THE BLIGHT OF ASIA
An Account of the Systematic Extermination of Christian Populations by Mohammedans and of the Culpability of Certain Great Powers; with the True Story of the Burning of Smyrna
By
GEORGE HORTON
For Thirty Years Consul and Consul-General of the United States in the Near East
With a Foreword by JAMES W. GERARD, Former Ambassador to Germany.
FOREWORD
HERE at last is the truth about the destruction of Smyrna and the massacre of a large part of its Inhabitants by one who was present.
The writer of the following pages is a man, happily, who is not restrained from telling what he knows by political reasons or by any consideration of fear or self-interest. He gives the whole story of the savage extermination of Christian civilization throughout the length and breadth of the old Byzantine Empire in a clear and convincing manner
That it should have been possible twenty centuries after the birth of Christ for a small and backward nation, like the Turks, to have committed such crimes against civilization and the progress of the world, is a matter which should cause all conscientious people to pause and think; yet the writer shows conclusively that these crimes have been committed without opposition on the part of any Christian nation and that the last frightful scene at Smyrna was enacted within a few yards of powerful Allied and American battle fleet.
We turned a deaf ear to the dying Christians, when they called to us for aid, fully aware that America was their only hope, and now it would appear that there is a growing tendency in this country to whitewash the Turks and condone their crimes in order to obtain material advantages from them.
The author takes the position that this can not be done, as the Turks have put so great an affront upon humanity that it can not easily be overlooked, and the truth is sure to come out. He claims that high ideals are more than oil or railroads, and that the Turks should not be accepted into the society of decent nations until they show sincere repentance for their crimes.
Fraternizing with them on any other terms creates a suspicion of sordidness or even complicity. From the outspoken nature of this book it will be evident to the reader that the writing of it has required considerable courage and that it has been inspired by no other possible motive than a desire to make the truth known about matters which it is important for the world to know.(Signed) JAMES W. GERARD
CONTENTS
I TURKISH MASSACRES
MOHAMMEDANISM has been propagated by the sword and by violence ever since it first appeared as the great enemy of Christianity, as I shall show in a later chapter of this book.
It has been left to the Turk, however, in more recent years, to carry on the ferocious traditions of his creed, and to distinguish himself by excesses which have never been equaled by any of the tribes enrolled under the banner of the Prophet, either in ancient or in modern times.
The following is a partial list of Turkish massacres from 1822 up till 1904:
1822 Chios, Greeks 50,000
1823 Missolongi, Greeks 8,750
1826 Constantinople, Jannisaries 25,000
1850 Mosul, Assyrians 10,000
1860 Lebanon, Maronites 12,000
1876 Bulgaria, Bulgarians 14,700
1877 Bayazid, Armenians 1,400
1879 Alashguerd, Armenians 1,250
1881 Alexandria, Christians 2,000
1892 Mosul, Yezidies 3,500
1894 Sassun, Armenians 12,000
1895-96 Armenia, Armenians 150,000
1896 Constantinople, Armenians 9,570
1896 Van, Armenians 8,000
1903-04 Macedonia, Macedonians 14,667
1904 Sassun, Armenians 5,640
_______
Total 328,477
To this must be added the massacre in the province of Adana in 1909, of thirty thousand Armenians
II GLADSTONE AND THE BULGARIAN ATROCITIES
III FIRST STEPS IN YOUNG TURKS’ PROGRAM
IV THE LAST GREAT SELAMLIK
V PERSECUTION OF CHRISTIANS IN SMYRNA DISTRICT
V I THE MASSACRE OF PHOCEA
VII NEW LIGHT ON THE ARMENIAN MASSACRE
VIII STORY OF WALTER M. GEDDES
IX INFORMATION FROM OTHER SOURCES
X THE GREEK LANDING AT SMYRNA
XI THE HELLENIC ADMINISTRATION IN SMYRNA
XII THE GREEK RETREAT
XIII SMYRNA AS IT WAS
XIV THE DESTRUCTION OF SMYRNA
XV FIRST DISQUIETING RUMORS
XVI THE TURKS ARRIVE
XVII WHERE AND WHEN THE FIRES WERE LIGHTED
XVIII THE ARRIVAL AT ATHENS
XIX ADDED DETAILS LEARNED AFTER THE TRAGEDY
XX HISTORIC IMPORTANCE OF THE DESTRUCTION OF SMYRNA
XXI NUMBER DONE TO DEATH
XXII EFFICIENCY OF OUR NAVY IN SAVING LIVES
XXIII RESPONSIBILITY OF THE WESTERN WORLD
XXIV ITALY’S DESIGNS ON SMYRNA
XXV FRANCE AND THE KHEMALISTS
XXVI MASSACRE OF THE FRENCH GARRISON AT UFRA
XXVII THE BRITISH CONTRIBUTION
XXVIII TURKISH INTERPRETATION OF AMERICA’S ATTITUDE
XXIX THE MAKING OF MUSTAPHA KHEMAL
XXX OUR MISSIONARY INSTITUTIONS IN TURKEY
XXXI AMERICAN INSTITUTIONS UNDER TURKISH RULE
XXXII THE REVEREND RALPH HARLOW ON THE LAUSANNE TREATY
XXXIII MOHAMMEDANISM AND CHRISTIANITY
XXXIV THE KORAN AND THE BIBLE
XXXV THE EXAMPLE OF MOHAMMED
XXXVI THE 50-50 THEORY
XXXVII ASIA MINOR, THE GRAVEYARD OF GREEK CITIES
XXVIII ECHOES FROM SMYRNA
XXXIX CONCLUSION
http://www.hri.org/docs/Horton/HortonBo ... HAPTER_VII
______________________________________________________
...I do not blame Turks for repeating their history, it's in their DNA.