Since that time considerable confusion has resulted regarding both the genocide of 1915 and its sequel. on a far smaller scale. toward Greeks and Armenians in Smyrna. in 1922. Few history books deal with the minorities in Turkey during and after World War I. and the few that do have aodpted the Turkish view and minimized the happenings. while the majority of Americans have very little notion of the Near East. and even some "experts" concerned with that area have very little understanding of the attitudes and feelings which have resulted from the events of the notsodistant past. Those who know better have either ignored the touchy Issue of genocide and massacre of minorities in Turkey (foreign historians seeking to do research in Turkey can obviously investigate only areas approved by those who control the Turkish archives and would moreover be considered persona non grata were they to concern themselves with investigations unpopular with the Turks). or have accepted the Turkish view in a persistent effort to appease the sort of xenophobia which is ironically enough fostered by these very efforts. Therefore. what was indeed the first genocide of the 20th century has never been officially acknowledged by Turkey and has been largely forgotten by mankind. The danger of such forgetfulness is that it Contributes to ignorance and selfdeception. the victims of these being the peoples of every nation. including our own.
Keywords matched
xenophobia