Affirming history
Candor coming from Washington
“Who, after all, speaks today of the extermination of the Armenians?”
—A. Hitler, 1939
MAYBE A million and a half people died during the Armenian Genocide. Maybe less. Maybe more. The records weren’t all that precise during World War I. But that war would soon lead to a bigger one, and that genocide would lead to a bigger one, too. For once the world ignores one atrocity, others soon follow.
Officials of the Turkish government, previously known as the Ottoman Turks, deny any genocide on their part between 1915 and 1917. They say, sure, there was a bunch of systemic murder going on back then, but what’s 1.5 million or so deaths between friends? Besides, it was war, and bad things happen during war—on both sides. Although we’ve heard no stories of Armenians forcing Turkish children onto boats, carrying them to sea, then throwing them overboard. Or of Armenian military types clubbing Turkish men and women to death, hundreds at a time.
The Turks have acknowledged some killings, in their own way, but have adamantly denied anything like genocide. Maybe the magic number for their definition of genocide is 1.6 million. Or maybe 1.5 million plus one. Whatever their number, what happened to the Armenians at the hands of the Ottomans during the First World Catastrophe doesn’t reach a certain threshold. (Tell it to the 1.5 million dead.)
But for the first time, an American president has decided to call a spade a spade, and genocide what it is. Or was. In this matter, Joe Biden has proven more courageous—or just more honest—than his old boss Barack Obama. The last Democratic president promised in his 2008 campaign that he would recognize reality in office, too. But when he was in power, President Obama was more concerned with Realpolitik and offending the Turks. Then when he was safely out of power, his people put forth that they were really, really sorry they didn’t do the right thing when they had the chance.
It took Joe Biden’s election before an American president would be brave enough to admit the truth about what happened more than 100 years ago. That’s saying something.
“The American people honor all those Armenians who perished in the genocide that began 106 years ago today,” the current president said over the weekend. “We affirm the history. We do this not to cast blame but to ensure that what happened is never repeated.”
And after so simple a statement, the Turks reacted “with furor,” according to wire reports.
A statement from Ankara said, “We reject and denounce in the strongest terms the statement of the President of the U.S. regarding the events of 1915 made under the pressure of radical Armenian circles and anti-Turkey groups.” Blame the victim. Neat.
The Turkish foreign minister announced that his country “will not be given lessons on our history from anyone.”
But somebody has to give them lessons on their history. Because they won’t provide the whole picture. Pages? Whole chapters are omitted in their telling of history.
Turkey is a member of NATO and sometimes even an ally of the United States. Which is why so many presidents have refused to utter the word “genocide” when talking about the Armenian Genocide. Even though the world has been shown the facts behind the genocide since at least Ambassador Henry Morgenthau brought it up when it was happening.
Now, perhaps, in 2021 the world can discuss these matters with a little more candor. Take that, Realpolitik!
WHY HAVE Argentina, Brazil, France, Canada, Chile, Greece, Italy, Austria, Russia—even Germany and the UN!—officially recognized the Armenian Genocide by now? But the United States has only just joined them? To show how important even simple recognition is, the Armenians around the world celebrated upon hearing the American president’s words Saturday. It was as if they were waiting for a century for the world’s most important democracy to say something approaching candor when it comes to their people and their past.
If the United States of America is going to remain a shining city upon a hill for the oppressed around the world—or if we’d just like to point out atrocities when they happen without coming off as mostly hypocritical—we have to take steps like President Biden did this past weekend. And quit covering up ethnocide and mass massacre with evasions and euphemisms.
Who, after all, speaks for the Armenians? Answer: The Joe Biden administration. And the rest of the United States.
Finally.