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Index

Armenia

The Urartu Civilisation

Victory for Independence

Artashisian Dynasty on the Armenian Throne

Armenia caught between Rome and the Arsacids

The Acceptance of Christianity

Defending Christianity

Armenia Under the Bagratouni Dynasty

Cilicia - the New Armenia

Armenia Under Turanian Rule

The Renaissance or the Resurrection of Armenia

The Eastern Question

Russia in the Caucasus

The Armenian Question

Battle on Two Fronts

Tsarist Russia Against the Armenians

The Revolution of the Young Turks and the Armenian People on the Eve of World War I

The First World War

The Resurrection of Armenia

Armenia on the Road to Independence, 1918

- Armenia on the Road to Independence, 1918

Eastern Armenia

Western Armenia

"The Fateful Years" (1914-1917)

"Hopes and Emotions" (March-October, 1917)

The Bolshevik Revolution and Armenia

Transcaucasia Adrift (November, 1917

Dilemmas (March-April, 1918)

War and Independence (April-May, 1918)

The Republics of Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Armenia

The Suppliants (June-October, 1918)

In conclusion

Soviet Armenia

The Second Independent Republic of Armenia

Epilogue

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After the death of Gladstone 291 it was another Scotsman, James Bryce, who led the defence movement in England of the rights of the Armenians. This educated politician, knowledgeable of Armenia and the Armenians, devoted his time to the defence of the Armenian Question. 292

The list of names of those English, Scots and Irish, who defended the rights of the Armenian nation includes: the Duke of Argik, Lady Fredrick Cavendsih, Richard Davey, E. J. Dillon, H. Lynch, Cannon MacColl, Lord Shaftsbury, William Summer, William Watson and the Duke of Westminster. The debate over the Armenian Question in England was subsequently continued by persons such as Oliver Baldwin, J. Butt, N. and H. Buxton, Lord Robert Cecil (son of Lord Salisbury), Lieutenant Commander Gracey and Second Lieutenant T. F. Johnson.

At the same time, an admirable discussion ensued amongst the newspapers The Daily News, The Daily Telegraph and The Times. Of particular note was the Irish journalist E. J. Dillon who, sent to Turkey to investigate the massacres, did not content himself with staying in luxurious hotels, but travelled to Armenia itself and met the Kurdish leaders and the administrative heads in Armenia. On his return, though he was held in high repute through working for The Daily Telegraph and cooperating with several Russian papers in St. Petersburg, Dillon revealed the truth about the horrible situation in Armenia and the responsible allied countries, amongst them Tsarist Russia.

In France, despite the silence of the major newspapers and the negative position of its government, activity in favour of the Armenians progressed, bringing together people from the different political spheres. The most ardent champions of the rights of the Armenians included: Maurice Barres, Victor Berard, Pierre Bernus, Léon Bloy, de Cassagnac, Father Charmetant, Alphonse Daudet, Georges Clemenceau, Denis Cochin, Edward Drumont, d'Estournelle de Constant, Anatol Franz, Jean Finou, Urben Gohien, Jean Jaurès, Etiene Lami, Ernst Lavis, Bernard Lazar, Jules Lemaitre, Paul Cerdle, Anatol Lorobolion, Jean Longuet, le Conte de Mun, Charles Peli, Francis de Pressense, Pierre Kidar, Ameri Pechfort, Marcel Smbat, Sévérine, Albert Thomas and Albert Vandal.

Despite the unwillingness and indifference of their government, these men swayed public opinion as they tore down the curtains of lies and revealed the terrifying crimes being committed against the Armenians.

Due to the untiring work of these people and the sacrifice of Jean Loris Melikof (the nephew of the great politician) , the movement for the defence of the rights of the Armenians took a strong foothold in France. The movement started a paper called Pro Armenia, the editorial of which included the likes of Georges Clemenceau, Anatol Franz 329, Jaurès and Pre Sanse, with Pierre Kilkar as chief editor, and constantly discussed the Armenian Question.

In the political arena, the Social Democratic party, led by Jean Jaurès, the Ultra Revolutionary block, represented by Clemenceau and the Catholic Right Block, led by Lonte Albert Dumont, were especially vocal in their demands that the French government intervene to help the Armenians; but the government, enslaved by their exclusive interest in profit, pursued a negative position and even began to cooperate with the Turkish government. 330