9 March 1915 A.D. Brutal Turkish Order to Slaughter Christians in the ancient city of Aleppo, Syria.
9
March 1915 A.D. Brutal Turkish Order to
Slaughter Christians in the ancient city of Aleppo, Syria.
Joel Osteen said yesterday, 8 Mar 2015
A.D: “You could be in one of the best seasons of
your life right now, but you’re not enjoying it because you’re focused on the
burden. See the gift in what you have right now.”
“Under cover of the First World War, the brutal
Ottoman Turks determined to solve the "Armenian Question" once for
all. Ancient Armenia was the first nation in the world to embrace Christianity. The Armenians lived and
suffered in Asia Minor long before the rise of the Turks. Their descendants
were prosperous traders, craftsmen and shopkeepers. In 1895 the Turks massacred
many Armenians. Now, in 1915, egged on by Germany, they claimed that this
Christian race was a danger to their national unity, and decided to do away
with them all. Since Armenians were not allowed to own firearms (Muslims were),
they were unable, except in rare instances, to defend themselves.
“Although the Turks are Muslim, ethnic cleansing
and greed more than religion seem to have been the main motives for the horrors
that followed. However, there was no Islamic outcry to stop the massacres. A
few Muslim governors who refused to kill the helpless Christians were dismissed and replaced by
cruel and greedy "patriots."
“Turkey `deported’ Armenians into `exile’ in the
desert. Usually they butchered the men outright and herded the women and
children back and forth until they dropped from thirst and exhaustion. They
gave many women and children over to neighboring Arabs and Kurds to kill and
plunder. Sordid Turks raped pretty Armenian girls openly in the streets--even
even in front of foreign visitors--or sold them as slaves or concubines into
homes where they were forced to convert to Islam. Police and soldiers amused
themselves by torturing helpless Armenians.
“On this day, March 9, 1915, Interior Minister
Talaat issued the following directive to the city of Aleppo, where Turks had
spared lives in return for bribes: `All rights of the Armenians to live and
work on Turkish soil have been completely cancelled, and with regard to this
the Government takes all responsibility on itself, and has commanded that even
babes in the cradle are not to be spared. The results of carrying out this
order have been seen in some provinces. In spite of this, for reasons unknown
to us, exceptional measures are being taken with 'Certain People,' [Armenians
who bought their lives] and those people instead of being sent straight to the
place of exile [the desert] are left in Aleppo, whereby the Government is involved
in an additional difficulty. [people left alive who still have to be gotten rid
of somehow] Without listening to any of their [Armenian] reasoning, remove them
thence--women or children, whatever they may be, even if they are incapable of
moving; and do not let the people [Turks] protect them, because, through their
ignorance, they place material gains [bribes] higher than patriotic feelings,
and cannot appreciate the great policy of the Government in insisting upon
this. Because instead of the indirect measures of extermination used in other
places--such as severity, haste (in carrying out the deportations),
difficulties of travelling and misery--direct measures [outright killing] can
safely be used there [Aleppo], so work heartily.’"
“After assuring Aleppo authorities that the army
would not interfere, Talaat closed, `Tell the officials that are to be
appointed for that purpose that they must work to put into execution our real
intent, without being afraid of responsibility. Please send cipher reports of
the results [death counts] of your activities every week. Minister of the
Interior, Talaat.’"
“Talaat's vicious plan succeeded. Dr. Martin
Niepage, a German teacher in Aleppo, tried to stop the massacre, but saw
thousands driven into deportation and hundreds herded behind barbed wire where
they died of starvation and thirst. Altogether, one and a half million
Armenians--a number equivalent to the population of Philadelphia--were killed
all across Turkey, despite the pleas of the pope, European allied countries and
the United States.”
Bibliography:
1. Azadian, Libarid and Donoyan,
Armen. The Armenian Massacre. Glendale, California: Navasart, 1987.
2. Niepage, Martin. The Horrors of
Aleppo. London: T. Fisher Unwin, 1917.
3. Olasky, Marvin. "Prove
Hitler Wrong; Remember Ottoman Turkey's slaughter of Armenian Christians."
World (October 23, 2004).
4. Toynbee, Arnold J. Armenian
Atrocities; the murder of a nation. London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1915.
Comments
Post a Comment