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their families outside our borders, and to replace them
with the Muslim refugees pushed across our borders.
19. April 1331 (2. May 1915).”
The importance o f this document lies in the fact that it
clearly states what the Supreme Military Commander's
motive was. The Russians had sent the entire Moslem
population o f the Caucasus region to eastern Anatolia,
leaving them with nothing but the shirts on their backs. At
the same time, the Armenians in the eastern part o f the
Ottoman Empire (particularly in Van) had siezed total
power, killed the Moslems, and proclaimed their "Armenian
Republic o f Van". Under these circumstances, the
decision to relocate the Armenians o f Anatolia - those living
within the borders o f the Ottoman Empire - is understandable.
They were to be moved "to areas considered
safer", areas not so exposed to the grasp o f the
Russians and the Allied powers o f Europe.
The mighty rock o f Van with its fortress, which dates back to
Urartian times. Beneath the citadelle are the ruins o f the fo rmer
Islamic part o f Van, which was totally leveled during the
Armenian uprising. 30,000 Moslems died here in a period o f
just a few days.
A "Hiroshima" o f terrorism: Only the foundation walls o f the
Islamic district o f Van sun>ived - and a few remains o f once
proud, mighty mosques. The Armenian uprising o f Van began in
February, 1915 and reached its first climax in April. The rebels
set fire to the old Islamic city on May 17, the same day on
which the small Ottoman garrison was forced to withdraw from
the town. It was not until July 22, 1915 that the Ottomans were
able to retake Van. In the meantime, the entire Islamic popula­
tion o f Van, which had not been able to escape in time, was liq­
uidated by the Armenian terrorists.
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