Drastamat Kanayan

Drastamat Kanayan
Դրաստամատ Կանայեան
Defense Minister of Armenia
In office 24 November 1920 – 2 December 1920
Preceded by	Ruben Ter-Minasian
Succeeded by	position abolished
Civil Commissioner of Van
In office December 1917 – 7 April 1918
Preceded by	position established
Succeeded by	position abolished
Personal details
Born	(1884-05-31)31 May 1884 Igdyr (Iğdır), Surmalu uezd, Erivan Governorate, Russian Empire
Died	8 March 1956(1956-03-08) (aged 71) Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
Nationality	Armenian
Political party	Armenian Revolutionary Federation
Nickname	General Dro
Military service
Allegiance	Dashnaktsutyun  Russian Empire (1914–1917) Republic of Armenia (1918–1920)
Years of service	1914–1920 1941–1945
Commands	2nd Battalion Volunteer Corps Armed Forces of Yerevan 812th Armenian Battalion
Battles/wars	World War I Caucasus campaign Battle of Abaran Battle of Mastara Armenian–Azerbaijani war Muslim uprisings in Kars and Sharur–Nakhichevan Aras War Battle of Nakhchivan Battle of Sharur (1919) Armeno-Georgian War Battle of Sadakhlo Battle of Alaverdi Turkish-Armenian War Battle of Surmalu World War II

Drastamat Kanayan (Armenian: Դրաստամատ Կանայեան; 31 May 1884 – 8 March 1956), better known as Dro (Դրո), was an Armenian military commander and politician. He was a member of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation. He briefly served as Defence Minister of the First Republic of Armenia in 1920, during the country's brief independence. During World War II, he led the Armenian Legion, which consisted of Armenian POWs who opted to fight for Nazi Germany rather than face the brutal conditions of the Nazis' camps.^[1]