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I. Dünya Savaşı öncesinde ve esnasında Osmanlı Devleti’nde meydana gelen Ermeni olaylarında ülkedeki Amerikan misyonerlerinin önemli payları vardır. Amerikan Board olarak da bilinen American Board of Comissioners for Foreign Mission (ABCFM) çatısı altında örgütlenen misyonerlerin asıl faaliyet alanları dindir. Fakat gittikleri yerlerde misyonlar şeklinde teşkilatlanarak eğitim ve sağlık alanlarında da faaliyet göstermişlerdir. 20. yüzyılın başlarında dünyanın bir çok yerine ulaşan Amerikan Board misyonerleri, Osmanlı ülkesinde ise dört ana misyon şeklinde örgütlenmişlerdir. Bunlardan Doğu Türkiye Misyonu’nun önemli istasyonlarından birisi Van şehrinde kurulmuştur. Van Amerikan Board misyonerleri, yürüttükleri faaliyetler sayesinde 1915 yılında meydana gelen Ermeni isyanında etkili olmuşlardır. Van’ın Rus işgaline düşmesine kadar devam eden bu isyanda çeteler şeklinde örgütlenen Ermeniler, bölgedeki Türk ve Müslüman ahaliye yönelik katliamlar gerçekleştirmişlerdir. Amerikan misyonerleri ise bölgedeki tüm terör eylemlerinde Ermeni çetelerine maddi ve manevi destek vermişlerdir. Elizabeth Freeman Barrows Ussher de bu misyonerlerden birisidir. Bu çalışmada Elizabeth Ussher’in aynı zamanda birer rapor niteliğindeki günlüklerinden oluşturarak evine gönderdiği 23 Mayıs 1915 ve 30 Mayıs 1915 tarihli mektupları incelenmiştir. 1915 Van Ermeni isyanına dair ilginç iddiaların ve ifadelerin yer aldığı söz konusu mektupların Osmanlı kayıtlarıyla birlikte değerlendirilmesiyle hazırlanan bu çalışmanın amacı ise Amerikan misyonerlerinin Van isyanı üzerinden 1915 olaylarına bakışını ortaya koymak ve bu konudaki farklı bir boşluğu doldurmaktır.
The American missionaries in the country had an important role in the Armenian events that took place in the Ottoman Empire before and during the First World War. The main fields of activity of the missionaries are religion organized under the umbrella of the American Board of Directors (ABCFM), also known as the American Board. However, they were organized in the form of missions in the places they went to and they were active in the fields of education and health. At the beginning of the 20th century, American Board missionaries, which reached many places in the world, were organized in four main missions in the Ottoman country. One of these important mission stations was established in the city of Van in eastern Turkey. The missionaries of the Van American Board were influential in the Armenian uprising that occurred in 1915 thanks to their activities. In this rebellion, which continued until the fall of the Russian occupation of Van, Armenians organized as gangs carried out massacres against Turkish and Muslim people, in the region. American missionaries, on the other hand, have provided material and moral support to Armenian gangs in all these terrorist acts in the region. Elizabeth Freeman Barrows Ussher is one of these missionaries. In this study; Elizabeth Ussher's letters to each home, dated 23 May 1915 and 30 May 1915, composing of each report diaries has been examined. As for the purpose of the study prepared by evaluating the letters together with the Ottoman records, including the interesting claims about the 1915 Van Armenian rebellion, is to reveal the American missionaries’ view of the events of 1915 through the Van rebellion and to fill a different gap in this matter.
The American missionaries in the country had an important role in the Armenian events that took place in the Ottoman Empire before and during the First World War. The main fields of activity of the missionaries are religion organized under the umbrella of the American Board of Directors (ABCFM), also known as the American Board. However, they were organized in the form of missions in the places they went to and they were active in the fields of education and health. At the beginning of the 20th century, American Board missionaries, which reached many places in the world, were organized in four main missions in the Ottoman country. One of these important mission stations was established in the city of Van in eastern Turkey. The missionaries of the Van American Board were influential in the Armenian uprising that occurred in 1915 thanks to their activities. In this rebellion, which continued until the fall of the Russian occupation of Van, Armenians organized as gangs carried out massacres against Turkish and Muslim people, in the region. American missionaries, on the other hand, have provided material and moral support to Armenian gangs in all these terrorist acts in the region. Elizabeth Freeman Barrows Ussher is one of these missionaries. In this study; Elizabeth Ussher’s letters to her home, dated 23 May 1915 and 30 May 1915, composing of her report diaries has been examined. As for the aim of the study prepared by evaluating the letters together with the Ottoman records, including the interesting claims about the 1915 Van Armenian rebellion, is to reveal the American missionaries' view of the events of 1915 through the Van rebellion and to fill a different gap in this matter.
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