Viscount james bryce, a member of the british parliament and former ambassador to the united states, secured the services of a young historian, arnold toynbee, to collect and organize eyewitness accounts by missionaries, doctors and nurses, travelers, and armenian survivors themselves. Dec 14, 2017 efforts to show toynbees the blue book as a realistic source continued for a long time. Arnold joseph toynbee author of a study of history. The treatment of armenians in the ottoman empire, 19151916, also known as the blue book cowritten by toynbee and james bryce, another british historian and politician, was pure propaganda material laden with lies and defamation against turkey. Antiturkish black propaganda intended for other muslims. Bryce claimed that the people presented as sources in this book were unaware of each other, and tried to prove that independent sources provided reliable information. Feb 25, 2010 out of a plethora of proarmenian sources, 22 two in particular are most frequently cited and stand in damning condemnation of the turks. Kamuran gurun, the armenian file, p39 the bryce report is the blue book of the british. At any rate, adalian offered the following desperate defense. Oct 21, 2016 of america, in the autumn of 1915 toynbee was invited by lord james bryce 18381922 to address the british parliamentary blue book on the armenian genocide. A critical, uncensored edition, edited and with an introduction by ara sarafian, has been published by the gomidas institute. The treatment of armenians in the ottoman empire wikipedia.
James bryce and the origins of the armenian question. Misleads in the book titled ambassador morgenthaus story. However, only a handful of studies have been published about bryces lifelong, and especially about his early, armenian engagements. The petition referred to the british parliamentary report, the treatment of armenians in the ottoman empire 191516, authored by viscount bryce and arnold j.
He was the nephew of economic historian arnold toynbee, with whom he is sometimes confused. Great britain apologized to germany in 1936 over the lies contained in the blue books. This evil book published in 1916 forms the bases of the armenian genocide claims. Bryce now switched his attentions and collaborated with the historian arnold toynbee on another blue book. The treatment of armenians in the ottoman empire, 19151916. Professor justin mccarthy, speaking at a conference in london, said that a source known as the blue book chosen by armenians to prove their claims of genocide is one of the products of british war propaganda bureaus efforts of misinformation during first world war.
Turkey which in 1923 became the successor state to the ottoman empire has denied its responsibility, suggesting that preplanned genocide did not occur. It was an official westminster document, which is why the turkish parliament wants the house of commons and house of lords to act. Toynbee and viscount james bryce, published in the year 1916, by h. To say that had he known the political reality he would have declined either shows that toynbee. Nov 01, 2007 in fact bryce and toynbee together had written a very similar but shorter book about socalled german atrocities in belgium. Toynbee, first published in 1916, that contains a compilation of statements from eyewitnesses of the armenian genocide in the ottoman empire during 19151916. The blue book referred to the eyewitnesses by codes, apparently to protect the persons from reprisals. Then 28, he worked for lord bryce, whose name gave authority to.
The treatment of armenians in the ottoman empire, 1915. Istanbul hurriyet daily news vercihan zifliogluvercihan. It was while serving in this capacity that he compiled the british blue book, published in november 1915. The treatment of armenians in the ottoman empire 19151916. Documents presented to viscount grey of falloden by viscount bryce uncensored edition aka the blue book bryce, james, toynbee, arnold joseph, toynbee, arnold, sarafian, ara on. James bryce and the politics of inhumanity history ireland.
Designed to elicit feelings of hatred and anger in the reader, the book consisted of imaginary. Bryce had been following the plight of the armenians for almost 40 years. A blue book or bluebook is an almanac, buyers guide or other compilation of statistics and information. Oct 21, 2016 in may 1915, he was recruited by the recently instituted british propaganda agency, known as wellington house. Toynbee 20 books share book recommendations with your. Unlike the bryce report, compiled by james bryce in may 1915, which was similarly initially influential in the matter of german atrocities in occupied belgium in 1914 but later discredited as wildly overstated, toynbee s report largely. May 14, 1983 because during world war i, the eminent british historian undertook the research for an official blue book on turkish atrocities. It was published the following year as treatment of armenians in the ottoman empire, 191516.
Viscount james bryce and arnold toynbee were commissioned to prepare the blue book, which is formally known as the treatment of armenians in the ottoman empire, 1915 1916. After the war, the belgians investigated and found that the book was almost completely lies. The other book is called in short blue book, titled the treatment of armenians in the ottoman empire, 19151916. Toynbee, he produced a documentary record of the massacres, published by the british government in 1916 as the blue book. Blue book on armenian issue resent to turkish deputies. Viscount bryces blue book purported to be based on 150 eyewitness accounts of massacres and other violence committed by ottoman soldiers and private citizen against ottoman armenians. The british historian arnold joseph toynbee was born in london on 14 april 1889 and died on 22 october 1975 in york, north yorkshire, england. Toynbee and published by the british government in 1916 under the title the treatment of armenians in the ottoman empire, 191516 also known as blue book. I was recently approached by a facebook friend who asked me for some informati.
Black propaganda against turks during wwi british deep state. The most commonly used reference of documents on the armenian genocide is the brycetoynbee blue book perhaps mr. Documents presented to viscount grey of falloden by viscount bryce. That book contained the same sort of thing seen in the armenian blue book. Bryce was born in arthur street in belfast, county antrim, in ulster, ireland, the son of margaret, daughter of james young of whiteabbey, and james bryce, lld, from near coleraine, county londonderry. It has been confessed by toynbee that the blue book was a propaganda tool. The british parliament needs to similarly apologize to turkey, especially since this groundless work continues to poison minds. The lies of the german blue book bayoneted babies, people made into soap resulted in a british apology to germany in 1936. This was terrain with which he was far more familiar. James bryces association with armenia became well known from his, and arnold toynbees, famous blue book on the armenian genocide 1916. The most commonly used reference of documents on the armenian genocide is the brycetoynbee blue book.
Toynbee carefully compiled and verified dozens of eyewitness accounts from different parts of the ottoman empire. Documents presented to viscount grey of falloden by viscount bryce aka the blue book by james bryce, arnold joseph toynbee, arnold toynbee, ara sarafian and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Furthermore, in 1925, british foreign minister austin chamberlain made serious criticisms of the blue book in his explanation in the house of lords and said that the book was prepared as, completely baseless war. Viscount james bryce and arnold toynbee were commissioned to prepare the blue book, which is formally known as the treatment of armenians in the ottoman empire, 19151916. Sarafian got so shook up, he had to make amends by trying to validate this awful propagandistic work. In fact bryce and toynbee together had written a very similar but shorter book about socalled german atrocities in belgium. Turkish parliament request for retraction of british. There is a detailed account of his life and works at wikipedia james bryce, 1st viscount bryce. Documents presented to viscount grey of falloden by viscount bryce new edition by arnold joseph toynbee, james bryce isbn. The gomidas institute glowingly describes the reprint of the blue book, at books bryce.
He was educated at winchester college and balliol college, oxford. As the person responsible for propaganda operations aimed at the united states of america, in the autumn of 1915 toynbee was invited by lord james bryce 18381922 to address the british parliamentary blue book on the armenian genocide. Toynbee continued to be fully involved in propaganda activity, which, from 1916, was progressively. The document, the treatment of armenians in the ottoman empire 19151916, was written by the british historian arnold toynbee and included in a publication known as the blue book, by viscount bryce, a british diplomat. The armenian genocide was the massacre of armenians in the ottoman empire, especially the deaths of 1. He does less well with malcolm maccoll, gladstones amanuensis in turkophobia, whom he wrongly supposes to have lived part of his life in turkey and been only a relatively minor figure in antiturkish agitation, and james bryce, toynbees senior partner in writing the blue book on the armenians in the first world war. Change and habit by arnold joseph toynbee, mans concern with death by arnold joseph toynbee, a study of history, vol 7. Buy the treatment of armenians in the ottoman empire 19151916.
The blue book written by viscount bryce and arnold toynbee has been used as proof that armenians and the victims of the jewish holocaust suffered the same fate in history. Dec 11, 2000 the treatment of armenians in the ottoman empire, 19151916. This book has been said to be a product of british intelligence designed to promote and promulgate lies. Documents presented to viscount grey of falloden by viscount bryce, james bryce and arnold toynbee, uncensored edition.