John Kirakosyan
Encyclopedia
John Kirakosyan was an Armenia
n historian and political scientist. He was a Doctor of Historical Sciences and a Professor at Yerevan State University
, where he headed the Faculty of Oriental Studies.
on television and radiobroadcasting. In 1969-1975 he was head of the science and educational division of the party, and in 1975-1985 he served as Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Armenian SSR.
Amongst his scientific works are numerous research papers, including several lengthy treatises, that constitute a major contribution to the understanding of key aspects of Armenian history.
In 1954 John Kirakosyan successfully defended his thesis at the Institute of Oriental Studies of the USSR Academy of Sciences, which was dedicated to the subject of British intervention in Iran in 1919-1921. In 1957 his work "A heroic page in the national liberation struggle of the Indian people" appeared, in which he focused on one of the most important events of India's national liberation struggle - the Sepoy Mutiny, in which the Armenian community of India also took part.
Beginning in the 1960s, Kirakosyan started in-depths studies of the most complex and tragic events in the history of Western Armenia, uncovering little-known and poorly-studied aspects of the history of the Armenian Question
. This would be a passion of his for the rest of his life.
In 1965 Kirakosyan's major work "The First World War and Western Armenians" was published. The book was published a total of three times (in 1965 and 1967 in Armenian, and in 1971 in Russian). In 1972 his work "Armenia in the documents of international diplomacy and Soviet foreign policy" appeared. His final major work was the two-volume monograph "The Young Turks before the law court of history" (1982 and 1983). For these major works the author was awarded a State Prize of the Armenian SSR.
In his treatise "The Young Turks before the law court of history", which is characterized by deep analyses of the Young Turk regime, Kirakosyan set out to uncover the political essence of the Young Turks and the falseness of their slogan "liberty, equality and justice", and to reveal the historical truths about the tragedy that befell the Armenian people living in Turkey, who were subjected to genocide in 1915, thereby provoking the censure of genocide by the world community. Through a comparative analysis of an enormous quantity of multilingual and diverse sources and a thorough study of newly unearthed sources, Kirakosyan showed how Turkish historians were acting as attorneys covering up the monstrous crimes of Sultan Abdul-Hamid II and the Young Turks
, and were following their political line. In the book he put forth his belief that the genocidal campaign against the Armenians was aimed not only at their enslavement for the purpose of their Turkification or physical destruction, but that it was also directed against Russia, the country which was the main obstacle on the way to realizing the goals of pan-Turkism.
The apex of the Young Turks' crimes against humanity became the destruction and murder in the years of the First World War of more than a million Armenians - the key step on the way to realizing the aim of an "Armenia without the Armenians".
In reference to Turkish historians falsifying history for political ends, Kirakosyan noted that "with a calm conscience they sacrifice truth and the principles of scientific objectivity, and serve falsification and lies".
Professor John Kirakosyan was one of the most read and respected of Armenian historians. He dedicated his outstanding talent as a political scientist to the assertion of historical truth and scientific objectivity, and to the fight against the falsification of history. Monographs and numerous scientific articles of his enjoy a wide popularity not only in Armenia, but also in Russia and the West.
Kirakosyan made large contributions to the development of relations between Diasporan Armenian communities and the motherland. Having deeply studied the history of his people, and knowing well the tragic reasons behind the existence of the Armenian Diaspora, he paid considerable attention to the lives of Diasporan Armenians.
John Kirakosyan was also an active member of the main editorial staff of the Armenian Soviet Encyclopedia.
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
n historian and political scientist. He was a Doctor of Historical Sciences and a Professor at Yerevan State University
Yerevan State University
Yerevan State University is a university in Yerevan, Armenia. Founded on May 16 1919, it is the largest university in the country with 110 departments. Of its 3,150 employees, 1,190 comprise the teaching staff which includes 25 academicians, 130 professors, 700 docents , and 360 assistant lecturers...
, where he headed the Faculty of Oriental Studies.
Biography
From 1955 to 1962 John Kirakosyan contributed to the periodical of the Communist Party of Armenia, "Leninyan ughiov". In 1962-1966 he was head of the division of propaganda and agitation of the party's Central Committee, and from 1966 till 1969 served as chairman of the state committee of the Armenian SSRArmenian SSR
The Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic The Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic The Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic The Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic The Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic The Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic The Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic The Armenian Soviet...
on television and radiobroadcasting. In 1969-1975 he was head of the science and educational division of the party, and in 1975-1985 he served as Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Armenian SSR.
Amongst his scientific works are numerous research papers, including several lengthy treatises, that constitute a major contribution to the understanding of key aspects of Armenian history.
In 1954 John Kirakosyan successfully defended his thesis at the Institute of Oriental Studies of the USSR Academy of Sciences, which was dedicated to the subject of British intervention in Iran in 1919-1921. In 1957 his work "A heroic page in the national liberation struggle of the Indian people" appeared, in which he focused on one of the most important events of India's national liberation struggle - the Sepoy Mutiny, in which the Armenian community of India also took part.
Beginning in the 1960s, Kirakosyan started in-depths studies of the most complex and tragic events in the history of Western Armenia, uncovering little-known and poorly-studied aspects of the history of the Armenian Question
Armenian Question
The term "Armenian Question" as used in European history, became common place among diplomatic circles and in the popular press after the Congress of Berlin; that in like Eastern Question, refers to powers of Europe's involvement to the Armenian subjects of the Ottoman Empire beginning with the...
. This would be a passion of his for the rest of his life.
In 1965 Kirakosyan's major work "The First World War and Western Armenians" was published. The book was published a total of three times (in 1965 and 1967 in Armenian, and in 1971 in Russian). In 1972 his work "Armenia in the documents of international diplomacy and Soviet foreign policy" appeared. His final major work was the two-volume monograph "The Young Turks before the law court of history" (1982 and 1983). For these major works the author was awarded a State Prize of the Armenian SSR.
In his treatise "The Young Turks before the law court of history", which is characterized by deep analyses of the Young Turk regime, Kirakosyan set out to uncover the political essence of the Young Turks and the falseness of their slogan "liberty, equality and justice", and to reveal the historical truths about the tragedy that befell the Armenian people living in Turkey, who were subjected to genocide in 1915, thereby provoking the censure of genocide by the world community. Through a comparative analysis of an enormous quantity of multilingual and diverse sources and a thorough study of newly unearthed sources, Kirakosyan showed how Turkish historians were acting as attorneys covering up the monstrous crimes of Sultan Abdul-Hamid II and the Young Turks
Young Turks
The Young Turks , from French: Les Jeunes Turcs) were a coalition of various groups favouring reformation of the administration of the Ottoman Empire. The movement was against the absolute monarchy of the Ottoman Sultan and favoured a re-installation of the short-lived Kanûn-ı Esâsî constitution...
, and were following their political line. In the book he put forth his belief that the genocidal campaign against the Armenians was aimed not only at their enslavement for the purpose of their Turkification or physical destruction, but that it was also directed against Russia, the country which was the main obstacle on the way to realizing the goals of pan-Turkism.
The apex of the Young Turks' crimes against humanity became the destruction and murder in the years of the First World War of more than a million Armenians - the key step on the way to realizing the aim of an "Armenia without the Armenians".
In reference to Turkish historians falsifying history for political ends, Kirakosyan noted that "with a calm conscience they sacrifice truth and the principles of scientific objectivity, and serve falsification and lies".
Professor John Kirakosyan was one of the most read and respected of Armenian historians. He dedicated his outstanding talent as a political scientist to the assertion of historical truth and scientific objectivity, and to the fight against the falsification of history. Monographs and numerous scientific articles of his enjoy a wide popularity not only in Armenia, but also in Russia and the West.
Kirakosyan made large contributions to the development of relations between Diasporan Armenian communities and the motherland. Having deeply studied the history of his people, and knowing well the tragic reasons behind the existence of the Armenian Diaspora, he paid considerable attention to the lives of Diasporan Armenians.
John Kirakosyan was also an active member of the main editorial staff of the Armenian Soviet Encyclopedia.
Publications
- 1971 - "The First World War and Western Armenians".
- 1972 - "Armenia in the documents of international diplomacy and Soviet foreign policy".
- 1978-1980 - "Bourgeois diplomacy and Armenia".
- 1982-1983 - "The Young Turks before the law court of history" (also in Russian).
- 1986 - "A. K. Dzhivelegov and his historico-publicistic heritage".