Armenian Genocide

1915 – All of these Armenians were killed 1 hour after this pic was taken Armenians hung by the Turks

Armenian Genocide

Mass Deportations

Orphaned Armenian Children A starved Armenian mother with two starved children

Armenian Genocide

I am confident that the whole history of the human race contains no such horrible episode as this. The great massacres and persecutions of the past seem almost insignificant when compared to the sufferings of the Armenian race in 1915."

--Henry Morgenthau, Sr. US Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire

Armenian Genocide

Adolf HitlerWhile persuading his associates that a Jewish

holocaust would be tolerated by the west stated...

Who, after all, speaks today of the annihilation of the Armenians?

Armenian Genocide

Report from a German missionary on the massacre of Armenians from Erzerum,

July 31, 1915

PPT

The World Knew!!

“Armenians, mostly women and children, deported from the Erzerum district, have been massacred……….

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Armenian Genocide

Armenia Today

Historic Armenia –

Part of Turkey today

Armenian Genocide

Maps Armenia Today

Historic Armenia –Part of Turkey Today

Armenian GenocideSummary of Events Leading up to the Genocide

•Armenians & Turks lived in relative harmony in the Ottoman Empire for centuries•However, after the 1800’s Armenians were not equal and had to put up with hardships & 2nd class citizenship

Armenian Genocide

•European powers ask for better treatment of the Armenians

•1894 – 96 – Hundreds of thousands of Armenians die in the Hamidian Massacres carried out by the old government.

•1908 – A rebellion by “progressive” Young Turks was supported by Armenians. They promised reforms to the Armenian people. However, Armenians soon realized that they were lied to.

•A triumvirate of extreme Turkish nationalists took complete dictatorial control (Enver, Jemal and Talaat)

Armenian Genocide

The Genocide

•WW 1 gave the Young Turk government the cover and excuse to carry out their plan

•On April 24th, 1915 hundreds of Armenian leaders were murdered

•Murders like this happened throughout all Armenian villages and provinces

Armenian Genocide

•Able bodied men were “drafted” to help in the war effort

•Most of these men were immediately killed or worked to death

•Villages, left with only women, children & elderly were emptied

•They were told to bring what they can carry for “relocation”. They were told they were being relocated for their safety.

•They were escorted by Turkish guards in death marches

Armenian Genocide

•On the death marches the Armenians were raped, starved, dehydrated, murdered & kidnapped

•Turkish Guards either led the atrocities or turned a blind eye

•Death marches ended in the Syrian Desert of Der Zor

•Those who survived the death march were usually killed in Der Zor

•Generally, the only survivors were those who escaped

Consequences• After WWI, the Ottoman empire dissolved

and the previous government were put on trial for crimes against humanity.

• Enver, Jemal, and Talaat were all found guilty of crimes against humanity and were sentenced to death.

• However, they had already fled the country and lived out their days in foreign lands.

Armenian GenocidePosition of the Government of Turkey

…a Turkish government spokesman said: “There was no such genocide, so there is no question of recognising a genocide that did not happen.” http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-1403664,00.html

Turkey has always rejected that claim, arguing instead that 300,000 Armenians and thousands of Turks died in a ‘civilian uprising’ during the First World War when the former rebelled against Ottoman rule. http://www.asianews.it/view.php?l=en&art=3114

The Struggle Continues