Customer Reviews

Ambassador Morgenthau's Story

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Ambassador Morgenthau has always been one of the most reliable sources on the Armenian Genocide. No surprise that so many attempts have been made to tarnish his image, or to question his testimonies on the terrible crime committed by the Ottoman Empire against its Christian Armenian subjects. Yet, the Morgenthau version of the 1915 events is abslutely irrefutable, and I strongly recommend this book to those interested in finding out what has really happened during the agony of the "ill man of Europe".

This is a book to read if you want to know about World War I, and it is the book to read and reread if you want to know about the Armenian Genocide. Morgenthau was really at the center of the action in Turkey in 1915 and 1916. He had innumerable meetings with the top officials (Talat Pasha, Enver Pasha, and all the other authors of the atrocities against Armenians). He got reports from all over the place--the consuls and missionaries stationed in different places in the interior. He knew the score and tried to do something about it.

The thing that really got my goat was the insurance incident. The Turks came to Morgenthau and told him, Well, the Armenians are dead. Their heirs are dead. So their life insurance awards revert to the state. Get them for us. [Shudder] What gall!

This is an excellent book to read if you want to learn about the true atrocities of the first genocide of the 20th century. This book is not for the feint-hearted but I recommend it highly as it is very accurate and comes from a very reputable source who was directly involved with the Turkish government and the Armenians during the early 20th century.

Keep in mind the following when you read the other reviews posted here:

"The French National Assembly has formally recognised as genocide the slaughter of more than a million Armenians living in the Ottoman empire between 1915 and 1917."

Additional facts/quotes:

Adolf Hitler

While persuading his associates that a Jewish holocaust would be tolerated by the west stated...
"Who, after all, speaks today of the annihilation of the Armenians?"

Yossi Beilin

Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister. April 27, 1994 on the floor of the Knesset in response to a TV interview of the Turkish Ambassador
"It was not war. It was most certainly massacre and genocide, something the world must remember... We will always reject any attempt to erase its record, even for some political advantage."

Gerald Ford

Addressing the US House of Representatives.
"Mr. Speaker, with mixed emotions we mark the 50th anniversary of the Turkish genocide of the Armenian people. In taking notice of the shocking events in 1915, we observe this anniversary with sorrow in recalling the massacres of Armenians and with pride in saluting those brave patriots who survived to fight on the side of freedom during World War I."
-- Congressional Record, pg. 8890

Additional books I recommend:
Peter Balakian's "The Burning Tigris" and "Black Dog of Fate"

All over the world for many centuries, religious and ethnic intolerance have caused much pain and death to humanity. We should never forgive or forget any holocaust or genocide, no matter how large or how small, and the world's leaders and governments should do everything and anything in their power to recognize and prevent such atrocities in the future.

To those urged to read the book by Princeton University's Heath Lowry for "objectivity", as some would say, be informed that the Turkish government established an endowed department in Turkish Studies at Princeton to accomplish its historical revision objectives. How is that for objectivity?

A true classic book about the 1915 Armenian Genocide and other crises in the Turkish region. Ambassador Morgenthau represented America with courage, dignity, and compassion. What a unique man and a heroic story. This book is guaranteed to touch your heart, inspire your faith, and encourage you that even in the most desperate, horrific situations there is still hope and the opportunities to show love and mercy are more pronounced when all hell breaks loose. An unforgettable and timely book!

Morgenthau's (US ambassador to Turkey 1913-1916) book offers outstanding insight into the personalities and actions of the Young Turks that governed WWI Turkey. One sees far more virulent nationalism and genocide than reform and modernism. This book, along with 'Smyrna 1922', offers an essential contrast to the predominant Turkish historiography, which is a whitewash of extraordinary crimes. The book was originally published in 1918 and, though very readable, is written in dated prose.

I would strongly recommend this book written by Ambassador of the United States of America to historians. Also I think that the following web site might be useful:
www.armenocide.de

The fluidity of the narrative makes the book sound like a novel. The events in Turkey leading up to its entrance into WW1 are truly amazing. The German role and the diplomatic feats are not often told. The genocide of the Armenians is so vividly depicted....a horror. Could not put the book down.
Marilyn Jaboolian McLean

Excellent addition to World War I history and its underpinnings. Also a good description, if not somewhat biased, of the Armenian Massacre.

Ambassador Morgenthau's Story reveals very important facts about a critical situation in a critical location prior to WWI and during it's initial two years. It was facinating to learn the psychic of the German goverment and their perception of other countries just before the WWI broke out. His book can serve as an excellent example of how history has the tendency to repeat itself and how we, the citizens of the earth, fail to learn from it.

It demonstrates human greed and hunger for power and how we are ready to sacrifice EVERYTHING in order to achieve that elusive feeling of ultimate power and superiority over fellow human beings. His story is a prime example of how ignorance can result in total disregard for human life and shield the truth with the simplest deception if no one was paying attention. The sad fact, which was brilliantly described in this work, remains that a goverment would willingly start the destruction of his own existance by systematically eliminating a major and important sector of its population in a quest to become "pure" is so absurd that is mind boggling.

Mr. Morgenthau's story doesn't try to create events or fabricate situations, it sincerely depicts all the facts which were unravelling in front of his eyes. He reports on actions of a government in total disarray and influenced by German philosophy which is ready to sacrifice part of their own citizens and starve the rest for achieving their goal of "Turkey for Turks". Mr. Morgenthau makes us feel sad for him for having witnessed the horrible attrocities being commited against defensless citizens of Turkey.

The sincererity that he write with is unbelivible. His character study of the main figures demonstrate Mr. Morganthau's deep understanding of the political athmosphere in Europe and especially in Turkey. Thanks to his story and first hand reporting, the perished Armenians will never be forgotten.