The Armenian Genocide In The Ottoman Empire
The Armenian Genocide was a devastating event that took place in the declining Ottoman Empire in 1915. More than half of the Armenian Population was killed; 1.5 million people. By 1922, there were fewer than 400,000 Armenians. Those that were not killed were starved, beaten, and left without shelter; kicked out of the empire. However, to the Turks this was no more than a messy war. With the threat of a Russian invasion, the Turks questioned the Armenians loyalty. The Turks were not sure if the Russians were going to be supported by the Armenians or not. Although the Turks did not have evidence that the Armenians were going to be loyal to the Russians, the Turks composed a plan to eliminate the Armenians from their territory. The result was
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When this government formed, the Armenians were hopeful that this would give them a fair chance in the Empire. However, the Armenians soon learned that the Young Turks plan was to “turkify” the Empire instead. The Young Turks weren’t just eliminating Armenians though, non-Turks and Christian non-Turks were also being killed. Which began the Armenian Genocide of 1915. The genocide began on April 24, 1915. The Armenians that didn’t die weren’t just kicked out of the empire, they were sent on death marches through the Mesopotamian desert without food nor water. The Armenians marching were often stripped of their clothes so that the scorching sun burnt their skin. If they stopped to rest they were shot, and if they didn’t stop to rest they most likely dropped dead. While this was going on, back in the Ottoman Empire the young Turks were forming a “Special Organization”. This organization was forming killing squads which consisted of ex-convicts and murderers. These ex-convicts and murderers, taken in by the special organization, were drowning Armenians in rivers, throwing them off cliffs, crucifying them, and burning them. Many Armenian children were kidnapped, forced to convert to Islam, then put into a turkish family; Women were being forced to serve as slaves. Muslim families filled the property of deported Armenian
When this government formed, the Armenians were hopeful that this would give them a fair chance in the Empire. However, the Armenians soon learned that the Young Turks plan was to “turkify” the Empire instead. The Young Turks weren’t just eliminating Armenians though, non-Turks and Christian non-Turks were also being killed. Which began the Armenian Genocide of 1915. The genocide began on April 24, 1915. The Armenians that didn’t die weren’t just kicked out of the empire, they were sent on death marches through the Mesopotamian desert without food nor water. The Armenians marching were often stripped of their clothes so that the scorching sun burnt their skin. If they stopped to rest they were shot, and if they didn’t stop to rest they most likely dropped dead. While this was going on, back in the Ottoman Empire the young Turks were forming a “Special Organization”. This organization was forming killing squads which consisted of ex-convicts and murderers. These ex-convicts and murderers, taken in by the special organization, were drowning Armenians in rivers, throwing them off cliffs, crucifying them, and burning them. Many Armenian children were kidnapped, forced to convert to Islam, then put into a turkish family; Women were being forced to serve as slaves. Muslim families filled the property of deported Armenian