THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE: 1915 The Forgotten Genocide Unit 2 1
OBJECTIVES Analyze the history of the Armenian Genocide. Examine the causes of the Armenian Genocide. Assess the consequences of the Armenian Genocide and its denial. Analyze the Armenian Case in context of The Eight Stages of Genocide. Apply a historical case study to current global issues.
DO NOW During what period of time did the Armenian Genocide take place? How do you think this might have factored into the events which led up to the genocide?
THE ARMENIANS: GEOGRAPHY Modern Armenia sits along a mountainous region and borders Turkey along its west and the countries of Georgia and Azerbaijan along other parts.
THE ARMENIANS: HISTORY Armenians are an ancient people who have existed since before the first century. Yerevan, the modern capital of Armenia, was founded in 782 BC by king Argishti I.
THE ARMENIANS: RELIGION Christianity is deeply rooted in Armenian culture. It became the first nation to adopt Christianity as a state religion in 301 CE.
THE ARMENIANS: CULTURAL INFLUENCES Throughout the history of Armenia, many kingdoms and empires have exerted their influence over its development. The Persians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Russians, and finally the Ottomans all played a part in shaping modern day Armenia.
THE ARMENIANS: OTTOMAN RULE Armenia became a part of the Ottoman Empire in 1453 when the Byzantine empire was conquered by Mehmed II. Although Ottomans were Muslim, Armenians remained Christian. They were tolerated, but did not experience full equality under Islamic law.
THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE 9
HAMID II In 1867, Sultan Abdul Hamid II, came to power and attempted to stop the many revolutions within his empire. He did this mainly by encouraging Muslim groups to settle in Armenian lands. Sultan Abdul Hamid II, also known as the “Red Sultan” for his role in the genocide.
HAMIDIAN MASSACERS Wide spread conflict ensued in1894, and consequently Hamid falsely charged the Armenians for rebelling without authority. The Muslims, backed by the Ottoman Empire, were allowed to attack the Armenians. Over the course of the next 2 years, 200,000 Armenians died from attack and/or starvation.
THE YOUNG TURKS In 1908, a group of young intellectuals over threw the sultan-called The Young Turks. This new leadership sought to make the Ottoman Empire exclusively Turkish and Muslims. 12
ARMENIAN EARLY SUPPORT FOR THE YOUNG TURKS Initially the Armenians supported the Young Turk government because it promised reform and opportunity for all minorities. Armenians received better treatment and were able to join the military for the first time.
BALKAN INDEPENDENCE 1912 In 1912, the Balkan States of Bulgaria, Serbia, and Greece fought for and gained independence from the Ottoman Empire. When Ottoman Turks returned from the Balkans battered and beaten, hatred quickly turned to all non-Muslims in Anatolia.
TURKISH NATIONALISM After losing 70% of all its empire in Europe, a strong sense of nationalism, a feeling of pride for one’s nation, swept through the Ottoman Empire. This sentiment favored Turks over foreigners. The slogan “Turkey for the Turks” prevailed and soon Armenians were targeted as enemies.
RISE OF THE C.U.P. Beginning in 1913 a more radical wing of the Young Turk Movement, the Committee of Union and Progress took over the Government. Three leaders, Enver Pasha, Talaat Pasha, and Djemal Pasha, formed a triumvirate or a three person leadership.
DEFEAT IN WWI In 1914, Turkey entered WWI on the side of the Central Powers. A military offensive against Russia ended in disaster at the Battle of Sarikamish in 1914 . Because Armenians fought with the Russian Army, Turkey accused the Armenians of aiding Russia and betraying the Turks. 17
BATTLE OF SARIKAMISH
MASSACRE OF ARMENIAN SOLDIERS Shortly after Sarikamish, by March of 1915, Armenian soldiers were disarmed and sent off to so called “work battalions”. After being worked to death due to deprivation or killed outright, these became the first victims of the Genocide.
THE GENOCIDE BEGINS On the night of April 24, Armenian intellectuals and community leaders were arrested and deported to the countryside, where they were later executed. In commemoration, Armenian communities around the world today observe April 24 as “Red Sunday” 20
DEPORTATIONS AND REMOVALS Many Armenians are deported to the desserts of Deir ez Zor in present day Syria. Prior to deportation, all able- bodied males were shot. 25% of those that left Turkey would eventually arrive in Syria and Iraq. The majority of people were either murdered or died of thirst and starvation along the way.
DEPORTATIONS
The World Responds... May 1915: the Allies (Great Britain, Russia and France) issue a declaration warning the Turks of the consequences for committing “crimes against humanity and civilization” the United States refuses to support this declaration
HENRY MORGANTHAU American Ambassador to Ottoman Empire American consuls in different parts of the Empire warn Morgenthau that massacres and deportation marches taking place Morgenthau informs Washington
Woodrow Wilson, US President
American (Non)- Response 3 reasons: US desired to remain neutral in WW1: did not want to put US pressure on the Turks because the Turks were allied with Germany Wilson did not want to draw attention to the atrocities because he didn’t want US citizens to demand that his government intervene Wilson believes he should not intervene in Turkey because American rights/citizens were not being harmed
Morgenthau Acts... Morgenthau concludes that “race murder” was under way; believed the US needed to intervene July 10th 1915, sends a telegram to Washington describing the Turkish campaign
Morgenthau’s Message... “Persecution of Armenians assuming unprecedented proportions... ...a systematic attempt to uproot peaceful Armenian populations and through arbitrary arrests,terrible tortures, whole-sale expulsions and deportations .... accompanied by frequent instances of rape, pillage, and murder, turning into massacre... ...measures are not in response to popular or fanatical demand but are ...directed from Constantinople in the name of military necessity, often in districts where no military operations are likely to take place... ...there seems to be a systematic plan to crush the Armenian race.”
Morgenthau continues to raise the matter at every meeting held with Talaat Pasha (Minister of the Interior, Young Turk Triumvirate member) “Turkish authorities have definitely informed me that I have no right to interfere with their internal affairs.” one of the core rights of international law was “national sovereignty”: that states and statesmen could do as they pleased within their own borders.
“Technically, I had no right to interfere “Technically, I had no right to interfere. According to the cold-blooded legalities of the situation, the treatment of Turkish subjects by the Turkish Government was purely a domestic affair; unless it directly affected American lives and American interests, it was outside of the concerns of the American Government.”
Without support from the US government, Morgenthau looks for help from private sources. lobbied friends at the New York Times to give the story prominent coverage and helped raise funds for Armenian relief. The Rockefeller Foundation gave $290,000 in 1915 alone.
“The American Committee for Relief in the Near East “ a number of distinguished Americans, set up a new “Committee on Armenian Atrocities” Committee raised $100,000 for Armenian relief, staged high-profile rallies delegations from over 1,000 churches and religious organizations join in denouncing the Turkish actions
Morgenthau remains as Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire until 1916 Morgenthau remains as Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire until 1916 Ultimately, he is unable to convince the US to send troops to stop the Armenian Genocide
“My failure to stop the destruction of the Armenians had made Turkey for me a place of horror – I had reached the end of my resources.”
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THE GENOCIDE ENDS In 1919, Great Britain was charged with overseeing Ottoman lands. The Young Turks were put on trial for war crimes and were found guilty for the destruction of the Armenian people. In 1923, a war hero Mustafa Ataturk came to power, formed the Republic of Turkey, and released all prisoners found guilty of war crimes (including the Young Turks).
THE ARMENIAN REPUBLIC in the end, the Soviet Union carved out territory for the Armenians. approximately 1.5 million Armenians died during the genocide. today, the country of Turkey still formally denies that any premeditated genocide took place. 44
WHY DO WE KNOW SO LITTLE ABOUT THIS EVENT DURING WWI? 1 million deaths is not a lot compared to millions lost in other countries. Europe is in shambles, each country has its own issues to deal with. The term “genocide” is created by Professor Raphael Lemkin in 1946, (after WWII ) and recognized at a United Nations convention in 1948. 46
YOU DECIDE…. Based on the evidence provided and the UN Convention on Genocide... Do you believe the events in Armenia were genocide? Provide evidence to defend your position. 47
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