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Armenian Action
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December 1996
Vol. 18, No. 2 (56)
Supplement to The Collegian
a
PBS Special Focuses on Genocide
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by Barlow Der Mugrdechian
"But in 1915, total
war went a terrible
step further..."
With this ominous introduction, the PBS special "The Great
War and the Shaping of the Twentieth Century," began an eight
minute segment entitled "Genocide," which covered the Armenian Genocide of 1915. The segment was part of the eight-hour
documentary on World War I which
aired nation-wide in the United
States on the Public Broadcasting
System in November.
This was a significant show
because a targe audience m the
United States had the opportunity
to be introduced to the horror ofthe
Armenian Genocide. Even though
pressure was brought to bear from
the Turkish government, PBS had
the courage to not back down and
to air this historically accurate piece.
.  "Greater misery could
not be imagined, the dead
and    the    dying V are
every where... The whole
country   is   one   vast
slaughterhouse."
Leslie Davis
Although eight minutes did not
seem to be along time, in fact this
segment ofthe special very clearly
and succinctly recounted the events
of the Armenian Genocide. It not
only brought eyewitness testimony,
photographs, and quotes together,
but also tied the Genocide to the
continued policy of denial by the
current Turkish government.
. The segment begins by connecting events in Ottoman Turkey
with the greater context of World
War I. The narrator stated that the
war had two faces in Ottoman Tur-
key-the heroic stand at Gallipoli
(against the British and Allied
forces) and the contrasting brutal
plan of mass murder against the
Armenians of the Empire.
"In North Eastern Turkey, hundred of thousands of civilians were
to die, war was the excuse. Ethnic
cleansing, of Christian Armenians
out of lands controlled by Islamic
Turkey, was the true intention."
As the narration continues photographs from the Genocide are
displayed in the background.
One ofthe bright points ofthe
segment are comments by Jay M
Winter of Cambridge University
who gave the background and con
text for the massacres and the Geno
cide. He explained the significant
role that the Armenians ofthe Otto
man Empire played, as a thriving
and prosperous community which
was perceived as a political and
strategic threat to the Ottoman
Turks at the outbreak of the War.
But that threat quickly became a
plan of extermination. Winter said,
"Most Armenians, 2,000,000 living in the Turkish Empire were no
threat whatsoever."
A brief description of the arrest of community leaders in
Constantinople, and the forced de-
puruuioui of.Armenians follows.
Eyewitness testimony is included in the documentary from
two sources-one is from Leslie
Davis, American Consul in
Kharpoot (Kharpert), the other from
German medical officer Armin T.
Wegner.
Davis' testimony is based on
his personal investigation of rumors of large scale massacres of
Armenians in the region.
After visiting the desert he
wrote, "Greater misery could not
be imagined, the dead and the dying are every where...The whole
country is one vast slaughterhouse."
Armin Wegner visited a refugee camp where Armenian survivors had gathered. Against orders,
and on penalty of death, Wegner
photographed the diseased and dying Armenians.
"What Armin Wegner
captured was a visual
record of the first Genocide ofthe 20th century."
In this segment some of
Wegner's shocking and vivid photographs are shown in the background. Photos of dead and dying
Armenians, piles of skulls, and
Armenian hanged at the gallows
are part of his collection.
The narrator says, "What
Armin Wegner captured was a visual record ofthe first Genocide of
the 20th century."
Continuing on Jay Winter
states that "In many ways it shows
that the idea that war is politics by
other means is outdated in the 20th
century.   War is hatred by other
See PBS Special, pg. 8
 0
ASP Celebrates 20th Anniversary
Editor's Report
In an
evening filled
with memories
and surprises no
one was more
overwhelmed
than the honoree
Dr. Dickran
Kouymjian.
Amazingly out
of character Dr.
Kouymjian
seemed to be at a
loss for words after the special
presentations,
decorations, tributes, and accolades,. Truly it
was one bestow-
ment after another, each one more esteemed
than the last. Each one in its own
way was neither superfluous nor
bereft, they all befitted the man
they were dedicated to: appropriate and distinct. From the former
students and colleagues to the poet
to the representatives from the
Holy Church each one reflected
with respect and dignity the influence Dr. Kouymjian has had on
their personal as well as academic
life.
However it was the personal remembrances that granted
the evening with the sense of com
munity. Fresno artist Ara Dolarian
began the time of "Remembering
Dr. K" by telling the story of his
first encounter with Dr. Kouymjian
and the history behind his hiring at
Fresno State. Then four others,
Flora Istanbulian, Bryan Bedrosian,
Cindy Avakian, Knar Guekguezian,
friends and students alike came to
the podium to relive their experience with the man of the hour.
Each story was unique, some were
funny, others insightful, all were
heartfelt. Finally before the presentations, Jim Baloian presented a
sampling of his poetry especially
selected for the occasion. Following his solo performance he was
joined musically for additional
pieces, including one written about
Dr. Kouymjian himself.
If titles make the man then
Dr. Kouymjian is a giant. In addition to the entire page of achievements, degrees, and fellowships he
has received he was further honored by a presentation ofthe Medal
of St. Sahak-St. Mesrop, as well as
two Encyclicals from each Armenian Church.  The reading of the
See BANQUET, Page 8
"Hye Talk" Begins Second Season
hye talk, a half-hour television
program produced by the Armenian Studies Program of Fresno
State began its second year of broadcasting in November, hye talk airs
on Thursdays from 8:30-9:00 p.m.
and on Fridays from 6:00-6:30p.m.
on Continental Cablevision Channel 4. New shows will be broadcast
every week through the months of
December and January 1997.
Barlow Der Mugrdechian of
the Armenian Studies Program is
the host for hye talk. Der
Mugrdechian has been involved
with the Armenian Studies Program for the past decade as an instructor, hye talk features a variety
of guests who discuss local, national, and international issues of
interest to Armenians and the community in general. Four new shows
have been taped and will be broad-
The "Hye Talk" crew with host Barlow Der Mugrdechian and guest
Sona Atoian
cast.
The season premiere featured
the Very Rev. Fr. Sasoon V.
Zumrookhdian, Pastor of St. Paul
Armenian Church in Fresno, who
recently returned from Armenia
See Hye Talk, pg. 8