Ayse Temmuz, History must be a science and independent of politics
The Holocaust and 1915 Armenian events are two different things and it dilutes the facts and confuses people to mix them together. Let me put it that way, if Hitler indeed had taken the Ottoman-Armenian events as a model, he would leave all Jews in Berlin comfortably in peace.
1915 events broke out because armed Armenian groups in north-east were fighting for independence, and the Ottomans, afraid they cannot cope with them, as they were backed by Russia, looked for the solution in deporting them, along with the rest of Armenian civilians living in that region, ie around northeast border with Russia, to south. The purpose was to keep that land and prevent a disintegration of Ottoman Empire (or whatever left of it). I am not trying to show it as a casual thing, the results were tragic, but this is the full picture.
Armenians in the west (including the capital, Constantinople) and the Arabic states of Ottoman empire were not deported or murdered. As an example, the population of Armenians in Istanbul at that time was 164,000, in Izmit 62,000.. Some of the most Armenian populated cities were in west. You can find my source and other details here:
How many Armenians were living in the Ottoman Empire?
Because you compared the Armenian events with the holocaust.. As a simple person, one thing I know about the holocaust is that the nazis hunted down one by one every jewish citizen in the countries they invaded, from Greece to Scandinavian countries, directly or indirectly (thru collaboration with local governments) and sent them to camps with the ultimate goal, to exterminate the jewish race.
If the Ottomans wished to wipe out the all Armenian race, like Hitler did for Jews, they would probably start from those in front of their noses. But none in west were touched. (Armenians in west, especially in the capital, were the wealthiest of their people.) This is, as I said earlier, like Nazis forgot or ignored about the Jews in Berlin or Munich..
If you are skeptical, here are some other references:
– “The majority of the Armenians in Constantinople, the capital city, were spared deportation.” Frequently Asked Questions about the Armenian Genocide
-2000 were deported or arrested from Constantinople according to some sources Deportation of Armenian intellectuals on 24 April 1915
The two events, thus, historically are very different, and no need to merge them forcefully to short-cut to a conclusion. The Turkish and Armenian people should be the sides who better most sensitive about details as it is our history. Understanding them can help us shape the future in a better way.