Could Imperial Russia Knock Out the Ottoman Empire and Prevent Armenian Genocide?

If they shifted their focus from Austria to the Caucasus?

Presumably, knocking Turkey out of the war might also save Russian Empire itself.
 

iVC

Donor
The dire questions of supplying the army through the Caucasus to the Erzurum and Diyarbakyr.

And last but not least, inflicting damage and defeats to the Austrians somehow managed to pacify the public opinion of Russia after the defeats from Germans.
Beating the Ottomans cannot be such an excuse for a defeats on the Polish, Baltic and Galician fronts.
 

NoMommsen

Donor
If they shifted their focus from Austria to the Caucasus?
When ??
Presumably, knocking Turkey out of the war might also save Russian Empire itself.
Which war ?


If you answer the first question : "sometimes before 1912/13 (Balkan wars)"
Then most likely there won't be a World War 1 as we known it, esp. not in Europe.

If your answer is during World War 1 as it began IOTL ,
then you would only accelerate the downfall of the russian empire with the armenian genocide happing ... "on schedule" (no cynism intended, history itself is such a badass).
 
If Russia focused more on the Caucasus front, this could significantly reduce the scale of the Armenian Genocide...but it would not necessarily knock the Ottomans out of the war. And it would come with a cost on the front against Germany and Austria.

Now, a landing operation on the Bosphorus could knock the Ottomans out (and cut short the Armenian genocide). But it would be a very risky venture, and the Russian leadership knew it. Maybe it could work if it was combined with the Gallipoli operation. Just maybe.
 

Germaniac

Donor
The Russians refused to back great power intervention during the 1896 massacres. The Russian policy was clearly not REALLY concerned with the fate of the Armenians as their #1 priority was the straights. If they couldnt have them then it was better the enemy you know in the Ottomans than the enemy you dont in whoever would take control following the intervention.

In fact i would argue that it appeared the Russians were far more concerned with their own Armenian population wanting independence, to join a future Armenian state, than they were protecting Ottoman Armenians.
 
So what? As long as the Ottoman Empire was knocked out of the war, the genocide stops.

Well, if nothing else, it means that Russia can't be expected to prioritize the Ottomans any more than they did on account of the genocide. So there's a limit to how much effort they can be reasonably expected to apply so long as Austria and Germany are more immediate threats.
 

NoMommsen

Donor
There was half a year between the initiation of the war and the start of the genocide.
... as well as the military desaster in the Caucasus in the winter of 1914/1915, which would also take place ITTL.

IF ... Russia doesn't change its strategic aims and deployments prior to the war, then the events of the first 4-6 months of the war are very likely to unfolde as IOTL.
 

Germaniac

Donor
I didn't realize you were talking about WW1.

1) unless the Entente can force the straights, which should force the Turks out of the war anyway, they're got going to be making any kind of naval landings towards Istanbul.

2. How many more troops can you really put into the front in the east? If it's a prewar strategy its going to really change the opening moves of the Ottomans too.

It will be unlikely they attack at Sarikamish if the forces against them ate that much greater. The Ottoman Army will be in a better position to defend. It's still possible the Russian break through the third army, but even then how far can the Russians push without adequate supplies.

Its commonly accepted that the mass deportations started in spring of 1915. So if they decided to move forces there at the start... well things are going to go very Bad... in may the Central Powers launch the Gorlice-Tarnow Offensive...

I really mean no offense, and am not detracting from the genocide... but the Russian (for their own national survival) had more important things to worry about...

If you're looking for a savior it's the UK or God and thats about it.
 
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