Martirosyan endured the bombing of his village and the killing of his family members in recent fighting between Nagorno Karabagh and Azerbaijan, the nation which surrounds it. Karabagh, a relatively small enclave, was separated from the Armenian mainland by Stalin in 1936. Karabagh is historically and culturally Armenian, according to Sarah Ter-Minasyan, a UCLA graduating senior. Since February 1988, Armenians in Karabagh have been fighting with the Azeris for land and control. Martirosyan expressed his hopes that the next generation of Armenians will be able to inherit Karabagh as a sovereign, peaceful nation.
Every generation has their own fight.
One day we will get the land. And I hope that you do not see the days that I have seen. Martirosyan has seen what the threat of attack can do to a village. All males in Karabagh age 10 to 23 were trained and prepared for battle positions. Women within the village were taught to treat injuries and wounds.