On the backdrop of the deteriorating world order of World War 1, the Caucuses saw a large flare up of inter-ethnic violence as groups attempted to carve out countries based on national identity. This was fed by intervention by international forces resulting in increasing acts of violence. The March Days, or Mart soyqırımı were a series of massacres that took place in and around Baku between Mark 30th and April 2nd.

The events started as power struggle by Armenian Revolutionary Federation forces working with Bolsheviks to dominate the city of Baku. However as the conflict continued it spiraled into an active military conflict. Following military skirmishes, the ARF and Bolshevik forces proceeded to massacre civilians in Baku and the countryside. The attacks did not subside until thousands of ethnic Azerbaijanis started to leave the city.

The four days of the conflict saw the death of 12 to 30 thousand Azerbaijani people. March 31st marks a day of remembrance for the tens of thousands of Azerbaijanis lives lost in the massacres of 1918.