The genocide of the Armenian people by the Turks was the first genocide of the 20th century, tragically followed with the Jewish Genocide by the Germans. Pierre Tristam wrote, "The Armenian genocide, the first instance of "ethnic cleansing" in the 20th century, was conceived and carried out by Ottoman Turks in 1915 who attempted to eradicate the empire's Armenian population." Yet, as Hitler stated to his troops before the commencement of their ethnic cleansing, "Who remembers the Armenians?"
Armenia is a country which borders Iran and Turkey. The country was first settled around 6000 BC. It is the only country in Asia Minor that is Christian. Armenia is in fact the first country to accept Christianity as its state religion back in A.D. 306, even before Italy. It is also the location of Mount Ararat where many scholars believe Noah's Arch historically landed. It has a rich culture and a warm people.
How could genocide of an entire people transpire and today when the subject of mass murder genocide arises that very few recollect the blight of the Armenian people? The persecution of Orhan Pamuk a Turkish Nobel Prize winner shows the answer. It is illegal in Turkey to speak the word "genocide" or of mass killings. During a 2005 interview with a newspaper, Pamuk stated that Turkey exterminated Armenians. He said, "30,000 Kurds and 1 million Armenians were killed in these areas, and nobody dares to speak about it." He did not use the word "genocide" but was tried in court regardless. Pamuk asked, "What am I to make of a country that insists that the Turks, unlike their Western neighbors, are a compassionate people, incapable of genocide, while nationalist political groups are pelting me with death threats?"
Turkey tries to this day to use its influence as a gateway to the Middle East to keep the American people from labeling it the near extermination of the Armenians as genocide. Presidents Obama, Clinton, and George W. Bush all promised they would endorse resolutions to officially recognize the mass murder of the Armenians as genocide if they were elected to office and each backslide on their word once in office. President Reagan directly stated it was genocide of the Armenians on April 22, 1981 in Proclamation 4838 -Days of Remembrance of Victims of the Holocaust. Reagan stated, "Like the genocide of the Armenians before it, and the genocide of the Cambodians which follow it -- and like too many other such persecutions of too many other peoples -- the lessons of the Holocaust must never be forgotten."
Obama stated in a speech that, "I also share with Armenian Americans - so many of whom are descended from genocide survivors - a principled commitment to commemorating and ending genocide. That starts with acknowledging the tragic instances of genocide in world history. As a U.S. Senator, I have stood with the Armenian American community in calling for Turkey's acknowledgement of the Armenian Genocide. Two years ago, I criticized the Secretary of State for the firing of U.S. Ambassador to Armenia, John Evans, after he properly used the term "genocide" to describe Turkey's slaughter of thousands of Armenians starting in 1915. I shared with Secretary Rice my firmly held conviction that the Armenian Genocide is not an allegation, a personal opinion, or a point of view, but rather a widely documented fact supported by an overwhelming body of historical evidence. The facts are undeniable."
As President, Obama did not use the American word "genocide" but stated that the Armenians were "massacred or marched to their death." And it was, "one of the great atrocities of the 20th century." President Obama referred to it as Meds Yeghem which means genocide in the Armenian language. It falls short of his earlier promises, but it is recognition of the historical facts.
Kristopher Fox Ch. 7
Armenia is a country which borders Iran and Turkey. The country was first settled around 6000 BC. It is the only country in Asia Minor that is Christian. Armenia is in fact the first country to accept Christianity as its state religion back in A.D. 306, even before Italy. It is also the location of Mount Ararat where many scholars believe Noah's Arch historically landed. It has a rich culture and a warm people.
How could genocide of an entire people transpire and today when the subject of mass murder genocide arises that very few recollect the blight of the Armenian people? The persecution of Orhan Pamuk a Turkish Nobel Prize winner shows the answer. It is illegal in Turkey to speak the word "genocide" or of mass killings. During a 2005 interview with a newspaper, Pamuk stated that Turkey exterminated Armenians. He said, "30,000 Kurds and 1 million Armenians were killed in these areas, and nobody dares to speak about it." He did not use the word "genocide" but was tried in court regardless. Pamuk asked, "What am I to make of a country that insists that the Turks, unlike their Western neighbors, are a compassionate people, incapable of genocide, while nationalist political groups are pelting me with death threats?"
Turkey tries to this day to use its influence as a gateway to the Middle East to keep the American people from labeling it the near extermination of the Armenians as genocide. Presidents Obama, Clinton, and George W. Bush all promised they would endorse resolutions to officially recognize the mass murder of the Armenians as genocide if they were elected to office and each backslide on their word once in office. President Reagan directly stated it was genocide of the Armenians on April 22, 1981 in Proclamation 4838 -Days of Remembrance of Victims of the Holocaust. Reagan stated, "Like the genocide of the Armenians before it, and the genocide of the Cambodians which follow it -- and like too many other such persecutions of too many other peoples -- the lessons of the Holocaust must never be forgotten."
Obama stated in a speech that, "I also share with Armenian Americans - so many of whom are descended from genocide survivors - a principled commitment to commemorating and ending genocide. That starts with acknowledging the tragic instances of genocide in world history. As a U.S. Senator, I have stood with the Armenian American community in calling for Turkey's acknowledgement of the Armenian Genocide. Two years ago, I criticized the Secretary of State for the firing of U.S. Ambassador to Armenia, John Evans, after he properly used the term "genocide" to describe Turkey's slaughter of thousands of Armenians starting in 1915. I shared with Secretary Rice my firmly held conviction that the Armenian Genocide is not an allegation, a personal opinion, or a point of view, but rather a widely documented fact supported by an overwhelming body of historical evidence. The facts are undeniable."
As President, Obama did not use the American word "genocide" but stated that the Armenians were "massacred or marched to their death." And it was, "one of the great atrocities of the 20th century." President Obama referred to it as Meds Yeghem which means genocide in the Armenian language. It falls short of his earlier promises, but it is recognition of the historical facts.
Kristopher Fox Ch. 7
The Ottoman Empire was a strong military campaign that contributed to the death battle of World War I and when the Christian Byzantine Empire became vulnerable, their weakness gave the Ottomans the power to take control. Osman led the Byzantine Warriors and at that time, throughout Europe and Asia, war seemed like the norm. Location played a huge role in the Ottomans goals prompting ethnic and religious hatred. The Turks tolerated the Christians beliefs allowing them to preserve their religion. Ethnic identity and family background didn’t matter to the Ottoman’s, but what did matter were three important factors: 1. Speaking Turkish, 2. Devotion to the empire, and 3. Being Muslim. The core unit of the Ottoman army were the Janissary and they were apparently the strongest and loyal to the sultan. In 1453, Istanbul formerly known as Constantinople, was the largest city in the Middle East and Europe. Built by the Roman Empire, the Ottoman Turks became the world empire.
ReplyDelete“One and a half million Armenians were killed, out of a total of two and a half million Armenians in the Ottoman Empire. 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. The Armenian Genocide was masterminded by the Central Committee of the Young Turk Party (Committee for Union and Progress [Ittihad ve Terakki Cemiyet, in Turkish]) which was dominated by Mehmed Talât [Pasha], Ismail Enver [Pasha], and Ahmed Djemal [Pasha]. They were a racist group whose ideology was articulated by Zia Gökalp, Dr. Mehmed Nazim, and Dr. Behaeddin Shakir.
The Armenian Genocide was condemned at the time by representatives of the British, French, Russian, German, and Austrian governments—namely all the major Powers. The first three were foes of the Ottoman Empire, the latter two, allies of the Ottoman Empire. The United States, neutral towards the Ottoman Empire, also condemned the Armenian Genocide and was the chief spokesman in behalf of the Armenians.
Despite Turkish denial, there is no doubt about the Armenian Genocide. For example, German ambassador Count von Wolff-Metternich, Turkey's ally in World War I, wrote his government in 1916 saying: "The Committee [of Union and Progress] demands the annihilation of the last remnants of the Armenians and the [Ottoman] government must bow to its demands."” (courtesy of the University of Michigan-Dearborn)
The truth of the matter is, the Ottoman Turks committed Armenian genocide. History does not lie. The loss of loved ones, can never be forgotten. Someone has to be responsible for these horrendous atrocities that occurred at the hands of the OTTOMAN TURKS.
J Angel Cardona (in response to chapter 7)