Turkey Haunted by Phantom History
Secil Aksoy
Issue date: 2/1/08 Section: Editorial & Opinion
In last month's issue, the article 'Turkish Denial Drowns Out Sounds Of Genocidal Past' elicited a strong response. To that end, The Wright Times found it essential to share the other side of a very polarizing story. To view the article that inspired this piece view our back issues
During World War I, many began pointing fingers at the Ottoman Empire, accusing it of unspeakable horrors: genocide against the Armenian people. The modern Turkish state has been forced to bear the burden, but when examined from the viewpoint of the Genocide Convention, some events in history need to be recalled.
The Turkish traditions have justice and preservation, and the study of Turkish history shows no trace of genocide. The government has always coexisted with people of different cultures and origins. This is a feature acquired by living with different cultures for long periods throughout its history.
Armenian deaths were a tragedy in World War I, but they were not genocide. The Armenian population was in rebellion against Ottoman Turks. Armenian soldiers abandoned the Turkish army and sided with Russian invaders. There are more than 50 documents supporting the fact that Armenians massacred part of the Turkish population while the army moved away from the Russian invasion. When the Turks took the upper hand, almost 200,000 Armenians feared revenge from the progressing Turkish army; they fled to Caucasus with the Russians. In the region of Guba, thousands of Turkish Azeris and Jews were murdered.
The Ottomans were at war with an obligation to win and protect the local population simultaneously. Armenians collaborated with the invaders according to Armenians in Ottoman Documents (1915 - 1920), The Turkish Republic Prime Ministry General Directorate Of The State Archives Publication. That led to their evacuation from the areas that might have weakened the Ottomans' movement against Russia. Official documents show that the army was instructed to provide them with food and supplies on their forced march. Warnings were sent to the military commanders that neither the Kurds nor any other Muslims should use the situation to seek revenge. A special commission was established to safeguard the property of the banished population and to provide for their return when the crisis was over. But what happened was far from what was planned. The army, in almost total disarray, couldn't protect the expellees and food was almost nonexistent. The tragedy was horrific, but it was not planned by the government to wipe out the Armenian population. The fact that Polish and German Jews fled to Turkey in the late 1930's speaks volumes. 20 to 25 years after this so-called genocide, endangered people preferred Turkey for seeking asylum and finding safety?
During World War I, many began pointing fingers at the Ottoman Empire, accusing it of unspeakable horrors: genocide against the Armenian people. The modern Turkish state has been forced to bear the burden, but when examined from the viewpoint of the Genocide Convention, some events in history need to be recalled.
The Turkish traditions have justice and preservation, and the study of Turkish history shows no trace of genocide. The government has always coexisted with people of different cultures and origins. This is a feature acquired by living with different cultures for long periods throughout its history.
Armenian deaths were a tragedy in World War I, but they were not genocide. The Armenian population was in rebellion against Ottoman Turks. Armenian soldiers abandoned the Turkish army and sided with Russian invaders. There are more than 50 documents supporting the fact that Armenians massacred part of the Turkish population while the army moved away from the Russian invasion. When the Turks took the upper hand, almost 200,000 Armenians feared revenge from the progressing Turkish army; they fled to Caucasus with the Russians. In the region of Guba, thousands of Turkish Azeris and Jews were murdered.
The Ottomans were at war with an obligation to win and protect the local population simultaneously. Armenians collaborated with the invaders according to Armenians in Ottoman Documents (1915 - 1920), The Turkish Republic Prime Ministry General Directorate Of The State Archives Publication. That led to their evacuation from the areas that might have weakened the Ottomans' movement against Russia. Official documents show that the army was instructed to provide them with food and supplies on their forced march. Warnings were sent to the military commanders that neither the Kurds nor any other Muslims should use the situation to seek revenge. A special commission was established to safeguard the property of the banished population and to provide for their return when the crisis was over. But what happened was far from what was planned. The army, in almost total disarray, couldn't protect the expellees and food was almost nonexistent. The tragedy was horrific, but it was not planned by the government to wipe out the Armenian population. The fact that Polish and German Jews fled to Turkey in the late 1930's speaks volumes. 20 to 25 years after this so-called genocide, endangered people preferred Turkey for seeking asylum and finding safety?
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 70
simon manoyan
posted 2/15/08 @ 8:56 AM CST
Dear editors,
Being democratic country, we have no choice but offer equal opportunities to both the victims and victimizers and this is the way it should be! However Turkey does not reciprocate the notion . (Continued…)
L. Saryan
posted 2/15/08 @ 5:36 PM CST
This writer is confusing cause and effect. In 1914, the Turkish Ottoman leaders threw in their lot with the Kaiser, and proceeded to invade the Caucasus at the start of winter. (Continued…)
Suheyla
posted 2/23/08 @ 4:40 AM CST
Here is an Armenian source disproving lies that Armenians were innocent citizens. Their commander, Armen Garo boasts about how they beat up Turkish Army and number of volunteers that sided with Russians;
From "Why Armenia Should be Free, Armenia's Role in the Present War" by Dr. (Continued…)
Suheyla
Suheyla
posted 2/23/08 @ 4:59 AM CST
Continuing from the same source, p.19: "The Armenian reservists, about 160,000 in number, gladly responded to the call... Besides the regular soldiers, nearly, 20,000 volunteers expressed their readiness to take up arms against the Turks. (Continued…)
Suheyla
Suheyla
posted 2/23/08 @ 5:19 AM CST
Other sources, like Boghos Nubar Pasha as head of the Armenian Delegation during the peace conference said the same things;
"On August 3, 1914, i.e. (Continued…)
suheyla
posted 2/23/08 @ 5:48 AM CST
Hovhannes Katchaznouni, First Prime Minister of the short lived (1918-1920) Armenian Republic, presented to the Dashnaq Party Congress in 1923; "Historical events have their irrefutable logic. (Continued…)
Simon Manoyan
posted 2/26/08 @ 8:27 AM CST
Suheyla (without a last name)is defending the ottoman empire as if it was the victim of crimes against the humanity. In essence she defending the Turkish Government by quoting the Turkish Government sources mostly, fabriacted at that! US Archives are full of documents not in 50's but thousands of documents stating the opposite view of the turkish view. (Continued…)
S Manoyan
posted 2/28/08 @ 8:10 AM CST
Robert Melson calls Armenian Genocide was a prototype for holocaust and other Genocides and the turkish behavior of denying the Armenian Genocide is readyly being used by Rwandan, Sudanese and others. (Continued…)
jude erk
posted 2/29/08 @ 2:47 AM CST
It seems that there is a lot of confusion and I think some people confuse the cause and effect, indeed. Of course, if you look only one side of a conflict and ognore the others side and worse, just censor it, by calling it "government propaganda" supposedly you discredit the speaker. (Continued…)
jude erk
posted 2/29/08 @ 2:59 AM CST
To Mr. Manoyan-
And who tempted the first tribal war? Ottomans?
And who tempted the Crusades? Ottomans?
And who tempted the Genocide of Azeris at the hands of Armenians as recently as 1992? Ottomans?
Who started the WWI? The Ottomans?
Who committed real genocide against the Native Americans, indigenous people of the New World? Ottomans?
Let's get real. (Continued…)
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