The Armenians

Starter Questions Where are the Caucasus Mountains? Is Turkey part of Europe or part of Asia? What is genocide?

Where are the Caucasus Mountains?

Is Turkey part of Europe or part of Asia?

What is genocide?

The Caucasus Mountainous region of the world dividing Europe from Asia Home to dozens of cultures, inhabited for thousands of years Source of the word Caucasian , which means white people Historically a place of conflict – why?

Mountainous region of the world dividing Europe from Asia

Home to dozens of cultures, inhabited for thousands of years

Source of the word Caucasian , which means white people

Historically a place of conflict – why?

Countries of the Caucasus Home to three historical great powers Russia Turkey Persia/Iran Continuously fought over until 20 th century Conflicts between minor powers common after 1990 – why?

Home to three historical great powers

Russia

Turkey

Persia/Iran

Continuously fought over until 20 th century

Conflicts between minor powers common after 1990 – why?

Peoples of the Caucasus Home to more than 50 ethnic groups Divided into three main language groups Caucasian Altaic Indo-European Famous ethnicities Turks Georgians Kurds Armenians

Home to more than 50 ethnic groups

Divided into three main language groups

Caucasian

Altaic

Indo-European

Famous ethnicities

Turks

Georgians

Kurds

Armenians

Introduction to the Armenians Between 4 and 2,600 years of history Call themselves Hayer, descendants of Hayk Legendary father of the Armenian nation Were a stateless people for most of their modern history Have their own country, Armenia

Between 4 and 2,600 years of history

Call themselves Hayer, descendants of Hayk

Legendary father of the Armenian nation

Were a stateless people for most of their modern history

Have their own country, Armenia

Armenian Culture Speak an Indo-European language with own alphabet Armenian Apostolic Church An Eastern church World’s oldest National Church Famous for folk music and classical music Aram Khachaturian’s Sabre Dance

Speak an Indo-European language with own alphabet

Armenian Apostolic Church

An Eastern church

World’s oldest National Church

Famous for folk music and classical music

Aram Khachaturian’s Sabre Dance

Early Armenian History Armenians emerged around 600 BC Civilization centered at Mt. Ararat Built strong relations with the Greeks, followed their religion Became Christian in the 4 th century AD Lost their kingdoms to the Byzantines, Persians, and Turks

Armenians emerged around 600 BC

Civilization centered at Mt. Ararat

Built strong relations with the Greeks, followed their religion

Became Christian in the 4 th century AD

Lost their kingdoms to the Byzantines, Persians, and Turks

Part of the Ottoman Empire Armenia lost to Ottomans and Persians in the 16 th century AD Persian areas became Russian in 1820s Armenians were second-class citizens of the empire They spread away from Armenia to other regions

Armenia lost to Ottomans and Persians in the 16 th century AD

Persian areas became Russian in 1820s

Armenians were second-class citizens of the empire

They spread away from Armenia to other regions

The Sick Man of Europe By the 19 th century, the Ottoman Empire was weak Greece left the Empire in the 1870s with European help Russia fought wars with the Ottomans in 1853 and 1877 European powers began to tear the Empire apart

By the 19 th century, the Ottoman Empire was weak

Greece left the Empire in the 1870s with European help

Russia fought wars with the Ottomans in 1853 and 1877

European powers began to tear the Empire apart

Ethnic Strife Armenian political activity increased in the late 19 th century Called for reforms Several Armenian towns rebelled over high taxes Sultan Hamid II crushed the rebellions 80-300,000 Armenians were massacred from 1894-1896 He saw Armenians as symbols of Christian Europe

Armenian political activity increased in the late 19 th century

Called for reforms

Several Armenian towns rebelled over high taxes

Sultan Hamid II crushed the rebellions

80-300,000 Armenians were massacred from 1894-1896

He saw Armenians as symbols of Christian Europe

The Events of 1915 What was happening in 1915? War Minister Enver Pasha accused Armenians of siding with the Russians Armenians were removed from the army Armenian city of Van rebelled, fearing a massacre Armenian intellectuals were arrested Government issued the “Temporary Law of Expropriation and Confiscation” to take everything from the Armenians Armenians were uprooted and marched across the Empire

What was happening in 1915?

War Minister Enver Pasha accused Armenians of siding with the Russians

Armenians were removed from the army

Armenian city of Van rebelled, fearing a massacre

Armenian intellectuals were arrested

Government issued the “Temporary Law of Expropriation and Confiscation” to take everything from the Armenians

Armenians were uprooted and marched across the Empire

Depopulation of Turkish Armenia

The March to the Camps Armenians were marched to concentration camps in the desert Many died along the way The rest died in the camps, mostly by burning to death Foreign powers at the time reported and protested Turkish actions

Armenians were marched to concentration camps in the desert

Many died along the way

The rest died in the camps, mostly by burning to death

Foreign powers at the time reported and protested Turkish actions

Death and Destruction 1914-23 Armenian deaths 300,000, according to Turkish figures 1.5 million, according to Armenian figures Turkey lost more than half of its Armenian population to death, deportation, or exile Only 200 out of 1,600 Armenian churches were left standing

Armenian deaths

300,000, according to Turkish figures

1.5 million, according to Armenian figures

Turkey lost more than half of its Armenian population to death, deportation, or exile

Only 200 out of 1,600 Armenian churches were left standing

A Question of Genocide [F]or the time being only in the east, I put ready my Death's Head units, with the order to kill without pity or mercy all men, women, and children of the Polish race or language. Only thus will we gain the living space that we need. Who still talks nowadays of the extermination of the Armenians? Alleged speech by Hitler to Wehrmacht units before the invasion of Poland in 1939

[F]or the time being only in the east, I put ready my Death's Head units, with the order to kill without pity or mercy all men, women, and children of the Polish race or language. Only thus will we gain the living space that we need. Who still talks nowadays of the extermination of the Armenians?

Alleged speech by Hitler to Wehrmacht units before the invasion of Poland in 1939

The UN’s Definition of Genocide [A]ny of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such: Killing members of the group; Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group; Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part; Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group; Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group.

[A]ny of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such:

Killing members of the group;

Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group;

Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part;

Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group;

Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group.

The Young Turks Hamid II was overthrown by The Young Turks in 1918 Goal was to create a secular, modern Turkey Hamid was an Islamist Armenians would be regular citizens in the new Turkey Reforms stalled when Hamid’s forces fought back, often killing Armenians

Hamid II was overthrown by The Young Turks in 1918

Goal was to create a secular, modern Turkey

Hamid was an Islamist

Armenians would be regular citizens in the new Turkey

Reforms stalled when Hamid’s forces fought back, often killing Armenians

The Armenian Diaspora

Operation Nemesis Turkish leaders escaped punishment for the massacres Armenian exiles plotted to assassinate them They made a list of 200 names and carried out murders from 1921 to 1922 Turkish Interior Minister Talât Pasha was killed by Soghomon Tehlirian in Berlin

Turkish leaders escaped punishment for the massacres

Armenian exiles plotted to assassinate them

They made a list of 200 names and carried out murders from 1921 to 1922

Turkish Interior Minister Talât Pasha was killed by Soghomon Tehlirian in Berlin

The Genocide Controversy Turkey rejects the term genocide Turkish arguments include The deaths weren’t centrally planned The numbers of deaths are lower than the millions claimed Some say Armenians deserved it for supporting the Russians Citizens who believe in the genocide can be arrested for “insulting Turkishness” The issue is one reason Turkey hasn’t been allowed to join the EU

Turkey rejects the term genocide

Turkish arguments include

The deaths weren’t centrally planned

The numbers of deaths are lower than the millions claimed

Some say Armenians deserved it for supporting the Russians

Citizens who believe in the genocide can be arrested for “insulting Turkishness”

The issue is one reason Turkey hasn’t been allowed to join the EU

Modern Armenia Formerly part of the Soviet Union Became independent in 1990 Population 3.2 million, 97% Armenian Mostly mountainous, like the rest of the Caucasus Follows Armenian Christian faith

Formerly part of the Soviet Union

Became independent in 1990

Population 3.2 million, 97% Armenian

Mostly mountainous, like the rest of the Caucasus

Follows Armenian Christian faith

The War with Azerbaijan Armenia and Muslim Azerbaijan have been fighting each other for decades Most recently fought a war from 1988-92 The issue is control over Nagorno-Karabakh, which is majority-Armenian, but part of Azerbaijan

Armenia and Muslim Azerbaijan have been fighting each other for decades

Most recently fought a war from 1988-92

The issue is control over Nagorno-Karabakh, which is majority-Armenian, but part of Azerbaijan

The End – Any Questions?