A Critique of the Genocide of the Armenian People And Their Survival As Attested By the Testimonies Published in the "Missionary Herald" (1915-1918)
The reports and testimonies published by American Missionary Board's monthly "Missionary Herald" (1915-1918) on the Armenian Genocide perpertuated by the Turkish during Word War I, constitute a unique importance among the thousands of diplomatic documents, foreign eyewitness and personal memories written on the subject. The authors of these reports and testimonies were the American and European missionaries who were then serving within the boundaries of the Ottoman Empire in the occupied Western Armenia and Armenian Cilicia. These missionaries, not only witnessed the perpetuated Genocide and the forced deportation of the Armenians, but often they themselves were personally threatened by this great crime.
The first part of the present volume consists of the Armenian translations (translated by Yevnige Dokouzlian-Yacoubian) of these missionaries' reports and testimonies on the Armenian Genocide and the deportations as published in the "Missionary Herald" (1915-1918).
The second part of this work is a critical study of the personalities, the geographical places, the events and the dates mentioned in these reports and testimonies. The study is not a mere annotation of the afore-mentioned subjects but, in addition to the relevant information provided, it tends to weave these elements into the broader context and history of the period. Furthermore, to remain true to the historical evolutionary process, the study had taken into consideration the larger historical framework extending from 1894 to 1923.
This study also underlines the fact that, despite the plans designed by the Turks against the Armenians people, this people succeeded to survive and rise, thansk to its will to life and to the generous assistance and hospitality of the Arab World, especially Syria, who welcomed the Armenian people with open arms and contributed generously to their survvial process.
The appendix of this volume contains additional testimonies and memoirs which support the presented documents and the conclusions of this study.