Causes of the Armenian Genocide in World War 1

Armenian Genocide Research Paper Proposal

Topic

The Armenian Genocide refers to the systematic extermination of the Armenian population by the Ottoman Empire during World War I. The events of the Armenian Genocide are widely recognized as one of the first modern genocides in history, and have been extensively documented and studied by scholars, historians, and international organizations.[footnoteRef:1] [1: Manukyan, Suren. \\\\\\\"The historiography of the Armenian Genocide.\\\\\\\" In Handbook of Genocide Studies, pp. 54-71. Edward Elgar Publishing, 2023.]

However, the topic of the Armenian Genocide is highly contested, primarily because the Turkish government has consistently denied that the events of 1915-1917 constituted a genocide.[footnoteRef:2] The Turkish government argues that the deaths of Armenians were a result of wartime conditions and that both Armenians and Turks suffered casualties during the conflict. Furthermore, the Turkish government has worked to suppress discussion and recognition of the events as a genocide, often employing legal and political means to block recognition efforts in other countries. [2: Yavuz, M. Hakan. \\\\\\\"The Turkish-Armenian Historical Controversy: How to Name the Events of 1915?.\\\\\\\" Middle East Critique 29, no. 3 (2020): 345-365.]

The denial of the Armenian Genocide has also been fueled by political and economic interests. Turkey has strong political ties and strategic alliances with many countries around the world, and acknowledging the genocide could damage these relationships. Additionally, the recognition of the genocide could lead to demands for reparations or territorial claims by Armenia, which could have economic consequences for Turkey.[footnoteRef:3] [3: Yavuz, M. Hakan. \\\\\\\"The Turkish-Armenian Historical Controversy: How to Name the Events of 1915?.\\\\\\\" Middle East Critique 29, no. 3 (2020): 345-365.]

Overall, the denial of the Armenian Genocide has been a contentious and emotionally charged issue for decades, with many factors contributing to its ongoing controversy.

This research paper will delve into the historical and political contexts of the Armenian Genocide and explore why it remains a highly debated issue to this day. The paper will highlight the various factors that led to the mass atrocity, including the Ottoman Empire\\\\\\\'s declining power and the rise of nationalism.

This topic was chosen because it has always been intriguing to me, and I believe that the Armenian Genocide is a significant event that deserves greater attention. The scale and severity of the massacre, along with the political and historical contexts in which it took place, make it an important case study for understanding the dynamics of mass atrocities. As such, I chose to explore this topic in greater depth and uncover its various facets.

Title

The Armenian Genocide: Uncovering the Historical and Political Contexts of Mass Atrocities

Thesis Statement

The Armenian Genocide is an important aspect of Turkish history and was one of the worst massacres in history where between 600,000 and 1.5 million Armenians were killed.

The paper will examine the historical and political contexts that led to the genocide, the role of the Ottoman Empire and its policies, and the aftermath of the massacre. The research will use the Chicago style format to present a comprehensive analysis of the topic.

To provide a more in-depth understanding of the historical and political contexts that led to the Armenian Genocide, the research paper will examine the geopolitical landscape of the early 1900s. This includes exploring the Ottoman Empire\\\\\\\'s decline and the rise of nationalism in the region. It will also examine external influences in Turkey, the motivations of the Committee of Union and Progress (CUP), and the significance of World War 1 in shaping the course of events. The paper will analyze the ways in which the Ottoman Empire\\\\\\\'s political, social, and economic instability contributed to the Armenian Genocide.

The role of the Ottoman Empire and its policies will also be analyzed to better understand the atrocities committed against the Armenian people. The paper will explore the various policies implemented by the Ottoman government, including the Ottoman Empire\\\\\\\'s wartime policies and the role of the CUP. Additionally, the paper will examine the impact of these policies on the Armenian population and how they facilitated the genocide.

On top of this, the relationship between the Armenians and the Ottoman’s needs to be discussed, from a historical, social, political, economic, and religious point of view. Historically and religiously, there are clear indicators of tension between the two groups—but socially and economically it is less clear. For instance, historically, the relationship between the Armenians and the Ottoman Empire was complex. Armenians were one of the many minority groups living within the Ottoman Empire, and they enjoyed relative autonomy and prosperity under Ottoman rule for centuries.[footnoteRef:4] However, tensions began to rise in the late 19th century as Armenian demands for equal rights and representation were met with resistance from the Ottoman government. This led to a series of violent clashes between Armenians and Ottoman forces.[footnoteRef:5] Likewise, religiously, the Armenians were predominantly Christian, while the Ottoman Empire was a Muslim state. This religious difference contributed to tensions between Armenians and Ottoman forces, particularly as the Ottoman government began to implement policies that discriminated against Christians. [4: Antaramian, Richard E. Brokers of faith, brokers of empire: Armenians and the politics of reform in the Ottoman Empire. Stanford University Press, 2020.] [5: Halstead, Huw. \\\\\\\"‘We did commit these crimes’: Post-Ottoman solidarities, contested places and Kurdish apology for the Armenian Genocide on Web 2.0.\\\\\\\" Memory Studies 14, no. 3 (2021): 634-649.]

Yet some understanding of the social and economic differences between the two needs to be discussed and this will be examined by turning to various resources that will help in the understanding: the Armenians were said to be overrepresented in trade/commerce, and that may have led to the heavy taxation that the government laid upon them in the lead-up to the genocide in 1915-1917. This is a subject that should be explored with the same

Furthermore, the research paper will delve into the aftermath of the Armenian Genocide. This includes exploring the ways in which the genocide was covered up and denied, both in Turkey and internationally. The paper will examine the legal and political aftermath of the genocide, including the implications of the Treaty of Lausanne and the role of international organizations in addressing the Armenian Genocide.

Overall, the paper will provide a comprehensive analysis of the Armenian Genocide by examining the historical and political contexts that led to the genocide, the role of the Ottoman Empire and its policies, and the aftermath of the massacre. This analysis will contribute to a greater understanding of the atrocity, its political and historical context, and why Turkey continues to deny that what happened was genocide.