Evaluation of the 1918 Brest Treaty by Contemporaries and by the Armenia Historiography

 

Summary

 

Both American and the Entente diplomats of the time cautiously apprised the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, signed on March 3, 1918, as a bare necessity of the moment. Beginning with N.Adontz, Armenian historical discipline, represented by H.Elchibekyan, G.Galoyan, Ye.Sargsian, A.Haroutyunyan, J.Kirakosian, A.Poghosian, H.Avetisian, T.Sahakyan, N.Yesayan, A.Chubarian, R.Hovannisian and A.Yengoyan, from the middle of the 20th century on defined it as a coerced move and indispensable condition to preserve the socialist revolution. Simultaneously, historians consecutively assess this document as a grievous violation of the Armenian national interests. Devoid of material reinforcement, this agreement had not been respected by the Ottoman Turkey, so this deed facilitated Turkish offensive and military expansion throughout whole Transcaucasia, inspired false expectancies that partial assignments could stave off danger, and thus still more impaired self-defensive energies of Armenians. //-62