The first name in the Armenian struggle for national liberation in
modern times is Andranik Toros Ozanian. He was born in historic
Shabin-Karahisar. Andranik was destined more, perhaps, than any of the other
Armenian revolutionaries, to provide leadership, rationality, acumen,
prudence, and effectiveness to Armenia's rising up against the brutal Ottoman
oppression. After losing his wife and son at an early age, he joined
the Armenian freedom movement in the Ottoman Empire.
During World War I, he participated in the Caucasus Campaign and was
appointed as general of the Armenian volunteer units of the Russian army.
He participated in 20 different offensives where he gained fame due to
his courage and the tactics he developed in order to defeat the
opposing forces.
He was the commanding officer of the Armenian volunteer units who
participated in the defense of the Armenian population during the period of
ethnic cleansing of Anatolia carried out by the Ottoman government. On
May 6, 1915 he helped the Van Resistance take control of the region of
Van. He was also the commander of the battalion that took the city of
Bitlis from the Ottoman forces that was under control of Mustafa Kemal.
Between March and April of 1918, he was the governor of the
Administration for Western Armenia (The Armenian provisional government with the
progressive autonomous region that initially set up around Lake Van).
With his military supremacy, he made it possible for the Armenian
population of Van to escape from the Ottoman Army to Eastern Armenia that
was being controlled by Russia at the time. He made it possible for tens
of thousands of Armenian to flea for their homeland without falling
victim to the Armenian Genocide.
