“3rd Greek Genocide During the Late Ottoman Period Forum” Webinar Panel Discussion

Join us for the East Mediterranean Business Culture Alliance’s/ EMBCA’s “3rd Greek Genocide During the Late Ottoman Period Forum” Webinar Panel Discussion on Sunday, May 18, 2025 at 2 P.M. EST/ 9 P.M. Athens EEST. The discussion will be introduced and moderated by Lou Katsos EMBCA’s President. The distinguished panel, in formation, will include Author/ Mechanical Engineer Savvas Koktzoglou; Author Dr. Theodosios Kyriakidis Chair of Pontian Studies at Aristotle University in Thessaloniki; Author Dr. Vassilios Meichanetsidis; Author/ Professor Lou Ureneck of Journalism Retired at Boston University; and Professor Nikolas Doumanis, Chair of Hellenic Studies at the University if Illinois Chicago.

The Greek Genocide, which occurred between 1913 and 1923, was a systematic campaign of ethnic cleansing, mass killings, and forced deportations targeting the indigenous Greek population of the Ottoman Empire, particularly in Eastern Thrace, Pontus, and Western Anatolia. This atrocity was part of a broader series of genocidal policies aimed at eliminating Christian communities, including Armenians and Assyrians, as the Ottoman Empire sought to create a homogenous Turkish-Muslim state. The genocide, carried out first by the Committee of Union and Progress (CUP) and later by Mustafa Kemal’s Nationalist forces, resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Greeks and the destruction of ancient Hellenic communities in Asia Minor.

The Greek presence in Asia Minor and Eastern Thrace dates back over 3,000 years, with cities like Smyrna, Ephesus, and Trapezounta (Trebizond) serving as major centers of Hellenic culture and commerce. Despite centuries of Ottoman rule, these communities maintained their Greek identity, language, and traditions. However, during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the weakening Ottoman Empire became increasingly nationalistic, and Christian minorities were viewed as internal enemies.

Tensions escalated following the Balkan Wars (1912- 1913), in which Greece, Serbia, and Bulgaria defeated the Ottoman Empire and expelled Muslims from the Balkans. In retaliation, the Ottoman government targeted Greeks in Eastern Thrace and western Anatolia, forcing many into exile, marking the beginning of systematic persecution. The outbreak of World War I (1914-1918) provided the Ottoman leadership with an opportunity to escalate their policies of extermination under the guise of wartime security measures.

The first wave of the genocide began under the CUP government, particularly under the leadership of Talaat Pasha, Enver Pasha, and Djemal Pasha. Ottoman authorities and irregular paramilitary groups, such as the Special Organization, targeted Greek villages along the Aegean coast, Eastern Thrace, and Pontus.

  • Greek communities were subjected to mass killings, forced deportations, and destruction of property.
  • Men were sent to Amele Taburlari (labor battalions), where they were starved, overworked, and often executed.
  • Women, children, and the elderly were forced on death marches into the interior of Anatolia, where many perished from hunger, disease, and attacks.

One of the most brutal campaigns occurred in Pontus, where tens of thousands of Greeks were massacred between 1916 and 1918, and entire villages were burned to the ground. This period also saw the deportation of thousands of Greek Orthodox clergy and intellectuals, aiming to erase Greek identity.

Following the defeat of the Ottoman Empire in World War I, and under the terms of the Treaty of Sevres (1920), Greece was granted control over Smyrna and surrounding areas, angering Turkish nationalists. In response, Mustafa Kemal led a military campaign to drive out both the Greek army and local Greek populations.

  • The war culminated in the burning of Smyrna (September 1922), where the city’s Christian quarters were set ablaze, and tens of thousands of Greeks were killed or drowned while attempting to flee.
  • vGreek men were executed en masse, while women and children were subjected to rape, forced conversion, and enslavement.
  • By 1923, the Treaty of Lausanne mandated a forced population exchange, effectively expelling the remaining Greek population from Anatolia, marking the end of Hellenism in Asia Minor.

The Greek Genocide resulted in the deaths of approximately 1.2 million Greeks and the displacement of over 1.5 million. The destruction of ancient Greek communities in Anatolia severed thousands of years of Greek cultural and historical presence in the region. Survivors fled to Greece, the United States, and other Western countries, where they faced extreme hardship and discrimination.

The genocide also had a lasting impact on Greek-Turkish relations, creating a deep-rooted historical trauma. Greece absorbed a massive influx of refugees, reshaping its demographics and economy. The loss of Greek communities in Asia Minor was not just a human tragedy but also a cultural catastrophe, as countless historical sites, churches, and manuscripts were destroyed.

Despite overwhelming historical evidence, Turkey has never officially recognized the Greek Genocide. Instead, it continues to deny or justify the mass killings as a consequence of war rather than a deliberate campaign of extermination. This denial has been widely criticized by historians and human rights organizations.

However, efforts to recognize the Greek Genocide have gained traction in recent years. Greece, Cyprus, and various international organizations have formally acknowledged the atrocities. In 1994, the Greek Parliament declared May 19 as the official Remembrance Day for the Pontian Greek Genocide, and in 1998, September 14 was designated to commemorate the broader genocide of Anatolian Greeks.

The Greek Genocide remains one of the most tragic and overlooked episodes of the early 20th century. The systematic extermination of Greeks in Anatolia was part of a larger policy of ethnic cleansing that also targeted Armenians and Assyrians, reshaping the demographics of the region. The destruction of Greek communities in the late Ottoman period marked the end of Hellenic civilization in Asia Minor, a land Greeks had inhabited for millennia.

Recognizing and studying this genocide is not only important for historical justice but also for preventing future atrocities. The memory of the victims must be preserved, and the historical truth acknowledged, to ensure that such crimes are never repeated. Join us as we discuss this very important topic with experts on the Greek genocide in the late Ottoman period.

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