Participation of Armenians in the Battles of Khalkhin Gol

Abstract

Introduction. This article focuses on the participation of Armenians in the battles of Khalkhin Gol in 1939 as part of the Red Army. The article aims to clarify the episodes of Armenian participation in these battles and to shed light on the activities of Yegishe Astsatryan in Mongolia during 1939 and subsequently during the Second World War. Materials and Methods. Russian and Armenian archives were studied, which allowed the reconstruction of the roles of individual military figures. The published memoirs of Georgy Zhukov, and especially those of Yegishe Astsatryan, are also of significant importance for this work. Official periodicals of the time, such as “Pravda” and “Soviet Armenia,” helped clarify certain issues. Despite the scarcity of primary sources related to many events, an attempt to reconstruct the general picture of Armenian participation in the battles of Khalkhin Gol using the historical-critical method, is made. Results and Conclusions. At least two dozen Armenians conscripted from various settlements of the USSR (predominantly from Soviet Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh) distinguished themselves in the battles of Khalkhin Gol, demonstrating examples of bravery. For this, they were awarded various medals and orders. Ye. Astsatryan played an important role in organizing rear services during the 1939 battles. Later, he worked as an advisor to the government of the Mongolian People’s Republic. He also played a crucial role in supplying troops during the 1945 Manchurian Operation.