Prior to World War I. the Armenian population of the Ottoman Turkish empire numbered 2.5. million. Between 1915 and 1923. 1.5 million Armenians were killed. and 500.000 more were exiled from their homeland. April 24. 1915 symbolically marks the beginning of the systematic policy of deportation and murder which characterizes the Armenian genocide. It was on the night of April 24. 1915. that over 200 Armenian religious. political and intellectual leaders of the Armenian community in Istanbul were rounded up. arrested. exiled and murdered. thus suppressing the most vocal voices of the Armenian people in just one night. Today. many people do not know about the Armenian genocide. In fact. the Government of Turkey continues to deny the fact that it occurred. However. according to Henry Morganthau. our Ambassador to Turkey between 1913 and 1916. "when the Turkish authorities gave the orders for these deportations. they were merely giving the death warrant to a whole race: they understood this well. and. In their conversationswith me. they made no particular attempt to conceal the fact." Likewise. other eye witnesses. survivors and correspondents provide compelling documentation of this dreadful episode in history. Mr.
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deportations deportation