4 - The Transformation of the Armenian Political Position

Summary

The fourth chapter explores the transformation of the Armenian political position from a pro-Allied point of view to a pro-Turkish one. Especially from 1918 to 1922, the Armenian community in the Ottoman Empire supported the Allied Powers, hoping that an independent Armenian state would be established in eastern provinces. This common idea was shared by the Armenian political parties and was reflected as a common goal in the Armenian papers that were affiliated with various political organisations. Nevertheless, with the Nationalist victories on the battlefields, the Armenian community in Anatolia and particularly in Istanbul started to adapt themselves to the newly established Nationalist rule which excluded non-Muslim minorities. This significant turning point in the Armenian public sphere demonstrates the developing reflections of the Armenian community during the Republican years. This chapter clarifies how the Ottoman Armenians started to support the Nationalist movement after seeing that they had no alternatives following the defeat of Greek and French forces as well as the Armenian government in the Caucasus. The chapter further provides documentation from the primary sources to support the main argument of the book.