Home - AGMA PART I PART II PART III FEATURED FILM Coming to Terms: The Legacy of the Armenian Genocide WATCH THE FILM Online Museum Inaugurated on the Centenary of the Armenian Genocide Research and Documentation Metz Yeghern The Murder of a Nation EXPLORE THE STORY Copyright © 2026 Armenian Assembly of America Armenia is one of the world's oldest civilizations. Inhabiting the mountainous Caucasus region at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, the people of Armenia have shared a unique language and culture for over 3,000 years. Background: Fortress of Kale PART I Armenian Civilization Background: Saints Peter and Paul cathedral in Tomarza, Turkey At one time, the Kingdom of Armenia stretched from the Caspian to the Mediterranean Sea. Since then, large parts of Armenia have been divided among foreign empires, including the Romans, Arabs, Persians, Ottomans, and Russians. Armenia's mountainous terrain and deeply-rooted Christian heritage helped preserve its cultural identity. According to biblical accounts, the country's most famous landmark, Mount Ararat, was the landing place of Noah's Ark. Early in the 4th century A.D., Armenia became the first Christian nation. Apostles Thadeus and Bartholomew (Saint Jude) traveled to Armenia in the first century. The Armenian Kingdoms From the 10th century BC through the 14th century AD, Armenians established a series of kingdoms in their highland country ruled by native dynasties. Background: Noravank Monastery in Armenia Christianity spurred the development of a rich tradition of distinctly Armenian architecture, art, music, and literature that continues to the present day. Armenian Folk Music Music is a deeply engrained part of Armenian culture. Often played on traditional instruments like the duduk, Armenian folk music has a rich heritage. Previous Next Craftsmanship Armenian carpet weavers, stone carvers, and jewelry makers have been acclaimed for thousands of years, their handiwork traded across the globe. Armenians today celebrate an artistic heritage that reflects thirty centuries of exquisite craftsmanship. Previous Next Influence on religious architecture By the 7th century A.D., hundreds of churches dotted Armenia's mountainous landscape. Armenian builders developed the use of arches and niches to construct larger stone domes, techniques that stood for centuries and had a profound influence on religious architecture throughout the Middle East and Europe. Previous Next Manuscripts Scholars first began writing in Armenian, using the unique Armenian alphabet, in the 5th century. Elaborately illustrated religious manuscripts, lavishly decorated with fantastical creatures and birds, are a treasured part of Armenia's literary heritage. Recent scientific findings trace the Armenian language back over thousands of years. Previous Next Armenia's unique and distinctive culture has survived for thousands of years. It is the legacy of a creative society sustained by centuries of tradition and provides a remarkable testimony to the enduring faith, intellectual tradition, and determination of the Armenian people. By the early 20th century, the once-powerful Ottoman-Turkish Empire had begun to decline. Amidst this decline, Sultan Abdul-Hamid II is forced to give up absolute power. In 1908, a new group of leaders known as the Young Turks pushed for modern reforms, including a pledge to create equality for minority Christians. However, following political struggles within the Young Turk party, the radical Committee of Union and Progress (CUP) led by a dictatorial triumvirate seized power in 1913. Ismail Enver, Mehmet Talaat, and Ahmed Jemal began creating a modern state that reflected Turkish nationalist ambitions and saw little place for the empire's Christian minorities, including Armenians. By calling for 'Turkey for the Turks' they sought to generate public support for their racist and eliminationist program. Mehmet Talaat Ahmed Jemel Ismail Enver PART II Armenian Genocide 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. Recruits from Zeytun took refuge in the surrounding mountains. Talaat Pasha (center) with German diplomats Disarmed Armenian Conscripts from Zeytun Turkish forces began by deporting the families of leading notables and suspected deserters. They then ordered all Armenians to leave. Within weeks, the historic Armenian community in Zeytun had been eradicated. The terrible events at Zeytun would soon be repeated at Armenian communities across the empire. On April 24, 1915, Turkish officials arrested 250 Armenian leaders and intellectuals in Constantinople. More arrests followed as thousands of Armenian notables were imprisoned, executed or deported. First, the able bodied men were disarmed, then moved out of their homes and massacred. After that, the women and children were marched to death, sold into slavery, forcibly converted to Islam, or raped and killed at will. Sam Kadorian | Survivor Your browser doesn't support HTML5 video. the video instead. In May, Turkish military forces began the widespread removal of Armenian communities all across the empire. Tens of thousands of Armenian families were forced from their homes and marched to concentration camps in the bleak Syrian desert. Your browser doesn't support HTML5 video. the video instead. Elise Hagopian-Taft | Survivor Turkish officials enforced the deportations ruthlessly. Entire Armenian villages were slaughtered and burnt to the ground. In the city of Trebizond, hundreds of women and children were drowned in the Black Sea. Turkish officials made little effort to supply the deportees with food, water, or shelter. Troops guarding the marching columns robbed, raped, and killed freely. The roads leading to the Syrian desert became littered with corpses. The Armenians that survived the marches found little relief when they arrived in the desert. Herded into concentration camps, they were left to die in the blazing sun. Without food, water, or shelter, countless Armenians died of exposure and starvation within weeks. Children, women, the elderly, and the sick fell first. Their bodies were disposed in mass graves or left to rot. Your browser doesn't support HTML5 video. the video instead. Armin Wegner The Turkish attack on Armenian communities was the world's first modern genocide. Turkish forces massacred hundreds of thousands. Hundreds of thousands more were deliberately starved to death in the Syrian desert. Your browser doesn't support HTML5 video. the video instead. Nium Sukkar | Survivor Turkish forces did not stop at eradicating the Armenian people. Churches, schools, villages, and towns were systematically destroyed. All across the empire, once thriving Armenian communities were left empty and desolate. Centuries old churches and cultural monuments were destroyed as the Turkish government tried to erase all traces of Armenian civilization. Background: Kaposivank Armenian Monastery near Erzinjan, Turkey Few Armenians survived the deportations. Some that lived near the boundaries of the Ottoman Empire escaped across the border. Others hid in the cities. Without families and communities to care for them, thousands of Armenian children became homeless orphans. Hagop Asadurian | Survivor Your browser doesn't support HTML5 video. the video instead. Many young women were abducted and forcibly converted to Islam. To prevent their escape and impede their identification many of the captive women were tattooed. Turkish attacks on Armenians continued after the horrific events of 1915. The few remaining Armenian communities were subjected to further massacres and deportations. After the end of World War I, the new Turkish nationalist regime renewed its efforts to eradicate all Armenians living in Turkey. Background: Armenian Refugee camp in Aintab, Turkey TAP MAP TO ZOOM March−April 1915 Turks Begin Systematic Plan Armenians in the Turkish Army are disarmed in Marash and Erzerum. Turkish authorities begin deportations with 25,000 Armenians from Zeytun and make large scale arrests in Diyarbekir and Constantinople. By late April, Armenians are slain in Chankiri, Ayash, and Van Province where 32,000 Armenians are massacred. May−December 1915 Deportations & Massacres Unfold The deportation of Armenians is widespread across all regions. Deportees are marched from their homes in Erzerum, Trebizond, Bitlis, Diyarbekir, Sivas and Van Provinces, most toward Der Zor in the Syrian Desert. Massacres occur throughout, adding to the death toll of deportees succumbing to starvation and disease. 1915−1918, 1920−1923 Anatomy of the Atrocities The systematic extermination of the Armenian population unfolded in force across Anatolia toward Syria between 1915−1918 and resumed again after WWI between 1920−1923. Tracing the tracks of these events reveals the widespread anatomy of the atrocities. 1.5 million Armenians were victims during the systematic genocide carried out by Turkish forces between 1915 and 1923. The Ottoman Empire's Armenian community was gone, its people decimated and a 3,000 year old civilization was destroyed. PART III Legacy Background: Orphanage in Yerevan, Armenia The Armenian Genocide casts a long shadow that extends to the present day. The survivors struggled to rebuild their lives, but many would never fully recover. And the destroyed Armenian communities would never be rebuilt. Armenians that survived the genocide gathered in refugee camps scattered throughout the Middle East. More than a half million victims desperately clung to life, denied any chance of returning to their homes and relying on foreign aid. Many were orphaned children. Some of the refugee camps turned into permanent settlements, marking the beginning of the Armenian diaspora. Other survivors eventually joined Armenian communities outside the region or emigrated to other parts of the world. Philanthropic organizations in the U.S., Great Britain and elsewhere raised money to help the surviviors with food and shelter. Foreign aid provided a vital lifeline to Armenian victims, but for many the help came too late. Relief efforts often focused first on helping orphaned children. One of the largest efforts was organized by Near East Relief, an American charity. For many Armenians, America became a beacon of hope, and thousands emigrated in search of safety. Despite promises, the world community did little to punish those responsible for the genocide. Some Turkish leaders were convicted in absentia by a Turkish military tribunal in 1919, but little effort was made to punish the many perpetrators who helped organize the deportations or carry out the massacres. The world soon forgot about the Armenian atrocities. The Turkish Republic denied they ever occurred. But as new genocides have occurred, the memorials created by the Armenian community provide a stark warning to the dangers of ignoring these crimes against humanity and the dangers of whitewashing this historical record. The warning signs that came before the Armenian Genocide have repeated themselves in Nazi Germany, Rwanda, Sudan, and many other places since 1915. We can ask "Why?" each time a new genocide occurs, but we should not have to. We need to remember the past for a better future. And we need to help those who inherited this past to come to terms. Your browser doesn't support HTML5 video. the video instead. Armenian Genocide Museum of America An Online Museum The Armenian Genocide Museum of America (AGMA) is dedicated to educating the public about the Armenian Genocide and its continuing consequences. Visitors will learn how the international community's failure to condemn the genocide and hold the perpetrators accountable made the Armenian Genocide a prototype for later crimes against humanity. The AGMA honors the victims and survivors of the 20th century's first genocide by highlighting the historic identity of the Armenian people, their art and culture, and their perseverance in the face of adversity. With resonant content, the online museum reinforces the universal message of our common humanity and collective responsibility, and explains why the story of the Armenians and other peoples who have suffered similar fates must be told. The online museum offers a place for reflection and learning filled with hope, inspiration, and a commitment to eradicating the scourge of genocide through education and a focus on prevention. The AGMA is a joint effort by the Armenian Genocide Museum and Memorial Inc. the Armenian Assembly of America , and the Armenian National Institute. This online museum was made possible by the generous contributions of the Estate of Agnes Kazanjian, Anoush Mathevosian, Hirair & Anna Hovnanian Foundation, Edele Hovnanian, Dr. Sarkis Kechejian, Dr. Nishan Kechejian, the Alice Ohanessian Irrevocable Trust, Julie Kulhanjian Strauch, Noubar Tcheurekjian, and the Trustees of the Armenian Assembly of America. The online museum is a joint project of the Armenian Genocide Museum and Memorial, Armenian National Institute, and Armenian Assembly of America. Armenian Genocide Museum and Memorial, Inc. Board of Trustees Edele Hovnanian Van Z. Krikorian Rouben Adalian AGMM Building and Operations Committee Chairman Van Z. Krikorian Denise Darmanian Edele Hovnanian Richard H. Papalian Zaven Tachdjian AGMA Online Museum Working Group Mark Malkasian Richard H. Papalian Van Z. Krikorian Rouben Adalian Armenian National Institute, Inc. Board of Governors Chairman Van Z. Krikorian Treasurer and Secretary Bianka Kadian-Dodov Archbishop Vicken Aykazian Dr. Armen Baibourtian Mark Malkasian Carolyn Mugar Annie Simonian Totah Director Rouben Adalian Armenian Assembly of America, Inc. Board of Trustees Co-Chairs Anthony Barsamian Van Z. Krikorian President Carolyn Mugar Treasurer Oscar Tatosian Secretary Bianka Kadian-Dodov Assistant Secretary Lisa Kalustian Board Members Valina Agbabian Aram A. Gavoor Alex Karapetian Peter Mirijanian Lu Ann Ohanian David Onanian Herman Purutyan Ani Yeramian Speirs Annie Simonian Totah Talin Yacoubian Armine Afeyan Seta Kiremidjian Emeritus Board Members Joyce Stein Executive Director Bryan Ardouny Staff Robert Avetisyan Taleen Babayan Mary Jo Bazarian Murray Mary Garabedian Ellen Gordon Mariam Khaloyan Joseph Piatt Bettina Saraydaroglu David Ojakian Ani Arshamian Anna Avagyan Alin Ozinian Armen Simonyan Special Thanks AGMA would like to thank the following institutions and individuals for generously sharing resources and supporting the online museum. Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute, Yerevan Armenian Film Foundation, Los Angeles AGBU Nubarian Library, Paris California State University, Fresno Armenian Studies Program Freer | Sackler The Smithsonian's Museums of Asian Art Republic of Armenia National Archives, Yerevan Zoryan Institute, Toronto Alexandra Avakian Ashot Boghossian Ted Bogosian Gevorg Dabaghyan Hayk Demoyan Carla Garabedian Robert Hewsen Hrair Hawk Khatcherian Greg Sarkissian George Shirinian Amatuni Virabyan Copyright © 2015-2022 Armenian Assembly of America