Armenian Genocide The Forgotten Genocide

Where is Armenia?

Background Armenians (Minorities) were Christians in a Muslim Empire controlled by the Ottoman’s Armenians (Minorities) were Christians in a Muslim Empire controlled by the Ottoman’s Minorities wanted their own states. Minorities wanted their own states. Armenians were accused of supporting Russian plans against the Ottoman Empire at a time when the Ottoman Empire was at War with Russia Armenians were accused of supporting Russian plans against the Ottoman Empire at a time when the Ottoman Empire was at War with Russia

Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire (Turks) were the target of persecutions by the Ottoman government The persecutions lasted for 3 decades The persecutions lasted for 3 decades Why was nothing done over 30 years to stop this? Why was nothing done over 30 years to stop this? World at War World at War Non-Western Countries Non-Western Countries Thought to be a civil war Thought to be a civil war no term for genocide at the time, therefore it didn’t exist no term for genocide at the time, therefore it didn’t exist

Fact Sheet Armenians all over the world commemorate this great tragedy on April 24, because it was on that day in 1915 when 300 Armenian leaders, writers, thinkers and professionals in Constantinople (present day Istanbul) were rounded up, deported and killed. Also on that day in Constantinople, 5,000 of the poorest Armenians were butchered in the streets and in their homes. Armenians all over the world commemorate this great tragedy on April 24, because it was on that day in 1915 when 300 Armenian leaders, writers, thinkers and professionals in Constantinople (present day Istanbul) were rounded up, deported and killed. Also on that day in Constantinople, 5,000 of the poorest Armenians were butchered in the streets and in their homes.

Fact Sheet The Armenian Genocide was masterminded by the Central Committee of the Young Turk Party The Armenian Genocide was masterminded by the Central Committee of the Young Turk Party The Armenian Genocide was directed by a Special Organization (Teshkilati Mahsusa) set up by the Committee of Union and Progress, which created special "butcher battalions," made up of violent criminals released from prison. The Armenian Genocide was directed by a Special Organization (Teshkilati Mahsusa) set up by the Committee of Union and Progress, which created special "butcher battalions," made up of violent criminals released from prison. The Armenian Genocide occurred in a systematic fashion The Armenian Genocide occurred in a systematic fashion

Fact Sheet First the Armenians in the army were disarmed, placed into labor battalions, and then killed. First the Armenians in the army were disarmed, placed into labor battalions, and then killed. Second, Armenian political and intellectual leaders were rounded up and killed Second, Armenian political and intellectual leaders were rounded up and killed Finally, all remaining Armenians were called from their homes, told they would be relocated and then marched off to concentration camps in the desert Finally, all remaining Armenians were called from their homes, told they would be relocated and then marched off to concentration camps in the desert

Fact Sheet April 24, 1915 hundreds of Armenian religious political and intellectural leaders were rounded up, deported, and killed. April 24, 1915 hundreds of Armenian religious political and intellectural leaders were rounded up, deported, and killed. 5,000 of the poorest Armenians were butchered in the streets and in their homes. 5,000 of the poorest Armenians were butchered in the streets and in their homes. 1.5 million Armenians were killed out of 2.5 million Armenians in the Ottoman Empire 1.5 million Armenians were killed out of 2.5 million Armenians in the Ottoman Empire

Present Day The Turkish government still denies that there was an Armenian genocide The Turkish government still denies that there was an Armenian genocide Explained as Civil War Explained as Civil War Fewer than 100,000 declared Armenians remain in Turkey today. Fewer than 100,000 declared Armenians remain in Turkey today. War Crimes Trial held and Leaders of the Young Turk government were found guilty of murder. War Crimes Trial held and Leaders of the Young Turk government were found guilty of murder.

QUESTIONS What human rights abuses can you identify from the video? What human rights abuses can you identify from the video? In what way did the “Forgotten Genocide” help Hitler during WWII? In what way did the “Forgotten Genocide” help Hitler during WWII? What were the Ottoman’s government’s reasons for eliminating the Armenians? What were the Ottoman’s government’s reasons for eliminating the Armenians? What was the Ottoman government’s plan for destroying the Armenian people? What was the Ottoman government’s plan for destroying the Armenian people?

Go to Textbook Page 419 Page 419 Document based assessments Document based assessments

Document A “As it got worse, all of us, and all the people, began gathering in our school. The word came around that the Turks were going on the streets and killing all the Armenians and leaving them on the streets. I, myself, was in school already, so I simply stayed there. Then orders came from the school that we, too, should run away. But where? All the buildings were on fire! The Turks were burning everything. There was a whole group of us running away from the school.” From who’s point of view is this reading?

Experiences by Arnold Toynbee “The Massacre of Armenian subjects in the Ottoman Empire in 1896…was amateur and ineffective compared with the largely successful attempt to exterminate [them] during the First World War in 1915…[This] genocide was carried out under the cloak of legality by cold-blooded governmental action. These were not mass- murders committed spontaneously by mobs of private people…” According to this document, the 1915 massacre of Armenians a) went unpunished b) was ineffective and unsuccessful c) was not was well documented as 1896 d) was committed with the knowledge of the Turkish government

What evidence do we have from our text supporting this answer? What evidence do we have from our text supporting this answer? …[This] genocide was carried out under the cloak of legality by cold- blooded governmental action