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IOTL, at the end of World War I, Turkey was allowed a free hand in the Caucasian Isthmus after the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk and the Treaty of Batum, which stipulated that the Ottoman Empire was allowed freedom of movement of goods and persons through the territory of the modern Republic of Armenia into Azerbaijan. The armenians, however, ended up rejecting the further terms of the treaty, and resumed war against Turkey.
Eventually, the turkish forces were defeated at three major battles: Bash Abarn, Sardarapat (where a nationally famous monument currently stands), and Kara Killisse. Turkey lost contact with Azerbaijan and, within months of inconclusive fighting, sued for peace with the caucasians at the end of World War I.
But what if Turkey had managed to defeat the armenians, puppetize or even annex Armenia proper, and estabilish a link to Azerbaijan and Baku?
Could the sudden influx of oil into the Central Powers' supply help them through 1918?
For how long would Turkey be able to hold onto their gains in the Caucasus?
How does this affect the armenian genocide?
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