Battle of Karakilisa

Not to be confused with Battle of Kara Killisse (1915).

The Battle of Karakilisa (Armenian: Ղարաքիլիսայի ճակատամարտ Gharakilisayi chakatamart, Turkish: Karakilise Muharebesi or Karakilise Muharebeleri) took place during the Caucasus Campaign of World War I in the vicinity of Karakilisa (now Vanadzor), on May 25–28, 1918.

Battle of Karakilisa
Part of Caucasus Campaign
Armenian Defense of 1918
Date May 25–28, 1918 Location Vanadzor, Armenia Result Ottoman victory[1][2]
Belligerents
Armenia	Ottoman Empire
Commanders and leaders
Tovmas Nazarbekian Garegin Nzhdeh Andranik Ozanian	Wehib Pasha Kazim Pasha
Units involved
1st infantry division 8th infantry regiment	5th division 36th division
Strength
6,000 70 cannons and 20 Machine guns	10,000 70 Cannons and 40 Machine Guns
Casualties and losses
1,000 dead and captured	Heavy
4,000 civilian massacred

Background

After Russia's withdrawal from the war, the Armenians fell into a very difficult situation, all the Russian conquests returned back to the Turks, these are cities such as Erzurum, Erzincan, Muş, Bitlis, Trabzon and in May 1918 they captured Alexandroupol where 6,000 Armenians were immediately massacred and killed^[3] but the Armenian troops took the tactic of "not a step back" and preferred to die than surrender the land.^[4]

Battle

One of the advancing Turkish forces moved towards Yerevan, another one to Karakilisa. The latter forces included about 10,000 soldiers, 80 pieces of artillery and 50 machine-guns. The Armenians were leaving their homes moving to the south to Yerevan and Syunik. Garegin Nzhdeh (with his troops) reached Karakilisa and managed to unite the population for the fight. The Armenian forces reached the number of 6,000. After a violent battle of 4 days, on May 25–28, both sides had serious losses. Although the Ottoman army managed to occupy Karakilisa and massacre all its population of 4,000 people, it had no more forces to intrude farther into Armenian territories.^[5][6]

Aftermath

Despite the victory, the Turks experienced difficulties, their troops were drained of blood by the fierce resistance of the Armenians, as well as the scorched earth tactics in Georgia. The Turks reported to the headquarters:

We do not have the strength to defeat the Armenians. The three-day battle in Karakilise shows that as long as their existence is in danger they will prefer to die fighting. We must not bring on a battle with the force that 1,200,000 Armenians can raise. If the Georgians join in the hostilities, it will be impossible to advance... In short, we must come to terms with the Armenians and Georgians.

— Wehib Pasha^[4]

References

1. Gilbert 2023, p. 568: “On May 26, the Turks won the Battle of Karakilis. 5,000 Armenians escaped through mountain passes.”.
2. Allen 1953, p. 476: ”Thus both Silikov and Dro, operating on terms of numerical equality with the enemy, had each secured an important success. But the failure of Nazarbekov against the 36th and 5th Caucasian Divisions made the situation of the Erevan group still rather precarious.”.
3. Gilbert 2023, p. 567.
4. Reynolds 2011, p. 211.
5. Hohanissian 1997, p. 299.
6. Walker 1980, p. 254.

Bibliography

• Gilbert, Martin (2023) [1965]. The First World War: A complete History. Moscow: Квадрига. ISBN 978-5-389-08465-0.
• Walker, Christopher (1980). Armenia: the Survival of nation. New York: St. Martin's Press. ISBN 0-7099-0210-7.
• Hohanissian, Richard (1997). The Armenian People from Ancient to Modern Times. New York: St. Martin's Press.
• Reynolds, Michel (2011). Shattering empires : the clash and collapse of the Ottoman and Russian empires, 1908-1918. Cambridge university press. ISBN 978-0-521-19553-9.
• Allen, William (1953). Caucasian Battlefields: A History of the Wars on the Turco-Caucasian Border. 1828—1921. Cambridge university press. ISBN 978-1-108-01335-2.

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