It is not history which uses men as a means of achieving - as if it were an individual person - its own ends. History is nothing but the activity of men in pursuit of their ends.
Karl MarxRead
When the Turkish authorities gave the orders for these deportations, they were merely giving the death warrant to a whole race; they understood this well, and, in their conversations with me, they made no particular attempt to conceal the fact… I am confident that the whole history of the human race contains no such horrible episode as this. The great massacres and persecutions of the past seem almost insignificant when compared to the sufferings of the Armenian race in 1915.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote highlights the enormity of the atrocities committed against the Armenian people during the deportations of 1915.
Henry Morgenthau, Sr. reflects on the systematic deportation and annihilation of the Armenian people by Turkish authorities, characterizing it as a significant and unprecedented tragedy in human history. He emphasizes the intentional nature of these actions and the profound suffering endured by the Armenian race, suggesting that such acts of genocide overshadow past atrocities and have left an indelible mark on human history.
Themes
Armenian GenocideAtrocityHistorySufferingInjustice
In practice
Example use cases
During a speech about human rights, one could reference this quote to underline the importance of remembering historical injustices.
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