In this AGBU WebTalk, Dr. Richard Hovannisian considers the geopolitical environment and major historical events that shaped Armenia in the immediate aftermath of World War I. The rise of Turkish nationalism in the wake of Ottoman Empire’s defeat, the unfulfilled promise of the Treaty of Sèvres to return historical lands to Armenia, and lingering territorial conflicts would eventually lead to the dissolution of Armenia’s first independent republic. What followed were seventy years of Soviet rule before Armenia could again reclaim its autonomy, declaring a new independent republic on September 21, 1991.

Produced by AGBU WebTalks in partnership with the Zoryan Institute.