THE ROAD TO INDEPENDENCE
Journal Regionplus № 30 (194), September 19, 2013
The liberation of Baku became a symbol of brotherhood between the Turkish and Azerbaijani peoples
Author: Rizvan HUSEYNOV Baku
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Parade of the Army in Baku - 1919 |
A joint feat - this is how we can describe the liberation of Baku from the Bolshevik-Dashnak junta and British invaders in September 1918 by Turkish and Azerbaijani soldiers who formed the Caucasian Islamic Army led by the young Turkish General Nuri Pasha.
Three years earlier - in 1915, at the time of tsarist Russia, thousands of Azerbaijani Turks left for Turkey during World War I to fight shoulder to shoulder with their Turkish brothers. During the Battle of Canakkale (Dardanelles Campaign of 1915, as it is called in the West), 3,000 Azerbaijanis died. In the Battle of Canakkale and the further defence of this strategically important point, the seizure of which would lead to the complete fall of the Ottoman Turkey, Europe suffered a crushing defeat. For example, the losses suffered by the UK in this battle amounted to one third of its losses in World War I. In those years, Azerbaijani patriots carried out a lot of work to raise money and collect everything necessary for the needs of the Turkish army. Azerbaijani women handed over their valuables, jewellery and personal savings to help support the Turkish army.