Origins of the Armenian Genocide (a short essay by Winoman)

[winoman]

This is a very high level summary of course (and I particularly regret not having the time or space to elaborate on the transformation of the CUP over time – but perhaps I can present more of this at a later date) - I write this up to pass on a bit of understanding of why such a thing as the Armenian Genocide occurred and to put into context and perspective with other massacres that occurred to Armenians and other Christians of the Ottoman Empire during this period and to present an overview of the social and political situation within the last phase of the Ottoman Empire and the revolution that led to the Genocide.

We often see Turks claiming that Armenians were the first to kill Turks and that Turks were only "deporting" Armenians because Armenian "gangs" were somehow a threat to the state and were killing Turks. They claim that these actions were defensive and that there was a civil war and such - putting the burden of blame on Armenians. Of course this is the furthest thing from the truth and is in fact completely the opposite of what occurred. There is ample evidence - and incredible amount of it in fact - entirely from official Ottoman and CUP party records - as well as from accounts (descriptions and explanations of and for meetings, plans and activities) written by Ottoman and CUP members after WWI that details the intentions, plans and methods for cleansing (exterminating) Armenians and other Christians from Anatolia and the Ottoman Empire.

Part 1 - Political deterioration and Christian Massacres during the late Ottoman period

Of course we are all aware of the series of large scale massacres committed under the direction of Sultan Abdul Hamid in the late 1800s and the (for over 100 years) almost continuous massacre and repression by Kurds and other nomadic chettes who roamed the Eastern provinces (having been deliberately relocated by the Ottomans into Armenian provinces for the intention of de-Americanizing them) still living off of booty and pillage as they always had done. However the intentions of the CUP directed deportations and massacres were much different (and far more sinister) then these earlier massacres. The goal of Abdul Hamid and the Ottomans was suppression of political and economic expression of the Christian minorities in order that they maintain their place in Ottoman society – as Dhimmi – religious minorities of lesser status then the Muslims of the Empire. Much like the Jews in Germany early in the 20th century the Christians of the Ottoman Empire were prospering and developing a substantial modern urban presence consisting of educated and relatively wealthy individuals. (It should be noted that the majority of the populations of each of these groups remained as they had always been – poor and agricultural – in the Armenian case - and poor and urban [ghettoized] in the Jewish case – however the perceptions among the majority groups - based on a sizable though still small percent of the population - were that these minorities were becoming enriched and more powerful – and in fact this was true as such for a segment of the population). This occurred due to education and the fact that these groups were forced into economic paths that had become lucrative but didn’t fit into the occupations that fit high social status of traditional Ottoman society – government and military service – that Christians were prohibited from joining. As a result these groups began to exercise political aspirations where before there were none. These aspirations were primarily in the form of pressing for “equal rights” – individual and in regards to property (necessary for development of stable business environments) and also included calls for ending repression, massacres and other deprivations against them. While there existed an undercurrent of nationalist sentiment – primarily among the foreign educated student population who became exposed to such concepts in Europe – the political goals of the vast majority of Armenians (those who had them at all) were for greater equality and recognition within the Ottoman system that had always been exclusively dominated by Muslim Turks. During the Tanzimat period (1839-1876) a constitution was adopted that acknowledged these concerns for equality of Ottoman citizens. However these reforms and Christian calls for greater rights were opposed by the Sultan and were only adopted by outside force of the European powers – primarily Russia, Britain and France (and all of these reforms and the constitution itself were ultimately nullified by the Sultan). Sultan Abdul Hamid’s response to Christian situational reforms was to use force and massacre to quiet the Christians and to teach them that their entreaties for help would lead to no good for them (quite the opposite) and that change was not possible. The Sultan and the Ottomans were desperate to maintain the system that legitimized them and their centuries long order and domination.

The European powers were able to force many concessions from the Ottomans – in the political arena – at least on paper – though largely not carried out – but more importantly in the Economic arena. These concessions amounted to capitulations that gave the European powers specific legal and economic powers within the Ottoman Empire itself. These were highly resented by the Ottomans who blamed the Christian minorities for their humiliation. Thus a cycle of Ottoman massacres of minorities, European intervention, and resentment of the Christian minorities began. Additionally, the European powers were annexing Ottoman territories – often through the rational of protecting Christian minorities - and other territories were lost in war – particularly against Russia – who specifically carved a role of defender of their fellow Orthodox Christians (and took advantage of this for her own gain). As the Ottoman Empire’s fortunes waned and territory was lost to (once despised and looked down upon) foreign powers and to Christian minority uprisings (such as in Greece and in the Balkans) supported by the former States – a great resentment began to build against both outside powers and internal minorities. This was exacerbated due to the influx of hundreds of thousands of refugees from these lost territories and as a result of various Turkic groups fleeing massacre committed by Russians and the newly freed minority groups themselves who had experienced such at the hand of the Turkish overlords and were seeking revenge. Many Turks were forcibly deported from these areas as well – though most refugees were voluntarily fleeing expected and actual reprisals. The Ottomans settled a great many of these (angry and desperate) exiles into traditional Armenian provinces and areas in part accounting for and adding to the great animosity that had been building on the part of Muslim Turks – already resentful of their Empires and their own falling fortunes (due to the rising Ottoman corruption and economic impact of lost wars and crumbling Empire) and they further resented the perceived prosperity, growing status and special treatment afford the minorities.

[winoman]

Part 2 - Young Turks, Pan-Turkism and Revolution

Young Turks, Pan-Turkism and Revolution

In this environment there rose among educated Ottomans (primarily among the young military and medical fields) a desire to save the Empire and to modernize. There were however many competing and often improvised schools of thought that arose on how to achieve this. Most all on some level appeared to view the (absolute power of the) Sultanate as a relic of the past and wished for political and economic reform to break the Empire form its malaise and inferior (and rapidly falling) status vis-ŕ-vis the European powers. On one hand there were those who aspired to French style democracy and equal rights and responsibilities for all citizens – with the removal of ethnic distinction and restriction – who could imagine an Empire where all ethnicities could contribute and be a part of an integrated whole (still however, it should be added – under ultimate Turkish dominion). On the other hand a small but over time growing contingent of reformers emphasized nationalist Turkish (and Muslim-Turkish) aspirations to the exclusion of the Christian minorities. It is telling that nearly all who advocated this path had their roots in either the Balkans or in by then Russian held territories be it Crimea or the Caucuses and nearly all of the “Turks” were in fact not quite ethnically Turkish (and certainly not Ottoman Turkish) – but were some variant – Tartar, Bulgarian, Azeri or such – and these individuals were raised to manhood in environments where their home territories were lost to foreign Christian powers and to nationalized former Christian minorities – and this is a very key aspect to their development and thinking – particularly in regards to their perceptions concerning the remaining Christian minorities of the Empire (Armenians, Greeks and Assyrians). Eventually those who aspired for reforms were lumped together and considered as “Young Turks” (there were as well Young Ottomans who advocated concepts of reform within the Ottoman structure). All of these Turkic groups however never abandoned the concept of the Turks as the ruling people of the Empire and in fact as Turkish nationalism arose out of the defeats (and obvious bankruptcy of Ottomanism) and loss of outlying territories at the hands of Foreign and minority Christian groups there arose great enthusiasm for the concepts of Pan-Turkism and Pan-Turanism – the later being the extension of the concept of the Turkish “nation” to include all Turkic peoples of the world across Central Asia. These concepts took on greater importance to the Young Turk movement with the ascendancy of the radical wing of the Committee of Union and Progress (CUP) – the leading Young Turk political party – that adhered to these principals.

The CUP undertook a successful coup of the government in 1908. At this time the liberal faction held sway and they reinstalled the constitution that Abdul Hamid had suspended and invited participation from representatives of the minority communities. The Armenian political parties and populace supported the new regime and were hopeful for reform. However after an Islamic student led counter-coup in 1909 (in large part in protest of this concept of elevating minority rights) led to an ascendancy of the Pan-Turkic/Pan-Islamic CUP faction that quickly passed the Law of Associations forbidding ethnically based political associations (parties) – thus banning the Armenian political parties whom in their pan-Turkic vision had become adversaries. The various CUP actions against the minorities – such as forbidding any language besides Turkish to be taught in schools – prompted protests and even revolts in the minority communities. It was this very issue that prompted the Albanian revolt in 1910 and this further turned the CUP toward a Turkic only platform (as Albanians were Muslim but non-Turkish) and further hardened the CUP against the minorities. It was beginning at this time where CUP Central Committee records and foreign observers at CUP Congresses first mention that the use of violence and force to transform the Empire and specifically against the minorities was given broad recognition within the party and was a policy (secretly) adopted at the highest levels. The Balkan War in 1912 further hardened the CUP/Ottoman elite and convinced them that there was no chance to reform the Ottoman Empire in a multi-ethnic fashion. However it should be noted that all attempts to do so up to this point all were clearly determined to enforce the concept of Turkish dominance and force the minorities to Turkify and it is no surprise that the minority groups – even the Muslim ones – reacted against this.

[winoman]

Part 3 - CUP campaign to eradicate Christians from Anatolia

CUP campaign to eradicate Christians from Anatolia

By 1913 when the CUP took full control of the state with the assassination of the Grand Vizer Mahumet Sevket - Turkism was officially adopted as party policy and enactment of this vision was put into effect. Various committees were established such as the National Defense Committee and the Committee of National Independence whose aims were to Turkify the economy by force and extended the power of the party and of trusted pan-Turkist Turkish operatives throughout the Empire. These committees organized boycotts of Armenian and Greek businesses and formed volunteer armed gangs called fedai cheteler (or chettes) who were charged with committing massacres and expulsions of Christians with the explicit aim to thin their populations. What is interesting is that these actions – which began in late 1913/early 1914 occurred prior to the Ottoman’s entering the war and were concentrated in Western Anatolia – in the Aegean region and to a lesser extent in the Black Sea region – where the bulk of the prosperous Greeks resided. It is also interesting that at this time (January 1914) Enver Pasha was appointed Minister of War and under him the Special Organization was reformed with operatives sent both East and West. East to the Caucuses to prepare the Muslims there under the Russian Empire to revolt with the intention of joining the Ottoman Empire and West to massacre Greeks and Armenians along the Aegean coast. Its also interesting that a senior government official from the Tekfurdagi district who was involved in implementing these measures at the time later said that the policy was variously called “emigration” or “deportation” but that the intent was “devastation and annihilation”. As word of these massacres reached the Western powers in Istanbul a commission of Inquiry was established but by then the damage had been done – hundreds of thousands of Greeks and Armenians had been slaughtered and an estimated 500,000 ethnic Greeks were forced to flee to Greece. Later, after the bulk of the Armenian Genocide had occurred (in both 1916 and again in 1918) these massacres and expulsions resumed. The head of the Special Organization – Kushchubasi Eshref Bey - later admitted that in 1914 alone the number of Greeks and Armenians affected by his “purifying conquest operations” was 1,150,000 – with an estimate 500,000 killed! These massacres and expulsions occurred over one year prior to the more commonly known Armenian “deportations” and Genocide and they began well prior to the outbreak of World War I and there was no violence or charges of sedition to prompt them. The lack of any repercussions from these massacres must have further emboldened the CUP central committee as they contemplated their plan to eliminate the Armenians who stood between them and their Turkish brethren to the East.

During this same period of time Ottoman military operatives and special organization members were scouring various Armenian localities charged with disarming the population (on pretext of measures being taken against violent Armenian “secret” political parties and gangs – who were outlawed and seen by the CUP as potential threats). Armenian communities that had successfully resisted massacres in the 1890s were specifically targeted and their inhabitants harassed. Additionally, even prior to the April 1915 round up of Armenian leaders and intelligencia in Istanbul and other Armenian towns there were selected arrests and murders of Armenian political and religious leaders, and various massacres were conducted throughout Anatolia designed in part to provoke the Armenian population to revolt (which they by and large did not do) and any counteraction was used as an excuse for further repressive measures. In August of 1914 all Armenian men between the ages of 20 and 45 were subject to being drafted and resistance to this was used as an excuse to harass Armenian communities. Additionally, the Ottomans forced Armenians from all the provinces to pay enormous war contributions. All of these events occurred prior to the Ottoman Empire entering World War I and during this period all reports form the Armenian provinces suggest that there was no revolt and no significant activity whatsoever. Shortly after the Ottomans joined World War I and attacked Russia the CUP began to circulate charges of Armenian sedition and Armenian soldiers in the Ottoman Army were disarmed and converted into labor battalions. Incidents of massacre and attacks on Armenians increase significantly throughout Anatolia. Charges of sedition became particularly strident after Enver’s disastrous defeat at Sarakamish in the Caucuses in January of 1915 where additional charges against Armenians to excuse the defeat – yet Enver himself actually praised the valor of Armenian units that had saved his life. However, it was when the Allies invaded and attacked the Dardenelles in March 1915 and Istanbul itself was threatened that the “final solution” to the “Armenian Question” was put into effect. These CUP central committee decisions are well documented. In April 1915 Armenian community, political and artistic leaders from Istanbul and major Armenian towns throughout Anatolia are rounded up and taken away – most will be killed. And following the successful resistance to massacre by the Armenians of Van the CUP enact the Temporary Law of Deportations – that acts as the cover for the extermination and cleansing of Armenians from Anatolia and the Ottoman Empire. The Law of Abandoned Properties was further used to seize Armenian economic assets and complete the CUP plan to nationalize the economy and Turkify the nation. Within a year nearly all Armenians are gone from Anatolia – with more the half killed (estimated at over 1 million individuals) and most of the rest of the survivors in death camps in the Syrian desert (where nearly ˝ million more would die), with a percentage escaping into Russian controlled Caucuses or elsewhere. In the years following the vast majority of the Armenians, Greeks and Assyrians – the last remaining Christian communities of the Empire – are either killed or expelled. These actions against the Christian minorities continued throughout World War I and recommenced with the advent of the Nationalist Turkish War for liberation in 1919 with actions taken against remaining Armenians in Anatolia as well as in the Armenian Caucuses where up to an additional 400,000 Armenians may have been massacred and killed. The final stage of the Turkish Genocide of its Christian communities can be said to have occurred in 1922 and 1923 with the burning of the predominantly Greek and Armenian city of Smyrna and the forced expulsion (that became a population exchange) of the remaining Greek and Christian elements of Turkey save for a small community that remained in Istanbul and a very few isolated Armenian villages that somehow escaped or who converted to Islam and were left be. However even converting to Islam did not save many of the Empires Christians as even these too were directed to be “deported” (massacred)…and today there are only a small handful of Armenians and Christians left in Turkey – again mostly concentrated in Istanbul itself.

[IAmMadAtAC]

That's a lot to read, but Turkey needs to realize that it was due to these extraordinary circumstances that led to the Armenian Genocide. I hate how they say "this could have never happened because they lived together in peace for 1000 years before it". How is that proof of anything?! First it neglects the many massacres of Armenians in the 19th century, and secondly is blind to the way things escalated and changed just before the genocide. Turks like to argue that the Ottomans had never genocided the Armenians before, so why would they then? Which of course completely ignores that the sultan was not in power at all during 1915 but the newly taken-power CUP. It's hard to imagine how Turks can deny the genocide, until you remember that they've been indoctrinated all their lives, not to mention the fact they don't want to admit having anyone's blood on their hands... which is just adsurd because all groups have killed some members of other groups, just few reach the massive destructions as the Turks did.

[winoman]

The things you mention - that Turks say things like - "Armenians lived amongst us for 900 years in peace" etc and "Armenians started it and stabbed us in the back" and so on and so forth is why I wrote the essay - to clearly lay it out. Though animosities and such can build up over time - they can also occur quite quickly. The reality for Armenians in the Ottoman Empire - and for Turks as well - changed very rapidly over the course of the 19th and early 20th centuries. And very specifically the violent revolutionary environment, the colapsing Empire and all the baggage surrounding it combined with racist pan-Turkic attitudes of the emerging Turkish revolutionaries led to Genocide - very much as in many respect similar circumstances led to the Holocaust. I highly recommend reading Robert Melson's revolution and genocide - much of his thinking has shaped mine on this matter - though the essay is a synthasis of much that I have read. Anyway I'm glad at least someone took the time to read it and comment. I really think we need to articulate the Genocide better and it must be presented in context which it often is not.

[winoman]

Concerning the charge that Armenians started it first etc

...the "Deportation Order" was issued in April 1915 the violence against Armenians and Greeks began much earlier. To some degree it was a continuum of violence and massacres committed against the Armenians - with some of such by Armenians against Kurds and Turks in response as well - in addition to some revolutionary gang activities - but these had pretty much ceased with the revolution of 1908 where Armenians felt that they would get their reforms and recognition by the CUP - which began as a progressive party with such on their platform. The Armenians were essentially taken by surprise when the CUP leadership quickly radicalized after the Islamic student counter-coup in 1909. Various secret party meetings were held and documented by the CUP from 1909-1914 whereby one can track the further radicalization and hostility of the CUP leadership towards the minorities - in large part due to the secession of Albania in 1910 and the failed Balkan War of 1912. The CUP were desperate to save what they saw as the Turkish nation and initiated an anti-Christian economic campaign of boycotts and destruction of Christian businesses - primarily in the Aegean and Black Sea regions - along with massacres and expulsions of Christians - mainly Greeks (and estimated 500,000 were killed and over 1 million displaced (mainly to Greece). All of this occurred before 1915! The CUP can be seen to transform and adopt the clear approach that only through violence - "liquidation" (ultimately is the word used) of the Christian population can their national goals (of Turkifying the Empire and retaining remaining territories). A Special Organization composed of Kurdish raiders, displaced, (angry and looking for revenge) refugees from the Balkans, Crimea and the Caucuses and released violent prisoners were formed together as part of the CUPs plan and they were designed and directed specifically to "liquidate" the Armenians and other Christians. All of this is well documented. This Special Organization of irregulars first acted against the Greeks in the Aegean region then was sent East against the Armenians (and to stir up trouble in the Caucuses to prepare it for invasion). They massacred and plundered mercilessly - targeting Armenian villages within Anatolia and in the Caucuses. All of this prior to the entry of Turkey into WWI. Initially they were under command of the Ottoman Army (in the East it was the Ottoman 3rd Army). However the in truth (and eventually officially) reported directly to the CUP central committee. In fact all along they used the secret cipher system of the Interior ministry and not the Defense Ministry - so that their order were even kept secret from the Army. However in their uncontrolled zeal they even began to raid and pillage and massacre Muslim villages - and this is documented in German reports and Ottoman Army reports. The 3rd Army Commander and other even urgently cabled the CUP in Istanbul and demanded that the Special Organization be disbanded because of their excesses (and crimes against Muslims!). The Special Organization Commander Dr Bennedhin Sakir even came under indictment by the Army and from local government districts - but instead of being prosecuted he was recalled to Istanbul (temporarily) and when he returned to Istanbul he blamed the charges against him and the Special Organization gangs on Armenians! Yes. Again these things are documented - and this is all prior to April 1915. Thus with Sakir's "evidence" against Armenians (and perhaps some instances were true of course - but others were an attempt to deflect blame from the Special organization and were useful as propaganda against the Armenians)- this "evidence" and the resistance on the part of the Armenians of Van to the men being "drafted" (to be massacred - as was already occurring throughout the region by the Special Organization...) - the CUP passed the Deportation Order - and at the same time promulgated a secret order through CUP trusted channels that the deportation was in fact to be the "liquidation" of Armenians. So you must understand the basis of the charges of sedition by the Armenians - at this point in time - is largely spurious

[Crimson Glow]

A while back, when I was bothering to waste my time engaging in long, extensive responses to the so called "open minded" Turks that had joined this forum, I said I had another agenda in mind for the methods I was using to reply/post. Well, what I was going to do was make a separate post called "A proposal", in which I was going to ask a few forumers to collaborate with me in forming one long, thorough and complete thesis on the exact facts leading up to the event of the genocide. You, obviously being one of the few on this forum that may have spent even more time then me researching this subject, were going to be the chief person I was going to ask for help from for this project. It would be nice to have one extensive explanation from start to finish of what led up to this event, from the precursors of 1915, to the event itself, to well after. I had several goals for creating such a thread:

The number of Armenians themselves that aren't too well up on the subject is actually alarming. They know some of the simple facts, like the rounding up of the leaders on April 24th being the reason we hold this date as our day of remembrance/the initiation of the genocide, but beyond such marginal facts, they can't really address the silly rebuttals from Turks equally lacking in knowledge. I was hoping to put something together of such a nature and caliber that any Armenian who read it would come away being practically as well versed on the subject as a historian.

If anyone in general (world public) was looking to research the subject, such a thread would provide a rich resource in one, well written piece that would go over the entire event spanning from mid 1800’s, to the completion of WWI, and any important entries well after that pertaining to the genocide subject. This would be an alternative to the typical Armenian sites briefly summarizing only what happened on April 24th, 1915 and beyond vs. Turkish sites proclaiming such things never happened.

It would also address the frequent and overplayed, yet not very well supported Turkish rebuttals by counter attacking these predictable allegations well in advance with unequivocal evidence to support the version of history we provide, proving the Armenian side to be more truthful fact then the “falsehoods” Turks claim it to be. This way, any Turks honestly looking for info, or “our side of the story”, or whatever they claim, will have a point of reference to fall back on, as will we have something to quote from for their repetitive questions and accusations.

There are a couple of things that drove my interest to creating such a post, aside from the above benefits. For starters, when I was doing my research on this subject, the fact that I had to piece everything together really annoyed me. No one website, Turkish OR Armenian, really gave a thorough overview of the grand scheme of what happened. They’d just focus on certain aspects, certain events, one concept (mostly on all the Turkish denial sites I primarily conducted my initial research from), etc. So it took some time to go back and fourth between the sites/archives, books, etc, and get a grasp of all that transpired well in advance leading up to this situation.

Secondly, and fairly obvious, the recent onslaught of brain dead Turks that have flooded the forum as of late. Their constant, innate posts offer nothing but repetitive questions that have been addressed dozens of times over in the last month or so. And if you DON’T repeat the answer with a long, drawn out reply, the morons go on thinking “oh, you have no answer! Dis is proof you are liar! We win!” Apparently, phrases like “we’ve already answered that a million times, look it up your damn self” are beyond their English vocabulary skills. Or the concept that they aren't the first Turk to appear on here, and ask those same questions is beyond their relm of comprehension. In any event, with a thread made exclusively and directly for dealing with not only laying out the events, but offering evidence from many sources (including Turkish), and addressing the common attempts at Turkish justification of this crime, we can simply reply with a link to that post, and a "read, and then STFU"!






Buuuuuuuuut…..it looks like you nailed a pretty good portion of this yourself, Winoman. If you don’t mind me barrowing the material you have posted here (along with some other material in this section of the forum), one of these days, when I have the time (god only knows when that’ll be), I’d still like to formulate a more complex version of what you have done an excellent job laying out, here.

[winoman]

Follow up concerning the issue of Genocide pre-meditation

J Marriot in his book: The Eastern Question: An Historical Study in European Diplomacy (1958 reprint pp 443-444) states:

"The Young Turk revolution brought matters to a head. (It) was in fact a last effort of the Moslem majority to retain its ascendency in the face of growing resistance on the part of the subject races and impending European intervention. The revival of the constitution was little more than an ingenious device for apeasing Liberal sentiment abroad while furnishing a pretext for abrogation of the historic rights of the Christain nationalities at home."

As the Hamidian massacres of the 1890s were a response to European imposed reforms on the Ottomans ( from the 1878 Berlin Treaty - article 61 specifically) after which the Sutan (in 1897) declared there was no longer an "Armenian Question" the massacres in Adana and 1909 and the Genocide that began in 1914/15 were also both in part motivated by Turkish resitance to and outrage over reforms for Armenians/Christians being imposed on them from outside powers (in the wake of the Balkan defeats of the Ottomans in 1912/3 that led to the Armenian Reform Agreement of 1914 - signed by the Ottoman Government promissing - with force of International Treaty allegedly to be overseen by forign Inspector Generals - the re-establishment of minority Christian rights that had been agreed to by the Sultan in 1878 but were never implemented). These justifications for extermination of Armenians and Christians were that their continued presence in the Empire would lead to continued foreign intervention on their behalf - thus it was decided that the Christians must be removed entirely (by deporation or death) so that in the future none would remain to call for assistance. In fact the nucleus of this plan appeared in 1910 as reported by Austrian and French intelligence agenst who independently managed to get ahold of minutes from secret CUP central commitee meetings where Enver and Talat and Gokalp and others advocated a policy of force against the Christians to silence them. The central commitee was aprently split concerning whether deporation was sufficient or if outright extermination was necesary - in the end they did a bit of both.

[winoman]

Turkish charges of Armenian insurection and violence towards Turks - prior to WWI

Many Turks today repeat the charges made by the CUP subsequent to their decision to massacre and deport Armenians from Anatolia that Armenians were in open rebellion, were assisting Russians and that gangs of Armenians were going around murdering innocent Turks. I contend that the evidence does not support these contentions - and certainly not for for the period from the CUP revolution in 1908 up through the beginnings of (Turkish entry into) WWI. Certainly there was a great deal of sympathy with the allies among many Armenians - but this can be considered reasonable considering the massacres of the recent past (1890s) and considering that the CUP had unleashed the Special Organization gangs of irregulars upon Armenians of the eastern provinces (as well as even earlier against Greeks and Armenians of the Aegean regions). All this is well documented. Concerning the performance of Armenian troops there are mixed accounts - well certianly there were desertions - as there were with Turks, Kurds and Arabs at alarmingly huge rates (in some cases Ottoman reports indicate desertion rates of up to 50% [for Muslim forces] before some battles and there are numerous reports of entire Kurdish regiments quiting battles for various reasons. So Armenian desertions were nothing out of the ordinary. Did some join the Russian side - undoubtably yes - again considering the situation this should not be surprising (just as Muslims from the Caucuses joined the Ottoman forces and in fact were actively recruited by the Special Organization to do so). However I have seen corroborated reports from German and Armenian sources that after Sarikamish Enver actually praised the valor and loyalty of Armenian troops - a group of whom is reported to have saved his life. Anyway I want to post some revealing exerpts from German Ambassador Von Wangenheim's April 15 1915 report back to Germany:

German archives # DE/PA-AA/R14085

"Pera, 15 April 1915

From the news from East Anatolia it is obvious that the relations between the Turkish Muslim population and the Armenians, which were already tense beforehand, have worsened even more in the course of the past few months. The mutual mistrust is growing and dominating the people and official circles, both in the interior as well as in the capital.

The complaints about the alleged and actual persecution which the Armenians are suffering as a result of the war are increasing in number and volume; on the other hand, they are being accused of sympathising with the Empire's enemies...

Each side is revoking the accusations of the other party as unfounded, or the blame for such events is being put on the others. There only seems to be agreement on one point: that the Armenians have given up their ideas of a revolution since the introduction of the Constitution and that there is no organisation for such a revolt.

Without doubt, excesses and acts of terror have taken place against the Armenians in eastern Anatolia and, in general, the events have probably been related correctly by the Armenian side, even if they were somewhat exaggerated.

For the events in these areas, the following are being made responsible by the Armenian side:

1. The irregulars and bands of marauders organised in military fashion and bearing the title Militia; these are being blamed for numerous plunders, murders, for robbery and other acts committed against the Armenian population of the country.

2. The clubs affiliated with the Comité Union et Progrčs, in which many dishonest elements are said to be present. It is said that these clubs, in particular the one in Erzerum, have set up formal proscription lists, and a series of political murders which were committed on various respected Armenians since December of last year are attributed to their activities. It is added that the Ministry of the Interior is said to have been warned some time ago by the Armenians about the activities of these clubs which have already played a disastrous role during the events at Adana in 1909.

3. Various civil servants, in particular the governor of Musch (Vilayet Bitlis) and the Vali of Van. It is stated amongst other things that some 2000 Muslim families from the Russian occupied district of Alaschgerd, who are hardly in a position to pay for their own keep, have been accommodated in the Armenian villages of Musch; the Armenian farmers were being used like draft animals to transport ammunition and provisions and many of them died from this inhumane treatment; the least of them, it is said hardly a quarter, returned to their villages. 'In two districts of Van formal butcheries took place under the connivance of the Kaymakams'.

it is emphasised that the Armenians – a fact which, one might note, is contested by the Turks - despite all the suffering they have been subjected to, are behaving loyally and correctly, but at least passively. However, under a continued, systematic persecution it can be feared that this peaceful attitude may take a turn to the contrary; the parties loyal to the government, such as the Daschnakzutiun, would no longer be able to hold back the masses and there would be a danger that, if the Russians advanced, not only the Armenians in the invaded area would go over to the side of the enemy, but also possible insurrections would be aroused behind the backs of the Turkish Army.

The appeal to the nobile officium of the German representation in Turkey is understandable following the development of the Armenian question, but especially now when, as a result of the war, the Triple Entente is eliminated as protectors. But an attempt at complying with this appeal and taking on the role that England after the Berlin Congress, and most recently Russia, have played as protector of the Armenians, would be regarded by the Porte as an unjustified and annoying intervention in their internal political affairs. The moment is even less suitable since the Porte has just made the effort to eliminate the protective rights, which other foreign powers have exercised over Turkish subjects. The Porte must also have respect for the national awareness of the Turkish elements, which has drastically increased over the past few years.

As far as the considerations otherwise presented by the Armenian side are concerned, they deserve serious attention.

...the present atmosphere in government circles...is most unfavourable for the Armenians...

I also believe that the increase in the number of German consulates in the so-called Armenian provinces, initiated in this connection, would not fulfil its purpose. It is probable that the Porte would see in this the attempt on our part to have their own authorities supervised...a procedure of this kind would have the consequence of setting the authorities against the Armenians even worse than ever and, therefore, of achieving results of just the opposite kind."

So from the above one can see that violent actions are already occuring against the Armenians (as we know by centrally directed Special Organization irregular units as part of a grand plan) with no mention of the reverse (Armenians are amazingly docile and quite considering - with individuals fleeing and deserting to the other side only) - which surely would have been mentioned by Turkey's ally it would seem. Also there is concern that the Turkish population and leadership is increasingly anti-Armenian and prone to take violent anti-Armenian action - because of the perception of foreign Armenians fighting with the Russians and the potential that Ottoman Armenians would show sympathy to the Russians if Russia were to acheive victory. And as an added note I will say that we do later see this in addition to Armenian, Cossak and Russian units commiting atrocites against Muslim civilians in areas that come under there control - however - prior to the decision of deportation and genocide and prior to the CUP organizing the special organization to sen dout irregulars (released from jails, and from the Muslim refugee and Kurdish populations) - we see no appreciable Armenian violence against Turks and certainly no armed rebellion of any kind.

[winoman]

bump - here non-cumanicus - something to read to educate yourself a bit so that you don't look too foolish...