Yerevan

Assessing the developments of the war in May, 1918, British historian Christopher Yoker wrote, “Had the Armenians suffered a defeat in the battle of Sardarapat, the word ‘Armenia’ would simply have become a geographical term.” General Movses Silikov led this decisive battle for the survival of the Armenian nation.

A detailed biography of General Silikov and his photograph appeared in the Soviet press for the first time during the 70th Anniversary Celebration of the Battle of Sardarapat. This became possible only because his son, Georgy Silikov, who repeatedly petitioned the Armenian State authorities to rehabilitate his father, finally received notification from the Supreme Court of the dismissing the sentence due to unproven charges. Although restored to his rightful place in the military history of Armenia, in the beginning of World War I no one would have imagined that Silikov’s illustrious career would ever include the least hint of scandal.

At the end of October, 1914, Russia declared war on Turkey in response to an Ottoman attack on the Russian coastline on the Black Sea. The military campaign was progressing well for Russia, evoking an unprecedented enthusiasm amongst the Armenian population and high hopes among its political leaders. Over the course of two years, Russian troops succeeded in controlling nearly the entire territory of Western Armenia. In spite of this and other military successes, an extreme political crisis ensued due to the severe economic situation, the indecisiveness of the government, and disagreement among the ruling elite, which opened the way for Russia’s Bolshevik revolution. The Armenian front disintegrated and the Russian troops beat their retreat. A hastily formed Transcaucasian Government, acknowledged by no one and torn apart by internal opposition, was unable to control the political situation on the ground in Armenia.

At the time of the revolution in Russia, separate national military subdivisions already existed in Armenia, and as the Chief-of-Front, Lebedinsky wrote that the Armenian battalions were “the best troops among the operating units of the Caucasian front.” Military headquarters made a decision to establish a national military corps. The Armenian National Council, operating in Tiflis, instructed General Foma Nazarbekov to form Armenian units. The experienced captain demonstrated outstanding organizational abilities and by January, 1918, managed to form an efficient corps consisting of two divisions and auxiliary support units. General Areshov was appointed the Commander-in-Chief of the First division, and General Silikov of the Second.

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