Armenian Genocide
Armenian Genocide Power is a five letter word that continues to exist since the time of creation up until now. It has stirred human emotions from exultations to greed. To be above and be of great power over something or someone is a part of human nature. Power has seen the acquisition of great wealth, the growth of empires, the birth of nations and heroes. But the search for power has also been the biggest downfall of men. A great example is the Mass Murder of the Ottoman Empire, also known as the Armenian Genocide. It commenced during and Just after World War 1 and it is one of the most rutal and excruciating mass murders in history.
To this day, Turks still continue to deny that this event ever occurred, but the destruction of the Armenians exhibits and illustrates various examples of the word "genocide": The deliberate and systematic destruction, in whole or in part, of an ethnic, racial, religious, or national group (Wikipedia) The massacre in the Ottoman Empire during 1914-1918 is considered Genocide because the Turks displayed great examples of Denial, Classification and Extermination, which are three of the eight stages of genocide. The Armenian genocide could have been prevented with the help of all the allied countries and German officials.
A political group made up of young Turks, the committee of union and progress [CUP], made a secret document which they called "The Ten Commandments". The Ten Commandments are basically blue prints for the planned mass murder of the Armenians (notes). Explaining the contents of this document a cover note was written by British officials and it said, "My informant declares that messengers were sent to the different [governors] in the provinces with instructions o read these orders to them and then return the originals which were to be destroyed" (Crimes Against Humanity 73).
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The secrecy from the beginning is already an attempt to sow the seed of denial. For further proof that these documents were classified, the tenth commandment of the committee of union and progress stated, "Pay attention to the strictly confidential nature of these instructions, which may not go beyond two or three persons" (Crimes Against Humanity 74). Perpetrators found a way to use language to make it sound acceptable to slaughter Armenians and blame hem for their own sufferings (notes). The play of words can not Justify that those who suffered are the ones at fault.
The Turkish government sent billions of dollars supporting congress (notes). ln the beginning of the Armenian Genocide film; the narrator said "Until this day, Turks still deny that the Armenian Genocide ever happened" ("Armenian Genocide film"). One saying goes "where there is smoke, there is fire". The stench of death is too great to deny. How can one explain the disappearance of a generation, a community, a family? The Turks segregated the Armenians for their suffering and from other countries and also put them into prison.
According to the reading, "At the end of July 191 5, the government began to deport the Armenians of Anatolia and Cilicia, transferring the population from regions which were far distant from the front and where the presence of Armenians could not be regarded as a threat to the Turkish army" (Crimes Against Humanity 85) Armenians were being classified; this is a great example of power at play. Separation was deemed necessary to gather the weak so hat they can easily be crushed by the strong.
Turks first targeted to execute the "Intelligentsia", the formally educated people which consisted of writers, politicians, poets, doctors, lawyers and etc. (Crimes Against Humanity 84). To get rid of the strong, reliable men, all of them that were 18 and older were shot (note). The Intelligentsia group and men were the first ones killed because they had knowledge and authority; enough knowledge to start revolt and rebellion. A systematic plan was necessary to make sure that the Armenians had no way of getting back their dignity nd their freedom through knowledgeable actions.
Women and children were raped and dehumanized (notes). By the end of 1916, more than half of the populations of the Armenians were slaughtered (Crimes Against Humanity 86). This proves that the Armenian genocide happened because genocide means killing of a certain race or tribe. It is proven that some people did try to prevent more genocide against the Armenians. US missionaries, Turkish officials and friends did try to save some Armenians. (Crimes Against Humanity 85). All these actions were simply not enough r were too late for millions of lives were still lost.
If only the world was vigilant to the beginning signs of oppression, there will be no such word as "genocide". To quote the German Ambassador, Henry Morgenthau "l shall do nothing whatever for the Armenians" (Crimes Against Humanity 121). Wanting to make a difference Wolff- Matternich tried to do something, but he got shut down and said, "In order to achieve any success in the Armenian question, we will have to inspire fear in the Turkish government regarding the consequences" (Crimes Against Humanity 121).
The differences in opinions overseas did not help in the prevention of the annihilation of the Armenians. While they are debating as to what actions and side to take, the sufferings of the Armenians confounded. One decisive move in the name of what is right and what is Just could have prevented everything. The big question to ask is: WHY? As the Turks continue to deny, the answer to this question will continue to evade history. In conclusion, people should consider everything that the poor Armenians have gone through as genocide.
Think about the istory of a whole family, lost. The future of children one will never get to see and a whole country forever mourning for a generation buried in silence. Even if it happened over one hundred years ago, and Justifications after Justifications were made, the terminology "genocide" is Just but a word to give meaning to a terrifying event. But in simple terms, it is a mass murder of dumbfounding proportions. Many countries and powerful people could have helped and intervened, but they did not.
Human actions matter because the burden of guilt is not carried only by the erpetrator, but also of a silent witness to a horrible crime. We are all a product of our past. If one does not acknowledge their past, and learn from its lessons, then the future will be one bleak horizon of uncertainty. An event such as the Armenian genocide should not remain as Just a story to tell from generation to generation. The whole purpose of retelling their story is to touch the core of human sensitivity over and over. To remind each and everyone to value one human life as a million human lives lost for nothing.
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Armenian Genocide. (2018, Jun 26). Retrieved from https://phdessay.com/armenian-genocide/
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