The Army of Azerbaijan - a reliable shield of the state

June 26, 1918. Exactly 107 years ago. On this day, the government of the first republic in the entire Muslim East - the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (which had been established less than a month before) - issued a decree on transforming the Muslim Corps, previously formed by decision of the Special Transcaucasian Committee of the Russian Provisional Government, into a Separate Azerbaijani Corps. This decree became the legal basis for creating the Armed Forces of independent Azerbaijan. The legendary military commander, Lieutenant General Aliaga Shikhlinsky, was appointed as the commander of the Azerbaijani Corps. Just a year later, the first military parade of the ADR took place in the area of the current Museum Center of the Azerbaijani capital.

As reported by Oxu.Az, this is discussed in the latest issue of the analytical YouTube project Caliber.

"By that time, the Azerbaijani army had already inscribed into its short but undoubtedly glorious history a number of remarkable victories, mostly over Dashnak gangs operating throughout Azerbaijan (mostly in Karabakh, Zangezur and Nakhchivan). A notable victory of the Azerbaijani army was also the defeat of the Dashnak rebellion in Karabakh in March 1920, which, however, diverted the government's attention and army forces from protecting the northern borders of the country and facilitated, a month later, the advance of the occupying 11th Red Army into the capital of the young republic.

What happened next is well known. Prominent military commanders were severely repressed, many had to seek refuge in emigration. During the Soviet era, the USSR leadership did everything to make it as difficult as possible for ethnic Azerbaijanis to enter military schools and academies. Conscripts were sent to the notorious construction battalions. National Leader Heydar Aliyev, in one of his speeches, shared memories of how difficult it was for him to achieve the opening of the Jamshid Nakhchivanski Special School in 1971 and what opposition he had to face. At the same time, the doors to military schools and academies were open to Armenian cadets and students, and the ethnic lobby in the party leadership of the country in every way promoted their fellow tribesmen up the career ladder," the material states.

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