When the Ottoman Empire allied itself with Germany in World War I, the Young Turks saw an opportunity to rid the empire of its Armenian population. Their first target was the historic Armenian town of Zeytun in southern Anatolia.
Nestled in the Taurus Mountains and surrounded by Turkish villages, Zeytun had a long history of self-rule within the Ottoman regime. Turkish authorities welcomed the chance to strike at this symbol of Armenian resistance to assimilation.
In late 1914 and early 1915, Turkish officials began escalating tensions in the region. They ransacked houses, arrested community leaders, and accused the locals of planning to revolt. They deflected blame for their own problems by blaming the non-Muslim infidels.When Armenian soldiers in the Ottoman army were disarmed and confined to labor battalions in February 1915, some deserted to escape the harsh treatment.
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The Murder of a Nation (video)___Metz Yeghern
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