World War I, the Committee of Union and Progress, and April 24, 1915

The Ottoman Empire at war

The Ottoman Empire entered the First World War in late 1914 on the side of the Central Powers. Military defeats, fear of territorial loss, and increasingly exclusionary nationalism shaped the decisions of the ruling Committee of Union and Progress.

The Sarıkamış campaign

After the disastrous Ottoman campaign against Russian forces in the Caucasus during the winter of 1914–1915, Ottoman leaders increasingly accused Armenians collectively of disloyalty. Such accusations did not justify the treatment of civilian communities.

April 24

On April 24, 1915, Ottoman authorities arrested Armenian intellectuals, political figures, and community leaders in Constantinople. Many were deported inland and killed. The date became the principal annual day of remembrance.

Leadership and responsibility

The wartime policies were associated with the ruling leadership, including Talaat Pasha, Enver Pasha, and Cemal Pasha. The persecution extended far beyond the removal of political leaders and reached Armenian civilian communities across the empire.