Armenian Genocide Persuasive Essay

The Armenian Genocide was the Muslim Ottoman Empire’s attempt to exterminate all of the Christian Armenians who were living in the Ottoman Empire in the early 1900s. Nationalism was rising and many nations wanted to become their own state: one of these nations included the Christian Armenians. The Ottoman’s then accused the nation of supporting Russia’s plans against the powerful empire. The Ottoman’s then slaughtered up to 1.2 million innocent Armenians. There is a current debate about whether the international countries had done enough to respond to the genocide occurring under the Ottoman Empire’s rule. Even though other nations, such as The United States, Germany, and Britain, had convincing excuses to not try to stop the Armenian Genocide.

They were ineffective in stopping the Armenian Genocide due to inconsideration, inaction, and fear.
The Allies were extremely inconsiderate to the victims who suffered during the Armenian Genocide because although they were completely aware atrocities occurring in the Ottoman Empire, they did not respond to the Genocide. Countries simply chose to ignore the thousands of Armenians dying each day than to intervene and defy the Ottoman Empire. Many countries were aware of the citizens being massacred due to false accusation by the Turks in the Ottoman Empire but they simply did nothing as a reaction. German historian Franz Gunther stated, “Our enemies will someday pay a good price to obtain possession of this document… they will be able to prove that the Germans have not only done nothing to prevent the Armenian prosecutions but they even issued certain orders to this effect.” The German Government was aware of what was occurring under the Ottomans’ rule, and that Germany should have intervened with the situation occurring in Ottoman Empire and they should discontinue ignoring and start reacting to the atrocities being committed against the Christian Armenians. With the knowledge, the government selfishly continued to ignore the suffering citizens of the Ottoman Empire. This shows extreme disrespect and inconsideration of the Germans to the Armenians who were completely innocent and falsely accused.
Some countries, especially America, used the belief it was not their responsibility to help because they were not directly affected as a invalid excuse for their inconsideration.

The United States Government stated the situation was a domestic affair and it neither affected American lives nor their interests. This argument completely counteracts the United States’ actions occurring at the same exact time in World War I. Woodrow Wilson, The then President of the United States stated in his speech to declare war, “Neutrality is no longer feasible or desirable where the peace of the world is involved,” and explains that the people of the world must be kept safe. Also, Wilson states they the United States has so much power that they must save the innocent people being harmed by the Germans in World War I. In the case of the Armenians, the United States said it was not their responsibility to intervene, but in their decision to enter World War I they said it was for the “peaceful and innocent lives (that cannot be paid for)”. While the United States claims that it must maintain and restore peace in the world; the situation occurring in the Ottoman Empire wasn’t a concern of the American Government . To ignore the atrocities being acted upon the Armenians had no valid excuse; this was just plainly inconsiderate to the victims and inhuman of the other

nations.
Also, all aspects of the United States had institutionalized a widespread denial of the genocide throughout the entire country. It was institutionalized by the government, political and academic collaborators, and even it’s military and trading allies. Even in 2017, over 100 years later Obama’s top aide, Ben Rhodes, finally stated, "We should have recognized the Armenian genocide.” This is an instance of governmental denial, it has taken over 100 years to recognize that the Genocide of the Armenians even occured. .This proves that the United States government went out of their way to completely ignore the thousands of Armenian people being tortured, deported, and massacred.
Some nations, including the United States, had agreed and also promised to help and respond to the massacres but instead they had made empty promises and had not followed through; which shows how other nations were too idle and unconcerned to respond. Also, many nations as early as 1915 had reported the genocide, promised to help, and also agreed that it was a “crime against humanity”, but although they had made these efforts, there was no nation or unified nations who had made an attempt to inflict the Ottoman Empire and forgot their humanitarian concerns. Therefore, the promises that were made were so easily not acted on. Countries like the United States and Germany were quick to trade the lives of citizens lost during the Armenian Genocide for favors from the Ottoman Empire.
Due to the Allies not being effective in stopping the Genocide because of inaction, future genocides; such as the Holocaust, resulted from that. Hitler later believed that due to the Allies failing to interfere with the Armenian Genocide, the Western countries would therefore tolerate the Holocaust. “Who after all, remembers the annihilation of the Armenians?” This was said by the German murderous dictator Adolf Hitler, who had killed up to 6 million Jews who had lived in Germany just 15 years after the Armenian Genocide. The international countries were so ineffective in responding due to inaction, that other rulers had noticed and begun their own genocides.
Lastly, some nations even made distressing excuses for their reasoning for ignoring the genocide or they had blamed their inaction from wanting to stay uninvolved. Although the Germans were aware of the Ottoman Empires atrocities against the Armenians, Germany’s Ambassador Baron von Wangenheim announced that no one had the right to interfere on the Ottoman Empire’s decisions. Also, the German government avoided interference and ordered that reports should be made to convict the Armenians of treason and the situation occurring by the Ottoman Empire was justified. Therefore, other nations made cheap excuses such as wanting to stay uninvolved for their apathetic behavior and being inactive to the situation occurring in the Ottoman Empire by the Turks.
Other countries were not only not effective in reacting to the Armenian Genocide due to inconsideration and inaction, but they were also not effective due to the fear of the Ottoman Empire. Many countries who were allies with the Ottoman Empire; such as the United States, feared that if they had intervened, the Ottoman Empire government would then turn against them. America wanted to continue to remain allies with the Ottoman Empire so they then remained bystanders of the horrific events occurring against the armenians by the Turkish government. The United States wanted to remain neutral in the war and they had refused to to join the Allies declaration to announce the situation as a “crime against humanity” and rebuke the Ottoman Empire’s actions. This shows that the United States were too afraid to agree to the declaration because they were too concerned with maintaining allies with the Ottoman Empire than to make the correct decision to help the suffering and dying Armenian people in the Ottoman Empire. Also, the reich chancellor didn’t agree to Wolff- Metternich’s proposal and stated “Our only aim is to keep Turkey on our side until the end of the war, no matter whether as a result Armenians do perish or not”. This completely shows how the Germans were unconcerned with the suffering of the Armenians and were more afraid of the Turkish government turning against them.
Overall, other countries especially the United States, Great Britain, and Germany had blatantly ignore, avoided, and had done nothing in their power to help the Armenians who were suffering, starving, and dying every day for two years. These countries had many excuses for their actions but these justifications were insufficient for the inhumane behavior. This shows the United States, Great Britain, and Germany were being inconsiderate, inactive, and fearful of the Ottoman Empire and this led them to be extremely ineffective in responding to the Armenian Genocide.