ChronologY

The conflict between the newly established republics of Armenia and Azerbaijan, 1918-1920

1918
May 28 Armenia declares its independence from the Transcaucasian Federation (consisting of Georgians, Armenians and Muslims in the Transcaucasus), established after the Russian Revolution of 1917. Muslims too proclaim their independence from the Federation and assume the name of Azerbaijan.
August 30 Ottoman Turkey's peace negotiator in Yerevan, Halil Bey, requires that the Armenian government surrenders Nakhchivan, Karabakh and Zangezour to the newly formed Republic of Azerbaijan. Armenian government refers to the fact that these region's population are overwhelmingly Armenians and asks Turkey to refrain from supporting Azerbaijan's unjustified claims to these areas. However, the Azerbaijanis went even further and, with support from Turkey, made claims to the greater part of Armenia, including Yerevan and Kars, but even in Georgian areas of Tbilisi and the Black Sea port of Batum.
December 1 Armenian forces have broken the Tatar-Kurdish front which separates Zangezour and Karabakh and the road to Shushi is open when the Armenians receive orders from the British General William M. Thomson, who leads a peacekeeping force in Baku, to lay down their weapons and await the decision of the Paris Peace Conference.

1919
June The Armenian Army gains control over Nakhchivan.
August 28 Caught between the advancing Turkish Army in the West and Azeri attacks in the East forced the government in Yerevan to abandon the Karabakh Armenians, who in turn are forced to agree to a temporary but limited Azeri rule. Azerbaijan gets limited military presence in the region and Karabakh receives far-reaching internal autonomy.

1920
March Azerbaijan's continuous violations of the agreements from August 1919 culminates in a revolt of the Armenians in Karabakh. Fighting breaks out between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Karabakh. Azeri forces burned down the historic Armenian city of Shushi, hanging Bishop Vahan and massacred most of the population.
April 28 The Red Army conquered Baku and proclaimed the formation of the Azerbaijani SSR.
July 28 The Red Army conquers Nakhichevan from Armenia and proclaims the Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic of Nakhichevan with "close ties to the Azerbaijani SSR."
October 23 In accordance with an agreement between Turkey and Moscow, Nakhichevan is handed over to the Azerbaijani SSR.
November 29 Armenia declared as the Armenian SSR.
November 30 The government of Soviet Azerbaijan recognizes Nagorno-Karabakh, Nakhichevan and Zangezour as integral parts of Armenia which is now controlled by the Bolsheviks.
2 december Armenia losts its independence and becomes Armenian SSR.