Three Notable Victories

4 comments

1. About One Victory

   About 40 years ago I read an article in the "Armenian Review" about the Battle of Avarair written by an Armenian-American retired colonel. Unfortunately, I do not remember his name. He had studied the battle through available documents, geography and historical accounts.

   According to him, Avarair might have been a moral victory and helped us stay Christian but  it was a military failure and disaster, not because of  Persian overwhelming numbers but Armenian failure to take advantage of the situation.

   According to him, Armenians were on high ground around Avarair and Persians on the flatlands. The night before the battle Persians were resting . If the Armenians, instead of praying all night, had attacked by coming down from hills, they would have caught Persians sleeping. 

   We might celebrate this "moral" victory but not military victory.

2. Underdog Victories

   Sireli Serj, no Armenians I know that state Vartanantz was a military victory. I don't think that you are suggesting that our global Armenian nation stop celebrating Vartanantz because it was a "military" failure even though it was a moral victory.

   I think Kasbarian's point is that we Armenians need to look back at our long history and recognize that our pattern has been to trust in and rely on only ourselves, rise from the ashes and struggle to the end. Today, we must prepare ourselves psychologically for what may come in Artsakh and stay strong against the odds. 

   1. The Fact is…

      Two points:
      A) The fact is that our claim to have a moral victory is lame, because the Persians, after winning the war, could've easily concurred Armenia, converted us and removed Armenia from the map. However they chose not to for political reasons that was relevant at the time, most probably they just wanted something from Armenia and they got it, similar to US invading Iraq. Do you consider the current Iraqi state as a moral victory?

      B) Telo, you said we just need to rely on ourselves in any battle. Times have changed: currently we cannot do that against the mighty Turkic armies surrounding us at every corner. Without foreign military and political interventions, we cannot win any victory against those armies.
       

      1. Inspiring Cartoon

         The point of this cartoon, which I find inspiring, is that Armenian men and women have fought many great battles during our existence, and that if we had not done so we would not be here today.

         Avarayr was a brave stand by the Armenian nation, and Armenia did not become Persianized after that happened. The details can be discussed elsewhere. A cartoon is not a history book.

         Yes, we Armenians do have to rely on ourselves. But that does not imply that we can't get arms and allies from elsewhere whenever and wherever we can do so.

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