WHAT HAPPENED TO THE OTTOMAN ARMENIANS? (III)
Professor Nursen MAZICI
ISTANBUL - TDN Guest Writer
The Armenians after the armistice:
After being deported by the Ottoman government to
Syria, the Armenians restarted their fight against the
Turks by collaborating with the French Army, which
was located in the Levant. They formed an Armenian
Legion and massacred thousands of Turks. The chief
of the bureau of operations of the French troops
explained how the Armenians killed Turks. He
describes the military quality of an Armenian soldier
while fighting against the Turks as capable of
learning quickly and as having a passion to bear
arms and for military exercises, proud of his
volunteer's uniform and impatient to meet the
Turks.[1] Col. Romieu, the other French commander,
also explains how the Armenians killed Turks during
the funeral ceremonies of Armenians on Sept. 20,
1918 as follows:
"The Armenian battalion approached the objective
assigned using an obstinate assault; it maintained
itself stubbornly under the shadow of the hills of
Arara[t], which the Germans had converted into the
most powerful point of Turkish resistance in this
region, and it was right at this point that the Turkish
line of resistance was broken. … The magnificent
behavior of the battalion, not withstanding its losses,
made it possible for us to fulfill the mission that had
been entrusted to us … our Armenian heroes, who fell
in the first line, facing the enemy [Turks are implied]
… rest in your glory." [2]
In short, although there was not any genocide
during World War I, Armenians and Muslims
massacred each other because of the imperialistic
aims of the British, French, Russians and Germans.
As a matter of fact, Professor Richard G.
Hovannisian, an expert on the Armenian issue from
the University of California, criticizes the European Powers on the Armenian issue without discussing
the ARF massacre of hundreds of thousands of Muslims before and during World War I. But he states
that after the Central powers lost the war in 1918, there was a small Armenia in existence and the
desire of Armenians was that Turkish Armenia be added to the existence of the one in the southern
Caucasus. According to him, the realization of this hope was dependent on the “benevolence” of the
Allies, who were the victors of the war. He adds, “The key determining the course of that
independence was in the hands of the nations of Europe and America.” [3]. He implies that although
these nations promised justice to the Armenians, they ignored the representatives of Armenia in
Western Europe in late 1918.
Though Bliss [4], extremely and subjectively blamed the Ottoman government on the Armenian
issue, he shares a similar idea with Hovannisian by questioning the European Powers and Russia of
that time. He believes that they might have prevented the massacres if they had made the correct
decision. [5]
American Gen. James Harbord, who wrote the report about eastern Anatolia after visiting the region
in 1919, confirmed the massacring of both sides. He says that the situation of the Turks was worse
than that of the Armenians. [6] According to Harbord's report, before the war the population of
Turkish people in Armenian provinces had been 1,750,000; after the war there were 1,000,000 left.
[7] In the report, after objective observation, Harbord's Commission says that:
"Some Turkish officers were pointed out to us by American missionaries as having refused to carry
out the 1915 order for [Armenian] deportation. That order is universally attributed to the Committee
of Union and Progress, of which Enver Bey, Talat Bey and Djemal Pasha were the leaders. A court has
been sitting in the capital practically since the armistice, and one man and an unimportant
subordinate, has been hung. Talat, Enver and Djemal are at large and a group of men charged with
various crimes against the law of war are at Malta in custody of the British, unpunished except as
restrained from personal liberty." [8]
Although they had not been found guilty by the British court in Malta, both Talat Bey and Djemal
Pasha were killed by Armenian terrorists in Berlin and Tbilisi in the early 1920s.
Conclusion:
In my opinion, which side first began to massacre the other and who killed more than the other is
not as important as who encouraged the Armenians and Muslims, who were equal subjects of the
Ottoman Empire at that time, to massacre each other for the sake of expanding and exploiting the
desires of imperialism. It was catastrophic that both innocent Turks and Armenians died during World
War I. Consequently, it is understood that War World I caused the massacre of too many people as
current wars do in the world. According to U.N. figures, more than 50 ethnic or religious massacres or
genocides occurred in the 20th century, and some of them are still continuing. Therefore, every person
who identifies himself/herself as a human being must struggle to stop wars through nongovernmental
organizations by supporting the United Nations to prevent the most shameful events of the 20th
century from occurring in the contemporary world.
Footnotes:
[1] N (National Archives) “RG 59 Records of the Department of State Relating to Political Relations
Between the United States and Turkey, 1910-1929" Roll No: 6, M : NO:365 Document
No:711.672/473, p.18,21
[2] ibid, p.20
[3] Richard G. Hovannisian, “Armenia on the Road of Independence,” University of California Press,
1969, p. 242
[4] He was one of the Christian missionaries in the late 19th century in the Ottoman Empire.
[5] Edwin Munsell Bliss, “Turkish Cruelties Upon the Armenian Christians,” Monarch, Chicago, 1896
p.557-558
[6] Major General J.G. Harbord, “Plain Pact About Asia Minor and the Trans-Caucasus,” The New York
Times, Feb. 22, 1919
[7] “Report to Maj. Gen. James. G. Harbord, US Army Chief, American Military Mission to Armenia on
Political Factors and Problems,” Capt. Stanly, K. Hornbeck, Ord. Dept., United States, on board USS
Martha Washington, Oct.16,1919, p. 6
[8] Harbord, "Conditions in the Near East," p.10
Professor Nursen MAZICI
ISTANBUL - TDN Guest Writer
The Armenians after the armistice:
After being deported by the Ottoman government to
Syria, the Armenians restarted their fight against the
Turks by collaborating with the French Army, which
was located in the Levant. They formed an Armenian
Legion and massacred thousands of Turks. The chief
of the bureau of operations of the French troops
explained how the Armenians killed Turks. He
describes the military quality of an Armenian soldier
while fighting against the Turks as capable of
learning quickly and as having a passion to bear
arms and for military exercises, proud of his
volunteer's uniform and impatient to meet the
Turks.[1] Col. Romieu, the other French commander,
also explains how the Armenians killed Turks during
the funeral ceremonies of Armenians on Sept. 20,
1918 as follows:
"The Armenian battalion approached the objective
assigned using an obstinate assault; it maintained
itself stubbornly under the shadow of the hills of
Arara[t], which the Germans had converted into the
most powerful point of Turkish resistance in this
region, and it was right at this point that the Turkish
line of resistance was broken. … The magnificent
behavior of the battalion, not withstanding its losses,
made it possible for us to fulfill the mission that had
been entrusted to us … our Armenian heroes, who fell
in the first line, facing the enemy [Turks are implied]
… rest in your glory." [2]
In short, although there was not any genocide
during World War I, Armenians and Muslims
massacred each other because of the imperialistic
aims of the British, French, Russians and Germans.
As a matter of fact, Professor Richard G.
Hovannisian, an expert on the Armenian issue from
the University of California, criticizes the European Powers on the Armenian issue without discussing
the ARF massacre of hundreds of thousands of Muslims before and during World War I. But he states
that after the Central powers lost the war in 1918, there was a small Armenia in existence and the
desire of Armenians was that Turkish Armenia be added to the existence of the one in the southern
Caucasus. According to him, the realization of this hope was dependent on the “benevolence” of the
Allies, who were the victors of the war. He adds, “The key determining the course of that
independence was in the hands of the nations of Europe and America.” [3]. He implies that although
these nations promised justice to the Armenians, they ignored the representatives of Armenia in
Western Europe in late 1918.
Though Bliss [4], extremely and subjectively blamed the Ottoman government on the Armenian
issue, he shares a similar idea with Hovannisian by questioning the European Powers and Russia of
that time. He believes that they might have prevented the massacres if they had made the correct
decision. [5]
American Gen. James Harbord, who wrote the report about eastern Anatolia after visiting the region
in 1919, confirmed the massacring of both sides. He says that the situation of the Turks was worse
than that of the Armenians. [6] According to Harbord's report, before the war the population of
Turkish people in Armenian provinces had been 1,750,000; after the war there were 1,000,000 left.
[7] In the report, after objective observation, Harbord's Commission says that:
"Some Turkish officers were pointed out to us by American missionaries as having refused to carry
out the 1915 order for [Armenian] deportation. That order is universally attributed to the Committee
of Union and Progress, of which Enver Bey, Talat Bey and Djemal Pasha were the leaders. A court has
been sitting in the capital practically since the armistice, and one man and an unimportant
subordinate, has been hung. Talat, Enver and Djemal are at large and a group of men charged with
various crimes against the law of war are at Malta in custody of the British, unpunished except as
restrained from personal liberty." [8]
Although they had not been found guilty by the British court in Malta, both Talat Bey and Djemal
Pasha were killed by Armenian terrorists in Berlin and Tbilisi in the early 1920s.
Conclusion:
In my opinion, which side first began to massacre the other and who killed more than the other is
not as important as who encouraged the Armenians and Muslims, who were equal subjects of the
Ottoman Empire at that time, to massacre each other for the sake of expanding and exploiting the
desires of imperialism. It was catastrophic that both innocent Turks and Armenians died during World
War I. Consequently, it is understood that War World I caused the massacre of too many people as
current wars do in the world. According to U.N. figures, more than 50 ethnic or religious massacres or
genocides occurred in the 20th century, and some of them are still continuing. Therefore, every person
who identifies himself/herself as a human being must struggle to stop wars through nongovernmental
organizations by supporting the United Nations to prevent the most shameful events of the 20th
century from occurring in the contemporary world.
Footnotes:
[1] N (National Archives) “RG 59 Records of the Department of State Relating to Political Relations
Between the United States and Turkey, 1910-1929" Roll No: 6, M : NO:365 Document
No:711.672/473, p.18,21
[2] ibid, p.20
[3] Richard G. Hovannisian, “Armenia on the Road of Independence,” University of California Press,
1969, p. 242
[4] He was one of the Christian missionaries in the late 19th century in the Ottoman Empire.
[5] Edwin Munsell Bliss, “Turkish Cruelties Upon the Armenian Christians,” Monarch, Chicago, 1896
p.557-558
[6] Major General J.G. Harbord, “Plain Pact About Asia Minor and the Trans-Caucasus,” The New York
Times, Feb. 22, 1919
[7] “Report to Maj. Gen. James. G. Harbord, US Army Chief, American Military Mission to Armenia on
Political Factors and Problems,” Capt. Stanly, K. Hornbeck, Ord. Dept., United States, on board USS
Martha Washington, Oct.16,1919, p. 6
[8] Harbord, "Conditions in the Near East," p.10
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