May Uprising

This article is about the 1920 uprising in Armenia. For the 1849 conflict in Germany, see May Uprising in Dresden.
May Uprising

A drawing by Gevorg Brutyan
DateMay 10–14, 1920
Location
Armenia
Result Uprising suppressed[2]
Belligerents

 Republic of Armenia

Armenian Bolsheviks Revkom

  • Defected government units[1]

Muslims of Armenia[1]
supported by:
Soviet Russia

Commanders and leaders
First Republic of Armenia Alexander Khatisyan
First Republic of Armenia Sebouh Nersesian[3]
First Republic of Armenia Hamo Ohanjanyan (PM)
First Republic of Armenia Ruben Ter-Minasian (DM)		 Sargis Musayelian [hy]  Executed
Ghukas Ghukasyan [hy]  Executed

The May Uprising[4][5] (Armenian: Մայիսյան ապստամբություն, romanized: Mayisyan apstambutyun) was a coup d'état attempt by the Armenian Bolsheviks that started in Alexandropol (modern-day Gyumri) on May 10, 1920.[6][7] It was eventually suppressed by the Armenian government on May 14 and its leaders executed. Although the revolt failed, Armenia was taken over by the soviets after the 11th Army of Soviet Russia invaded the country in November 1920 and the Turkish Nationalists occupied the western half of the country. The revolt and its executed leaders were praised during the Soviet period from 1920 until the late 1980s, when the Karabakh movement began and anti-Soviet sentiment rose in Armenia – The revolt remains a controversial topic in Armenia.

  1. ^ a b King, Charles (2008). The Ghost of Freedom: A History of the Caucasus. Oxford University Press. p. 172. ISBN 9780199884322.
  2. ^ Adalian, Rouben Paul (2010). Historical dictionary of Armenia. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press. p. 241. ISBN 9780810874503.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference Հայոց Պատմություն was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Shaginyan, Marietta (1954). Journey Through Soviet Armenia. Foreign Languages Publishing House. Underground Bolshevik organizations worked actively in all parts of the country, preparing the people for a general uprising. In May 1920 the uprising broke out and it has gone down in the history of Armenia as the "May Uprising."
  5. ^ Payaslian, Simon (2007). The history of Armenia: from the origins to the present. New York: Palgrave Macmillan. p. 170. ISBN 9781403974679.
  6. ^ Panossian, Razmik (2006). The Armenians: From Kings and Priests to Merchants and Commissars. London: Hurst & Co. p. 258. ISBN 9780231511339.
  7. ^ Derogy, Jacques [in French] (1990). Resistance and Revenge: The Armenian Assassination of the Turkish Leaders Responsible for the 1915 Massacres and Deportations. New Brunswick, New Jersey: Transaction Publishers. p. 106. ISBN 9781412833165.