Armenian GenocideArmenian Genocide

The Forgotten GenocideThe Forgotten Genocide

Where is Armenia?Where is Armenia?

BackgroundBackground

Armenians (Minorities) were Christians in Armenians (Minorities) were Christians in a Muslim Empire controlled by the a Muslim Empire controlled by the Ottoman’sOttoman’s

Minorities wanted their own states.Minorities wanted their own states.Armenians were accused of supporting Armenians were accused of supporting

Russian plans against the Ottoman Russian plans against the Ottoman EmpireEmpire at a time when the Ottoman at a time when the Ottoman Empire was at War with RussiaEmpire was at War with Russia

Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire (Turks) were the target of persecutions by the (Turks) were the target of persecutions by the Ottoman governmentOttoman government

The persecutions lasted for 3 decadesThe persecutions lasted for 3 decades

Why was nothing done over 30 years to stop Why was nothing done over 30 years to stop this?this?

World at WarWorld at War Non-Western CountriesNon-Western Countries Thought to be a civil warThought to be a civil war no term for genocide at the time, therefore it didn’t existno term for genocide at the time, therefore it didn’t exist

http://www.theforgotten.org/intro.html

Fact SheetFact Sheet

Armenians all over the world Armenians all over the world commemorate this great tragedy on April commemorate this great tragedy on April 24, because it was on that day in 1915 24, because it was on that day in 1915 when 300 Armenian leaders, writers, when 300 Armenian leaders, writers, thinkers and professionals in thinkers and professionals in Constantinople (present day Istanbul) Constantinople (present day Istanbul) were rounded up, deported and killed. were rounded up, deported and killed. Also on that day in Constantinople, 5,000 Also on that day in Constantinople, 5,000 of the poorest Armenians were butchered of the poorest Armenians were butchered in the streets and in their homes. in the streets and in their homes.

Fact SheetFact Sheet

The Armenian Genocide was masterminded by The Armenian Genocide was masterminded by the Central Committee of the Young Turk Party the Central Committee of the Young Turk Party

The Armenian Genocide was directed by a The Armenian Genocide was directed by a Special OrganizationSpecial Organization (Teshkilati Mahsusa) set (Teshkilati Mahsusa) set up by the Committee of Union and Progress, up by the Committee of Union and Progress, which which created special "butcher battalions," made created special "butcher battalions," made up of violent criminals released from prison.up of violent criminals released from prison.

The Armenian Genocide occurred in a The Armenian Genocide occurred in a systematic fashion systematic fashion

Fact SheetFact Sheet

First the Armenians in the army were First the Armenians in the army were disarmed, placed into labor battalions, and disarmed, placed into labor battalions, and then killed.then killed.

Second, Armenian political and intellectual Second, Armenian political and intellectual leaders were rounded up and killedleaders were rounded up and killed

Finally, all remaining Armenians were Finally, all remaining Armenians were called from their homes, told they would called from their homes, told they would be relocated and then marched off to be relocated and then marched off to concentration camps in the desertconcentration camps in the desert

Fact SheetFact Sheet

April 24, 1915 hundreds of Armenian April 24, 1915 hundreds of Armenian religious political and intellectural leaders religious political and intellectural leaders were rounded up, deported, and killed.were rounded up, deported, and killed.

5,000 of the poorest Armenians were 5,000 of the poorest Armenians were butchered in the streets and in their butchered in the streets and in their homes.homes.

1.5 million Armenians were killed out of 1.5 million Armenians were killed out of 2.5 million Armenians in the Ottoman 2.5 million Armenians in the Ottoman EmpireEmpire

Present DayPresent Day

The Turkish government still denies that The Turkish government still denies that there was an Armenian genocidethere was an Armenian genocide

Explained as Civil WarExplained as Civil WarFewer than 100,000 declared Armenians Fewer than 100,000 declared Armenians

remain in Turkey today.remain in Turkey today.War Crimes Trial held and Leaders of the War Crimes Trial held and Leaders of the

Young Turk government were found guilty Young Turk government were found guilty of murder.of murder.

QUESTIONSQUESTIONS

What human rights abuses can you What human rights abuses can you identify from the video?identify from the video?

In what way did the “Forgotten Genocide” In what way did the “Forgotten Genocide” help Hitler during WWII?help Hitler during WWII?

What were the Ottoman’s government’s What were the Ottoman’s government’s reasons for eliminating the Armenians?reasons for eliminating the Armenians?

What was the Ottoman government’s plan What was the Ottoman government’s plan for destroying the Armenian people?for destroying the Armenian people?

Go to TextbookGo to Textbook

Page 419Page 419 Document based assessmentsDocument based assessments

Document ADocument A““As it got worse, all of us, and all the people, As it got worse, all of us, and all the people,

began gathering in our school. The word came began gathering in our school. The word came around that the Turks were going on the streets around that the Turks were going on the streets and killing all the Armenians and leaving them and killing all the Armenians and leaving them on the streets. I, myself, was in school already, on the streets. I, myself, was in school already, so I simply stayed there. Then orders came from so I simply stayed there. Then orders came from the school that we, too, should run away. But the school that we, too, should run away. But where? All the buildings were on fire! The Turks where? All the buildings were on fire! The Turks were burning everything. There was a whole were burning everything. There was a whole group of us running away from the school.”group of us running away from the school.”

From who’s point of view is this reading? From who’s point of view is this reading?

Experiences by Arnold ToynbeeExperiences by Arnold Toynbee““The Massacre of Armenian subjects in the The Massacre of Armenian subjects in the

Ottoman Empire in 1896…was amateur and Ottoman Empire in 1896…was amateur and ineffective compared with the largely successful ineffective compared with the largely successful attempt to exterminate [them] during the First attempt to exterminate [them] during the First World War in 1915…[This] genocide was carried World War in 1915…[This] genocide was carried out under the cloak of legality by cold-blooded out under the cloak of legality by cold-blooded governmental action. These were not mass-governmental action. These were not mass-murders committed spontaneously by mobs of murders committed spontaneously by mobs of private people…”private people…”

According to this document, the 1915 massacre of ArmeniansAccording to this document, the 1915 massacre of Armenians a) went unpunisheda) went unpunished

b) was ineffective and unsuccessfulb) was ineffective and unsuccessfulc) was not was well documented as 1896c) was not was well documented as 1896d) was committed with the knowledge of the Turkish d) was committed with the knowledge of the Turkish

governmentgovernment

What evidence do we have from our text What evidence do we have from our text supporting this answer?supporting this answer?

……[This] genocide was carried [This] genocide was carried out out under the cloak of legality by under the cloak of legality by cold-cold- blooded governmental actionblooded governmental action