Battle of Oltu

Significance

The Battle of Oltu on January 1, 1920 was the first of two armed conflicts in the Oltu region between Armenian forces and Turkish militias, fought in territory that was at the time part of Armenia. Its significance lies primarily in establishing the contested nature of the Oltu region ahead of full-scale hostilities. The second Battle of Oltu, fought in September 1920, directly preceded and marked the beginning of the Turkish invasion of Armenia, with Turkish forces driving Armenian forces out of Oltu. Together the two engagements trace the shift in the region from Armenian control to Turkish military advance, making the January engagement an early indicator of the armed pressure that would culminate in the broader Turkish–Armenian War later that year.

Commanders (5)