The Armenian Legion: Fighting for the Allies in WWI

During World War I, while the Ottoman Empire was enacting the Armenian Genocide, thousands of Armenian volunteers and later conscripts fought alongside the Allied powers, hoping to secure an independent Armenian state. This episode explores the formation of the Armenian Legion (Légion arménienne) under French command, its role in the Palestine and Syria campaigns, and the tragic aftermath when Allied promises were abandoned. We cover key figures like General Edmund Allenby, Armenian leaders such as Boghos Nubar and Aram Manukian, the battles of Arara and Aleppo, and the controversial dissolution of the legion after the war. Lucas and Luna discuss the strategic dilemmas facing Armenian leaders—whether to fight for the Allies or negotiate with the Young Turks—and the bitter legacy of the legion's betrayal at the Paris Peace Conference. The episode touches on the complexities of Armenian diaspora politics, the role of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutyun), and the fate of Cilicia and the Wilsonian Armenia dream. A story of hope, valor, and disillusionment. #ArmenianLegion #WWI #ArmenianGenocide #BoghosNubar #EdmundAllenby #BattleofArara #Cilicia #Dashnaktsutyun #ParisPeaceConference #WilsonianArmenia #LégionArménienne #AramManukian #SyriaCampaign #OttomanEmpire #AlliedPowers #ArmenianVolunteers #MiddleEastHistory #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo