The History of the Armenian Genocide: Ethnic Conflict from the Balkans to Anatolia to the Caucasus (Monographs in German History) [Hardcover]

Vahakn N. Dadrian (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1995 | Series: Monographs in German History

Dadrian, a former professor at SUNY, Geneseo, currently directs a genocide study project supported by the Guggenheim Foundation. The present study analyzes the devastating wartime destruction of the Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire as the cataclysmic culmination of a historical process invo

Editorial Reviews

Review

"...Dadrians extensive research in European archives demonstrates persuasively that the anti-Armenian measures were not only genocidal in character bu that htey were premeditated and predesigned. Finally, the reviewer commends Prof. Dadrian for choosing to examine and analyse the Armenain genocide in a historical perspective, calling the published volume an exceptional book. -- The Armenian Reporter

Dadrians study is a highly detailed yet accessible account of the attempt of the Ottoman Turkish state to deal effectively with its Armenian question, under both the Abul Hamit and the later young Turk Ittihadist regime, through the mass murder of this nationality group. The book is richly documented by an abundance of primary source materials. Particularly telling are commentaries by representatives of foreign governments during the period under consideration that attest to these killings and the reasons behind them. Dadrians main conclusion is that these series of massacres, cumulating in the 1915 genocide were a resolution of the Turko-Armenian conflict based on a sense of impunity on the part of the respective Turkish regimes. The policy was a direct result of the absence of effective deterrence form the European powers that had repeatedly pressured the Ottoman government to protect its Armenian minority. Dadrian makes a compelling argument for German complicity in the genocide. He also documents the failed attempts at limitations of international law in this regard. Recommended for students. -- CHOICE

About the Author

Vahakn N. Dadrian is the Director of the Genocide Study Project, Geneseo, NY

Product Details

• Hardcover: 480 pages
• Publisher: Berghahn Books; First Edition edition (July 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1571810161
• ISBN-13: 978-1571810168
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,486,501 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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46 of 60 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Scholarship, December 5, 2003

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Nikephoros Phokas (Dover, NJ, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The History of the Armenian Genocide: Ethnic Conflict from the Balkans to Anatolia to the Caucasus (Monographs in German History) (Hardcover)

This study took an interesting approach, despite its title it has little about the actual implementation and excecution of the Armenian genocide instead covering topics such as: the Abdul Hamit Massacres, the Adana massacres, the bank Ottoman raid, Islam's bent for domination which implies inferiority for non-muslims dhimmis such as Armenians, German complicity, the failure of European humanitarian intervention due to their vested and colonial interests, the Young Turks, how the precarious situation of Armenians constantly massacred and vulnerable with little weaponry or outside diplomatic assistance made them contrary to Balkan Christians take the route of asking for reforms and protection within the Ottoman Empire instead of seeking their independence as they were in an existential crisis where they decided upon the failed project of seeking protection from a Turkish system that thrived on repression and oppression, the Kemalist invasion of Russian Armenia, a comparison of the Holocaust and the Armenian genocide, the Turkish post-war tribunals that failed to punish the key players of the Armenian genocide(but these trials did provide proof of the intent to destroy the Armenians), the role of impunity during and after the genocide and earlier massacres in the failure to punish muslims for their crimes and how the implacable Kemalists along with European vested interests made sure there was little in the way of punishment, among other topics. Chapter 14 entitled: "The Implementation of the Genocide" only spans from page 219-235 in the edition I read(second revised edition 1997). Such an approach to this study makes ensures that it is well covered why the Armenian genocide occurred, which is more important than drudging page after page about the actual genocide and its implementation, which would have gotten tedious as this book is over 400 pages.

The scholarship of Dadrian shines throughout the work, he cites countless works in Turkish, Armenian, German, French and English and the work is very well referenced with a plethora of footnotes. This man has been studying the Armenian genocide for decades and it shows, I doubt much is written in the languages he can read about the subject that he has not already read, and most of it seems cited in this work. How Turkish historians and other historians can deny the Armenian genocide shows to anyone who has read this work their complete lack of honor and decency, to comment on history with no other desire than to extricate Turkish society and state from their mis-actions. Dadrian uses Austrian and German diplomatic archives at a time when they were Ottoman Turkey's wartime allies, he references the memoirs of architects and implementators of the genocide where they incriminate themselves, he cites the Turkish trials after the war to punish the Young Turks published in the official Turkish government gazette at the time(Takvimi Vekayi), Ataturk's speeches, eyewitnesses, Allied diplomatic archives, Turkish historians such as Refik and Akcam, and Turkish sociologist Ismail Besikci, who attest to the reality of the Armenian genocide. With such evidence how can one deny the Armenian genocide, and claim to be honest or better yet, a member of humanity?

31 of 43 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Extremely meticulous and well researched book, June 21, 2000

By 

"shamz" - See all my reviews

This review is from: The History of the Armenian Genocide: Ethnic Conflict from the Balkans to Anatolia to the Caucasus (Monographs in German History) (Hardcover)

Dadrian's book is probably one of the most intensely researched works on the Armenian Genocide to date. It gives an accurate big picture description of much of the international politics going on at the time, which many other books on the subject do not. I found it quite objective with a scholarly tone. I think it was actually a little weak on descriptions of the horrors of the Genocide, yet this was not the author's focus. If an uninformed reader were to read one book on the Armenian Genocide, then this may not be the best one, I think "Survivors: An Oral History of the Armenian Genocide" or "Black Dog of Fate" are easier and more personal reads. However, Dadrian's book is a must for historians and experts on the subject, as it is probably the best true historical account on the subject to date.

27 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars well written and thoroughly researched, January 17, 1999

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This review is from: The History of the Armenian Genocide: Ethnic Conflict from the Balkans to Anatolia to the Caucasus (Monographs in German History) (Hardcover)

This was a well written and thoroughly researched book documenting the treatment of the Armenians living under Turkish rule. Despite the scholarly nature of this work, it is not a dry academic tome. I highly recommend this book for those who seek to gain insight into this episode of genocide which, in many ways, may have inspired Hiltler's later genocide of the Jewish people.