 927 - Simeon the Great, Tsar of Bulgaria, dies 1120 - Richard III of Capua is anointed Events 585 BC - A Solar eclipse occurs as predicted by Greek philosopher and scientist Thales, while Alyattes is battling However, with the presence of Soviet MVD troops based in Yerevan, hostilities broke between the NAA and resulted in the deaths of five Armenians killed in a shootout between the MVD at the railway station. Witnesses there claimed that the MVD has used an excessive amount of force in the firefight and claimed that they had instigated the fighting. Further firefights between Armenian militiamen and the MVD in a town near the capital, Sovetashen, resulted in the deaths of over twenty-six people as the May 28 celebration was cancelled indefinitely.

On March 17, 1991, Armenia, along with the Baltics, Georgia and Moldova, boycotted a union-wide referendum in which 78% of all voters voted for the retention of the Soviet Union in a reformed form. Events 45 BC - In his last victory Julius Caesar defeats the Pompeian forces of Titus Labienus and Pompey the Younger Moldova, officially the Republic of Moldova ( Republica Moldova) is a Landlocked country in Eastern Europe, located between Romania A referendum (plural referendums or referenda) ballot question, or plebiscite (from Latin plebiscita ^[28] On August 23, 1991, Armenia became one of the first republics to declare independence from the Soviet Union. Events 79 - Mount Vesuvius begins stirring on the feast day of Vulcan the Roman god of fire Year 1991 ( MCMXCI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar. Armenia's urges to break away from the Soviet Union largely stemmed from Moscow's intransigence on Karabakh, mishandling of the earthquake and the shortcomings of the socialist economy.

On September 21, 1991, the state of Armenia became fully recognized and re-established. Events 1217 - The Estonian tribal leader Lembitu of Lehola was killed in a battle against Teutonic Knights. With Armenia's independence, tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan continued to escalate, ultimately leading to the Nagorno-Karabakh War. The Nagorno-Karabakh War refers to the armed conflict that took place from February 1988 to May 1994, in the small ethnic Enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh Despite a cease-fire in place since 1994, Armenia has yet to resolve its conflict with Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh. A ceasefire (or truce) is a temporary stoppage of a War or any Armed conflict, where each side of the conflict agrees Aside from this, Armenia has seen substantial development since independence and, although blockaded by both Turkey and Azerbaijan over the Karabakh dispute, maintains friendly relations with its neighboring states of Georgia and Iran, as well as important regional power Russia. Georgia ( საქართველო, Sakartvelo) is a Transcontinental country in the Caucasus region situated at the dividing line between For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending

References

Further reading

הרפובליקה הסובייטית הסוציאליסטית הארמנית