Could the Armenian genocide been avoided?

[lampron]

If Armenians had practised extreme caution and done nothing to raise the suspicions of the paranoid Ottoman authorities could the genocide have been avoided?

[TomServo]

Re: Could the Armenian genocide been avoided?

Here you go.

[Crimson Glow]

Re: Could the Armenian genocide been avoided?

Funny you should ask this. I just discussed this in a PM. The only way the pan-Turkic dream could have been avoided is if the initial secularist wing of the Young Turks (the Liberal Union) that took over rule in 1908 had stayed in power. In fact, the Armenians (especially the ARF), J-ews, and other Christians actually HELPED the Young Turks overthrow Sultan Abdul Hamid II, after which, they lifted the suspension Hamid had put on the constitution and parliament when he took over in 1876. This gave back many rights to the minorities, as well as allowed them to actually have a place and voice within the governing body of the Empire (including the Dashnag Party). The minorities actually celebrated this take over, as life actually got considerably better for them with the Young Turks in charge.

But the religious extremists and Turkic nationalists were getting fed up by the continued demise of the Empire under the Young Turks rule. They had great difficulties establishing and organizing a true post-election government, and also lost Bulgaria all within their first year of power. Sultan Hamid's promises of a state "ruled by religion" if he were to regain power had gained the support of many, leading to a failed attempt at a countercoup in 1909. The anti-secular sentiment continued to grow over the next few years, and by the time the Ottomans were in the middle of the 1st Balkan war (1912), which they were loosing, a radical wing of the Young Turks decided they had had enough. In January of 1913, they assassinated the Minister of War (Nazim Pasha), and overthrow the Liberal Union wing. They almost immediately passed a law making the CUP, which was now headed by Talat, Enver and Cemal/Djemal Pashas, the only legal political party allowed in the Ottoman government. This meant no one could now question or oppose the CUP's rule short of physically/violently overthrowing them, which was bad news for the minorities since their 2 major goals were to once again extend the Empire, and create a pan-Turkic nation ruled by religion.

Despite the change in power, the Ottomans still suffered massive losses in the Balkans as they lost the war in 1913. This left an already racist new CUP seething with hatred for the minorities. The "revolts", which were nothing more than handfuls of rebels from outside the Empire due to the LACK OF SUPPORT amongst the Ottoman-Armenians they solicited for help, were held as the excuse to see their plans through. The Turks will forever blame the revolts, but revolts or not, the new CUP had this planned all along (they had been spreading propaganda to declare Armenians "enemies of the state" since early 1914, shortly after loosing the 1st Balkan War), not unlike how Bush had an invasion of Iraq planned before he ever took office, and 9/11 afforded him the excuse to go into Afghanistan, and from there, finding a reason to go into Iraq to see his plan through.

Believe it or not, life for the minorities was actually decent under the Liberal Union Young Turk rule from 1908 - 1912. If it had remained this way, the later revolts would have been unnecessary, and the pan-Turkic dreams of the triumvirate nut jobs that would later take over would not have physically manifested into the genocide. So ironically enough, it was actually the ARMENIANS who were betrayed by the YOUNG TURKS, not the other way around.

[Azad]

Re: Could the Armenian genocide been avoided?

could the genocide have been avoided?

The issue wasn't a turkic Armenian Genocide. It was about Palestine, Oil and its routes. Just like what we are experiencing today with the azeri turks. Hope this time we will play it right. The most fundamental equation is our Armenian UNITY and instead of fighting turks "blow-up" what is dear to the "west" ... oil routes. Feed them their own medicine.

http://www.redicecreations.com/specialreports/armeniangenocide.html

[Mos]

Re: Could the Armenian genocide been avoided?

imagine* where we would be at if this genocide had never happened...