Republic of Ararat

Description

The provided text details the Republic of Ararat (1927-1931), a pivotal but short-lived Kurdish attempt at state-building in eastern Turkey, which emerged from the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire and unfulfilled promises of post-WWI self-determination. It explains how the pan-Kurdish nationalist organization Xoybûn orchestrated this proto-state with a formal government and military, led by General İhsan Nuri Pasha and President Ibrahim Heski. The sources illuminate the Republic's military struggles against the Turkish Republic, highlighting the decisive role of Turkish air power and the brutal Zilan Valley Massacre. Finally, the text underscores how the Republic's fate was shaped by complex international dynamics, including an alliance with Armenian nationalists, Iran's shifting policy, Soviet intervention, and the indifference of Western powers, ultimately leading to its suppression and the consolidation of Turkish control over the region.

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Created on: August 29, 2025