What role did the Young Turks play in the Armenian genocide
Introuction
The Young Turks, particularly the Committee of Union and Progress (CUP), played a central and pivotal role in orchestrating and implementing the Armenian Genocide of 1915-1916. Their involvement can be summarized in several key aspects:
Ideological Foundation
The Young Turks, who came to power in 1908, initially promised reforms and equality for all Ottoman subjects. However, their ideology evolved to become increasingly nationalistic and pan-Turkic. This shift led to growing suspicion and antipathy towards non-Turkish minorities, especially Armenians.
Planning and Execution
The CUP leadership, under figures like Talaat Pasha and Enver Pasha, devised and implemented the systematic extermination of Armenians. They
Planned the genocide in secret
Coordinated various government agencies for deportation and extermination
Utilized the Special Organization (Teshkilâti Mahsusa) to carry out massacres
Issued centralized orders for deportations and killings
Wartime Opportunity
World War I provided the Young Turks with a pretext and cover for their actions:
They used the war as justification for deporting Armenians from border regions
The conflict allowed them to implement their plan without significant international intervention
Scale and Methods
Under Young Turk leadership, the genocide was carried out through:
Mass deportations
Forced marches
Systematic killings
Starvation and deprivation in concentration camps
Forcible conversion of Armenian children
Aftermath
The Young Turk regime
Expropriated Armenian wealth and property
Attempted to erase Armenian cultural presence in Anatolia
Continued persecutions even after the initial wave of killings in 1915-1916
Conclusion
The Young Turks’ role in the Armenian Genocide was comprehensive and deliberate, transforming Ottoman policy towards Armenians from discrimination to outright extermination. Their actions resulted in the deaths of at least 664,000 and possibly as many as 1.2 million Armenians, marking one of the most egregious violations of human rights in the 20th century.