Turkish Coalition of America on Twitter Turkish Coalition of America on Facebook Turkish Coalition of America on YouTube
Turkish Coalition of America
  • Amerika Turk Koalisyonu

The fallacies of the Armenian nationalist narrative

The fallacies of the Armenian nationalist narrative

The centenary of the Armenian question causes a lot of controversy between those who label the events as genocide and those qualify them as insurrection and wartime casualties.

Recently, the pope called the Armenian-Turkish conflict the first genocide of the twentieth century. This was another example of ignorance regarding this issue, since the first genocide of the twentieth century was perpetrated against the Herero people between 1904 and 1907 in German South- West Africa, in present-day Namibia.

Most Turks, on the other hand, are neither ignorant about WWI nor harbor racist feelings toward Armenian nationalist claims, but they object to their presentation as undeniable historical truths. In fact, it should be emphasized the Turkish government for many decades did not teach, or if you like, did not indoctrinate the youth about this issue. However, there is a strong oral tradition in eastern and southeastern Turkey about cruelties against the Turkish population by Armenian irregulars as well as those serving in the Russian army.

For many decades there was basically no discussion about the Armenians. In fact when the first terrorist attack against Turkish diplomats occurred in 1973 in Santa Barbara, California, the Turkish press assumed it must have been the Greeks, with whom they had territorial quarrels over Cyprus.

Since then, more than 30 Turkish diplomats were assassinated in a campaign during the 1970s and 1980s by the Armenian Secret Army for the Liberation of Armenia (ASALA) and the Justice Commandos of the Armenian Genocide.

Today there is free speech in Turkey, and a minority of intellectuals very much under the influence of Western discourse perceive the Armenian conflict as genocide whereas the majority reject those allegations, pointing out the historical context of the war and occupation of the Turkish homeland by Russia.

In light of this discussion, Rafi Hovannisian’s op-ed on April 11, 2015, contains unfortunate irredentist demands on the territory of modern Turkey including eastern Turkey all the way to the Black Sea region, dubbed “Western Armenia” by Hovannisian.

This is a racist and irredentist demand with regard to a territory which has never in history had an Armenian majority population.

And these demands are buttressed with genocide claims which in fact deny the very existence of Turkey in its current borders.

In fact such expansionist demands and feelings of racism, hatred toward Turks, glorification of Armenian terrorists and anti-Turkish rhetoric have been admitted and criticized by an Armenian academic, Arman Grigoryan, published in The Washington Post on April 17, 2015.

One problem arises from Western historiography, very much influenced by the biased Christian missionary reports of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, as well as diplomatic correspondence under the influence of anti-Turkish sentiments. The most striking example can be read in American ambassador Henry Morgenthau’s book Ambassador Morgenthau’s Story (1918), which contains racist remarks to the effect that Turks are “primitive,” “barbarous”and “ignorant,” and characterizing the Armenians as “intellectually and morally superior” to the Turks.

IT IS ironic that such an Orientalist and outright racist book is presented as the foundational text on Armenian genocide claims, which are based on the Armenian nationalist narrative.

Ignoring Armenian rebellions and cooperation with the occupying Russian army as well as the French army during WWI is another fallacy of the Armenian narrative supported by Western historiography. In fact the Armenian delegate Boghos Nubar Pasha at the Paris Peace conference in 1919 argued that they had been belligerents against the Ottoman Empire and should be awarded accordingly with an independent state.

Against these Orientalist non-academic sources, there are scholars interested in presenting an objective narrative. For instance, Turcophobic ideas were successfully exposed by Justin McCarthy in his Turk in America, where he meticulously documents the negative attitudes toward Turks in mainstream America, and especially the impact of the missionaries in the articulation of the image of “murderous Turk” in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.

Such feelings have been incorporated into Western academic writings on the Armenians, which totally disregard Turkish losses during WWI.

It should be remembered that the eminent historian of Islam and the Middle East Bernard Lewis has stood against genocide claims in the past, arguing that the Armenian question was nothing like the Holocaust and hence cannot be labeled a genocide.

In fact, claims of genocide are not only based on Turcophobic ideas but are also very creative in trying to portray Turkey as a precursor of Nazi Germany. Therefore, most of the publications read more like advocacy pieces than sound, objective works of scholarship.

Substantial differences between the Young Turk government (1908-1918) and Nazi Germany (1933-1945) should be emphasized. The ideological mindset was radically different as anti-Semitism was the critical variable in the Holocaust, whereas there was no similar anti-Armenianism in the Ottoman Empire. In fact, there were rival ideologies of Ottomanism, Islamism, Turkish nationalism as well as Westernism in the empire, in addition to local nationalisms, of course. During its days of opposition the Committee and Union Party cooperated with the Armenian political parties against Sultan Abdulhamid II and after coming to power appointed a number of Armenian ministers, the most important of whom was the Foreign Minister Gabriel Noradugyan.

Another major difference between the two eras was that there was no Jewish uprising or collaboration with Germany’s enemies whereas there was a clear cooperation with Russia and France on the part of the Armenians as readily admitted by the Armenian delegate at Versailles in 1919.

This state of affairs necessitated a relocation of the Armenian population from the war zone to more peaceful areas.

It is high time we stop castigating the Turks because of our own ignorance about their civilian and military losses during WWI or support biased narratives just because they proved hegemonic due to Christian solidarity with the Armenians in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

source: jpost.com

  • Post this article to Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Print this page

List of Articles on the Turkish-Armenian Question

  • The Armenian Forced Relocation: Putting An End To Misleading SimplificationsThe Armenian Forced Relocation: Putting An End To Misleading Simplificationsread more
  • “Proving” a “Crime against Humanity”?“Proving” a “Crime against Humanity”?read more
  • A Bad Day In The BundestagA Bad Day In The BundestagJeremy Salt, Center For Eurasian Studies...read more
  • Not recognizing the Armenian genocide is a triumph for common senseNot recognizing the Armenian genocide is a triumph for common senseread more
  • The fallacies of the Armenian nationalist narrativeThe fallacies of the Armenian nationalist narrativeread more
  • Perincek vs SwitzerlandPerincek vs SwitzerlandFreedom of expression has already won th...read more
  • The Accusation of GenocideThe Accusation of Genocide...read more
  • Armenian Issue As Reflected In Russian Archival RecordsArmenian Issue As Reflected In Russian Archival Recordsread more
  • Armenia should constructively consider PM's proposalArmenia should constructively consider PM's proposalread more
  • The Lemkin Hole In The Swiss CaseThe Lemkin Hole In The Swiss CaseWhen Raphael Lemkin coined the word geno...read more
  • The International Politics of Armenian HistoryThe International Politics of Armenian Historyread more
  • Abraham Foxman’s good nameAbraham Foxman’s good nameIt is shocking that Abraham Foxman, the ...read more
  • Remembering Kemal Arikan (1927-1982)Remembering Kemal Arikan (1927-1982)On January 28, 1982 two Armenian gunmen ...read more
  • Orientalism: 'Terrible Turk' becomes a 'genocidal Turk'Orientalism: 'Terrible Turk' becomes a 'genocidal Turk'read more
  • TCA Responds to President Obama’s Armenian Remembrance Day StatementTCA Responds to President Obama’s Armenian Remembrance Day Statementread more
  • Religious Ceremony Held at Historical Armenian Church in TurkeyReligious Ceremony Held at Historical Armenian Church in Turkeyread more
  • Armenian President's Belligerent Remarks Draw Turkey’s IreArmenian President's Belligerent Remarks Draw Turkey’s Ireread more
  • TCA Response to President Obama's StatementTCA Response to President Obama's Statementread more
  • Why Congress Should Not Legislate HistoryWhy Congress Should Not Legislate HistoryMichael M. Gunter, April 8, 2011 On M...read more
  • Armenians in Ottoman BureaucracyArmenians in Ottoman BureaucracyArmenians held key positions in Ottoman ...read more
  • Tarihsel Gerçekler ve Uluslararası Hukuk Işığında Ermeni Soykırımı İddiasıTarihsel Gerçekler ve Uluslararası Hukuk Işığında Ermeni Soykırımı İread more
  • Amb. Elekdağ Calls Upon President Obama to Respect Law on GenocideAmb. Elekdağ Calls Upon President Obama to Respect Law on Genocideread more
  • Legislating HistoryLegislating HistoryYilmaz Arguden, October 24, 2006 Rece...read more
  • President Obama's StatementPresident Obama's StatementApril 24, 2009, Washington, DC - Preside...read more
  • 154 Retired Turkish Ambassadors Write to Speaker Pelosi 154 Retired Turkish Ambassadors Write to Speaker Pelosi read more
  • Will Untapped Ottoman Archives Reshape the Armenian Debate?Will Untapped Ottoman Archives Reshape the Armenian Debate?read more
  • Rep. Frank Pallone and the "Armenian Genocide Resolution"Rep. Frank Pallone and the "Armenian Genocide Resolution"read more
  • Professor questions ethnic conflictProfessor questions ethnic conflictMatthew Rist, The GW Hatchet, February 2...read more
  • Money spent by the Armenian Lobby in America (USA/ Armenia)Money spent by the Armenian Lobby in America (USA/ Armenia)read more
  • Buying PoliciesBuying PoliciesMichael van der Galien, PoliGazette, Aug...read more
  • The freedom of historical debate is under attack by the memory policeThe freedom of historical debate is under attack by the memory policeread more
  • Book review: The Armenian Genocide: Cultural and Ethical LegaciesBook review: The Armenian Genocide: Cultural and Ethical Legaciesread more
  • U.S. H.RES. 106: Factual and Legal DeficienciesU.S. H.RES. 106: Factual and Legal Deficienciesread more
  • A Scrutiny of Akcam's Version of History and the Armenian GenocideA Scrutiny of Akcam's Version of History and the Armenian Genocideread more
  • Turkish Armenian RelationsTurkish Armenian RelationsNursen Mazici, Radikal Daily, June 30, 2...read more
  • Armenia is a troubled nationArmenia is a troubled nationJason Epstein, Pajamas Media, April 24, ...read more
  • Armenian Terrorism: History as Poison and AntidoteArmenian Terrorism: History as Poison and Antidoteread more
  • Reader comment on: "Lévy To Speak On Islamism, Genocide"Reader comment on: "Lévy To Speak On Islamism, Genocide"read more
  • The History LessonThe History LessonNational Review Online, October 17, 2007...read more
  • Westerners on the Armenian Strategy and RebellionWesterners on the Armenian Strategy and Rebellionread more
  • Report of Captian Niles and Mr. Arthur E. Sutherland Jr.Report of Captian Niles and Mr. Arthur E. Sutherland Jr.read more
  • ADL and the TurksADL and the TurksJoel J. Sprayregen Chicago, The Jerusale...read more
  • No Armenian GenocideNo Armenian GenocideBernard Lewis, National Press Club, Augu...read more
  • Bernard Lewis Distinguishes Armenian Case from HolocaustBernard Lewis Distinguishes Armenian Case from Holocaustread more
  • Anatolia 1915:Turks Died, TooAnatolia 1915:Turks Died, TooJustin McCarthy, The Boston Globe, April...read more
  • Let Historians Decide on So-called GenocideLet Historians Decide on So-called Genocideread more
  • Turkey's new envoy says genocide bill impedes reconciliationTurkey's new envoy says genocide bill impedes reconciliationread more
  • Turkey's War on the TruthTurkey's War on the TruthRichard Cohen, Washington Post, October ...read more
  • Partisan Politics and Democrats' Turkey ProblemPartisan Politics and Democrats' Turkey Problemread more
  • Why We Are Losing TurkeyWhy We Are Losing TurkeyTony Blankley Real Clear Politics, Octob...read more
  • Genocide claims against Turkey frivolousGenocide claims against Turkey frivolousThomas Goltz Missoulian News Online, Oct...read more
  • Congress and ArmeniaCongress and ArmeniaTayyip Erdogan, PM of Turkey, The Wall S...read more
  • Armenian genocide measure is misguidedArmenian genocide measure is misguidedBruce Fein, San Francisco Chronicle, Oct...read more
  • Armenian debacleArmenian debacleTulin Daloglu, Washington Times, October...read more
  • History Speaks: The moral case against the Armenian Genocide ResolutionHistory Speaks: The moral case against the Armenian Genocide Resolutionread more
  • Judgment Time: Should America recognize an Armenian Genocide?Judgment Time: Should America recognize an Armenian Genocide?read more
  • Armenian Story has Another SideArmenian Story has Another SideNorman Stone,Chicago Tribune, October 16...read more
  • U.S. can calm a ruffled TurkeyU.S. can calm a ruffled TurkeyThe Christian Monitor, October 17, 2007 ...read more
  • Pointless Moral Exhibitionism on TurkeyPointless Moral Exhibitionism on TurkeyRich Lowry,The National Review, October ...read more
  • Stirring up the past, jeopardizing the futureStirring up the past, jeopardizing the futureread more
  • Armenia Crime Amnesia?Armenia Crime Amnesia?Bruce Fein, The Washington Times, Oct 16...read more
  • Secretary of State PelosiSecretary of State PelosiThe Wall Street Journal, October 16, 200...read more
  • Turkey in the crosshairsTurkey in the crosshairsThe Washington Times, October 15, 2007 ...read more
  • Tawdry Genocide TaleTawdry Genocide TaleBruce Fein, Washington Times, September ...read more
  • This wasn't GenocideThis wasn't GenocideShlomo Bar-Meir, Jerusalem Post, Septemb...read more
  • Letter to Abraham H. Foxman, ADL of B'Nai B'RithLetter to Abraham H. Foxman, ADL of B'Nai B'Rithread more
  • Why America Should Build Bridges to TurkeyWhy America Should Build Bridges to TurkeyLiz Peek, July 3, 2007 The Turks are...read more
  • Statement by Professor Norman StoneStatement by Professor Norman StoneNorman Stone, August 23, 2007 I am wr...read more
  • Re: Truth and Consequences: Armenians, Turks and JewsRe: Truth and Consequences: Armenians, Turks and Jewsread more
  • Let's Unearth the Truth About what happened in 1915 togetherLet's Unearth the Truth About what happened in 1915 togetherread more
  • Turkish ambassador: "Give all sides a hearing"Turkish ambassador: "Give all sides a hearing"read more
  • Judgment Time:Should America recognize an Armenian Genocide?Judgment Time:Should America recognize an Armenian Genocide?read more
  • Norman Stone: 'There is No Armenian Genocide'Norman Stone: 'There is No Armenian Genocide'read more
  • New Scholarship Disputes Armenian New Scholarship Disputes Armenian "Genocide" Narrativeread more
  • Home
  • About US
  • Support TCA
  • Contact
  • Internships
    • TCA Washington Summer Internship Program
    • Previous Programs
  • Youth Congress
    • 2019 Youth Congress Application
    • 2018 Youth Congress
    • 2017 Youth Congress
    • 2016 Youth Congress
    • 2015 Youth Congress
    • 2014 Youth Congress
    • Turkish-Canadian Youth Congress
  • Turkish American Women’s Leadership Initiative
  • Grants
    • Turkey Study Tour Grants
    • Academic Grants
    • Public Awareness / Grassroots Grants
    • Heritage Grants
    • Humanitarian Grants
  • Issues & Information
    • U.S.-Turkey Relations
    • PKK Terrorism
    • Turkey and Europe
    • Armenian Issue
    • Cyprus Issue
    • Turkish History
    • Turkish Minorities Abroad
    • TCA Issue Papers
    • Reading Lists and General Resources on Turkey
  • Turkish American Community
    • Turkish American Appointed Officials
    • Turkish Americans Elected to Political Office
    • Elected Officials with Turkish Heritage
    • Turkish American Organizations
    • Turkish American Publications and Broadcasts
    • Turkish American Online Services
    • Prominent Turkish Americans
    • Turk Evleri
  • U.S. Congress
  • The Turkey Caucus
  • Outreach to Heritage Communities
    • African American Outreach
    • Native American Outreach
    • Hispanic American Outreach
  • Scholarships
    • Study Abroad Scholarships for American Students of Minority and Heritage Communities
    • Scholarships by Other Organizations
    • Previous TCA Programs
  • News & Events
    • News and Events
    • TCA Issue Papers
    • TCA Newsletters
  • Media
    • TCA in the News
    • Posters and Advertisements
    • Submit a Media Request
  • TAKE ACTION
  • LEGAL RIGHTS
  • CULTURE
Subscribe to Newsletter
  • Donate
  • TCA Washington Summer Internship Program
  • Support the Turkish Coalition of America by Shopping at AmazonSmile
  • TCA Youth Congress
  • TCA Minority Scholarship Program
  • Turkish Coalition of America on YouTube
Turkish Coalition of America
Amerika Turk Koalisyonu
  • Washington, DC
    1510 H St. NW Suite 900
    Washington, DC 20005
    Phone: 202.370.1399
    Fax: 202.370.1398
  • Boston
    48 Jonas Brown Circle
    Concord, MA 01742
    Phone: 978.318.0047
    Fax: 978.318.0037
  •  
     
     
  • Copyright © 2019 Turkish Coalition of America. All rights reserved.
    Site Map