Latest / The Story of Armenia: Survival Through Empires and Genocide — Fexingo History / The Armenian Legion: Fighting for France Against the Ottoman Empire
Transcript
- Lucas: So we've talked a lot about Sardarabad, the Ottoman invasion, the First Republic — but there's a parallel story that doesn't get nearly enough attention. While Armenians were fighting for survival in the Caucasus, thousands of others were fighting in the Middle East under a French flag. Luna: Wait — Armenians fighting for France? In World War I? Lucas: Exactly. This is the story of the Armenian Legion — La Légion Arménienne — a volunteer unit formed by the French in 1916. The idea came from Armenian political leaders, especially Poghos Nubar Pasha, who was the head of the Armenian National Delegation. They struck a deal with France: Armenians would fight alongside the Allies in exchange for promises of autonomy in Cilicia after the war. Luna: Cilicia — that's the region around Adana, right? The ancient Armenian kingdom? Lucas: Right. Cilicia had a large Armenian population before the genocide. So the French recruited heavily from Armenian diaspora communities — survivors from the deportations in Syria and Mesopotamia, but also volunteers from the United States, Egypt, even the Balkans. Many had lost their families. They were fighting for vengeance, but also for a homeland. Lucas: The Legion was officially part of the French Army of the Orient, under General Edmund Allenby's command. They were deployed mostly in Palestine and Syria. Their biggest moment came on September 19, 1918 at the Battle of Arara. Luna: Arara — I don't think I've heard of that battle. Lucas: It was a crucial engagement during Allenby's final offensive against the Ottoman forces. The Legion, about 4,000 strong, was tasked with breaking through the Ottoman lines near the village of Arara, north of Jaffa. They faced well-entrenched Turkish and German troops. And they did it — they broke through, capturing hundreds of prisoners and opening the way for the Allied advance. Lucas: After the battle, Allenby personally praised them. The French awarded them the Croix de Guerre. For the Armenians, it was a moment of pride — proof that they could fight for their own cause on an international stage. Luna: But then the war ended. What happened to the promises? Lucas: That's where it gets heartbreaking. After the Mudros Armistice in October 1918, the French did initially occupy Cilicia. Armenian survivors started returning, rebuilding their homes. The Legion was stationed there as a peacekeeping force. But then the Turkish National Movement under Mustafa Kemal — later Atatürk — started pushing back. The French, war-weary and facing a costly guerrilla war, began to waver. Lucas: By 1920, the French were secretly negotiating with the Kemalists. In 1921, they signed the Treaty of Ankara, effectively abandoning Cilicia. The Legion was disbanded in 1920. The remaining Armenian population fled — again. It was a second betrayal, just a few years after the genocide. Luna: So they fought for a promise that was never kept. Lucas: Exactly. And what makes it worse is that the French used the Legion as a bargaining chip. The Legionnaires who survived were left stranded — some went to Syria, others to the Americas. The dream of a French-protected Armenian Cilicia was dead. It's a story that's often overshadowed by the Caucasus front, but it's a powerful example of how Armenians tried to use diplomacy and military service to secure a homeland — and how the great powers let them down. Lucas: You know, thinking about stories like this — episodes where a small nation fights for survival against overwhelming odds — it really puts things in perspective. If you found today's conversation useful, the way these episodes stay ad-free is listener support. You can buy me a coffee at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. Luna: Yeah, it's a small way to keep these deep cuts coming. I love that we get to bring these forgotten histories to light. Lucas: Absolutely. Now, let me tell you about one particularly tragic figure from the Legion — a man named Soghomon Tehlirian. Wait, we've actually mentioned him in an earlier episode, in the context of Talaat Pasha's trial. But his story connects directly to the Legion. Luna: Tehlirian was the one who assassinated Talaat in Berlin, right? Lucas: Yes, but before that, he actually served in the Armenian Legion. He joined as a volunteer in 1916 after surviving the genocide. He fought in Palestine at Arara. So when he shot Talaat in 1921, he wasn't just an avenger — he was a soldier who had fought the Ottoman Empire on the battlefield. Luna: That adds a whole new layer to his story. He was a combat veteran, not just a lone assassin. Lucas: Exactly. And his trial in Berlin became a global sensation. His defense argued that he was acting in a state of temporary insanity, but many Armenians saw him as a national hero. The jury acquitted him after just one hour of deliberation. It was a moment of symbolic justice. Lucas: But back to the Legion's legacy — after the French withdrew from Cilicia, the remaining Armenian population faced massacres. In 1920, during the Franco-Turkish War, the city of Marash fell to Kemalist forces, and thousands of Armenians were killed. The Legion tried to intervene, but they were outnumbered and eventually evacuated. Luna: Marash — that's another name you see in genocide testimonies. Lucas: Yes. And it's a reminder that the genocide didn't end in 1915. It continued as the Turkish National Movement pushed to eliminate Armenian presence in Anatolia. The Legion's story is a chapter in that larger tragedy. Lucas: There's also the story of the Armenian Legion's role in the occupation of Constantinople. In 1919, a detachment of Legionnaires was sent to the city as part of the Allied occupation force. Can you imagine — Armenians marching through the streets of the Ottoman capital, wearing French uniforms, after everything they'd been through? Luna: I bet that sparked a lot of emotions. Lucas: It did. But it was also controversial. Some Armenians felt it was a provocation, that it would only inflame Turkish nationalism. And they were right — the Kemalists used it as propaganda. Luna: So the Legion was disbanded in 1920. What happened to the soldiers? Lucas: Many of them joined the French Foreign Legion or other French colonial units. Some emigrated to the United States or South America. A few returned to Soviet Armenia. The Legion itself was largely forgotten until recent decades, when historians started revisiting the archives. Lucas: There's also a fascinating sub-story about the Armenian women who served as nurses and interpreters with the Legion. Women like Zabel — well, there were several women named Zabel, but one in particular, Zabel Yessayan, was a writer and activist who documented the Legion's work. She wrote about the conditions in the camps and the hospital tents. Luna: So the Legion wasn't just a fighting force — it was a community of survivors. Lucas: Exactly. And that's why its betrayal by France stung so deeply. These were people who had literally nothing left except their hope for a homeland. France used them, then discarded them. Lucas: If you ever visit Yerevan, there's a small memorial to the Legion at the Armenian Genocide Museum. It's just a plaque, but it lists the names of the battalions. I think it's important that these stories get told. Luna: It's a reminder that history is full of what-ifs. What if France had kept its promise? Lucas: Armenia might be a very different country today. But we can't change the past — we can only remember it. And hopefully, learn from it.