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Then began the deportations. The Ottoman military rounded up all Armenians from every city, town, and village in the
Empire and drove them from their homes. If any able-bodied men remained, they usually murdered them not far from town.
The rest of the population-women, children, and the elderly-formed long caravans guarded by Turkish soldiers. Without
food or water, the Ottoman forces lead the caravans on death marches southward, toward the scorching Syrian and
Mesopotamian deserts of Der-Zor and Meskeneh. En route, those in the caravans were at the mercy of the gendarmes* and
marauding bands of criminals released from jails to prey upon the deportees, as well as local Turks and Kurds, all of whom
were incited by the government to rob, rape, kidnap, and kill the deportees.
Of the two million Armenians living in the Ottoman Empire, scarcely half a million survived. Practically overnight, the
Turkish government of 1915 brought an end to the Armenian people’s three thousand year existence on their homeland.
U.S. State Department and European archives clearly document the premeditated and systematic nature of the Armenian
Genocide. Immediately after the War, even the provisional Turkish government admitted to the Genocide and held
military tribunals to convict its organizers. U.S. and European newspaper headlines told of Armenian massacres, about
"starving Armenians," and about the "extermination" of the Armenian nation.
But, unlike the concerted efforts by the allies to destroy the Nazis and bring reparations to the Jewish people later in the
century, nothing was done for the Armenians. Many spoke of doing justice and creating an Armenian homeland. President
Wilson even drew a map of an Independent Armenia. But, ultimately, the allies did nothing to bring to justice the
perpetrators of the Genocide.
Every Turkish government since 1922 has denied the Armenian Genocide. As the Western powers curried Turkey’s favor as
a secular state in the Middle East and as a buffer to the Soviet Union, the Genocide became a forgotten issue. Turkey
claims the Genocide never happened and most Western powers remain silent. From this perspective, it is not surprising
that Hitler mentioned the Armenian Genocide when planning his death camps. He had seen how the world reacted and
did not fear reprisal. He knew that those who forget history are bound to repeat it.
Empire and drove them from their homes. If any able-bodied men remained, they usually murdered them not far from town.
The rest of the population-women, children, and the elderly-formed long caravans guarded by Turkish soldiers. Without
food or water, the Ottoman forces lead the caravans on death marches southward, toward the scorching Syrian and
Mesopotamian deserts of Der-Zor and Meskeneh. En route, those in the caravans were at the mercy of the gendarmes* and
marauding bands of criminals released from jails to prey upon the deportees, as well as local Turks and Kurds, all of whom
were incited by the government to rob, rape, kidnap, and kill the deportees.
Of the two million Armenians living in the Ottoman Empire, scarcely half a million survived. Practically overnight, the
Turkish government of 1915 brought an end to the Armenian people’s three thousand year existence on their homeland.
U.S. State Department and European archives clearly document the premeditated and systematic nature of the Armenian
Genocide. Immediately after the War, even the provisional Turkish government admitted to the Genocide and held
military tribunals to convict its organizers. U.S. and European newspaper headlines told of Armenian massacres, about
"starving Armenians," and about the "extermination" of the Armenian nation.
But, unlike the concerted efforts by the allies to destroy the Nazis and bring reparations to the Jewish people later in the
century, nothing was done for the Armenians. Many spoke of doing justice and creating an Armenian homeland. President
Wilson even drew a map of an Independent Armenia. But, ultimately, the allies did nothing to bring to justice the
perpetrators of the Genocide.
Every Turkish government since 1922 has denied the Armenian Genocide. As the Western powers curried Turkey’s favor as
a secular state in the Middle East and as a buffer to the Soviet Union, the Genocide became a forgotten issue. Turkey
claims the Genocide never happened and most Western powers remain silent. From this perspective, it is not surprising
that Hitler mentioned the Armenian Genocide when planning his death camps. He had seen how the world reacted and
did not fear reprisal. He knew that those who forget history are bound to repeat it.
On the night of April 24, 1915, the Turkish government arrested and killed
hundreds of Armenian political and religious leaders in Constantinople. Under
the cover of World War I, the Young Turk government of the Ottoman Empire
began its "final solution" to the Armenian Question--eradication of the Armenian
people.
Its plan was well-devised and systematic. First, all Armenian men in the Ottoman
army were disarmed and placed into labor battalions where they either were
worked to death or outright massacred. Second, leaders of Armenian
communities from all over the Empire were arrested and,as with the intellectuals
in Constantinople, killed.
hundreds of Armenian political and religious leaders in Constantinople. Under
the cover of World War I, the Young Turk government of the Ottoman Empire
began its "final solution" to the Armenian Question--eradication of the Armenian
people.
Its plan was well-devised and systematic. First, all Armenian men in the Ottoman
army were disarmed and placed into labor battalions where they either were
worked to death or outright massacred. Second, leaders of Armenian
communities from all over the Empire were arrested and,as with the intellectuals
in Constantinople, killed.
The Armenian Genocide, 1915-1922
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