A PSYCHOLOGICAL WARFARE TOOL AGAINST THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE: THE PRO ARMENIA NEWSPAPER (1900-1908)

Abstract

This article examines the black propaganda activities carried out by the Pro Armenia newspaper, published in French in Paris during the final years of Sultan Abdülhamid II’s reign, against the Ottoman Empire. The Ottoman Empire had been the scene of internal turmoil for many years, particularly due to separatist uprisings in regions inhabited by Armenians. The Pro Armenia newspaper added false reports to these internal conflicts, deliberately exaggerating events and aiming to attract the attention of the European public. The article examines the news published in the Pro Armenia newspaper by comparing it with Ottoman archive documents. This reveals how the newspaper used psychological warfare techniques. The fact that the newspaper’s authors included influential actors in European politics demonstrates the international significance of its propaganda activities. It was determined that the events covered in the newspaper were presented one-sidedly and that there was no mention of the massacres committed by Armenians against Muslims. Furthermore, the newspaper made serious accusations against Sultan Abdülhamid’s personality and policies, aiming to undermine the Ottoman Sultan’s influence in European public opinion.

Keywords

• Armenians
• Muslims
• Sultan Abdülhamid
• Black Propaganda
• Massacres
• Europe

OSMANLI İMPARATORLUĞU KARŞITI BİR PSİKOLOJİK HARP ARACI: PRO ARMENİA GAZETESİ (1900-1908)

Abstract

Bu makalede, Sultan II. Abdülhamid’in tahttaki son yıllarını kapsayan dönemde, Paris’te Fransızca yayımlanan Pro Armenia gazetesinin Osmanlı Devleti aleyhine yürüttüğü kara propaganda faaliyetleri ele alınmıştır. Osmanlı Devleti, özellikle Ermenilerin yaşadığı bölgelerde çıkan ayrılıkçı ayaklanmalar sebebiyle uzun yıllar iç karışıklıklara sahne olmuştur. Pro Armenia gazetesi, bu iç karışıklıklara yalan haberler ekleyerek, olayları kasten abartmış ve bu yolla Avrupa kamuoyunun dikkatini çekmeyi amaçlamıştır. Makalede, Pro Armenia gazetesinde yayımlanan haberler, Osmanlı arşiv belgeleriyle karşılaştırılmak suretiyle ele alınmıştır. Böylece, gazetenin psikolojik harp tekniklerini nasıl kullandığı gözler önüne serilmiştir. Gazetenin yazarları arasında Avrupa siyasetinde etkili aktörlerin bulunması, propaganda faaliyetlerinin uluslararası düzeydeki önemini göstermektedir. Gazetede yer verilen hadiselerin tek taraflı ele alındığı ve Ermenilerin Müslümanlara yönelik katliamlarına hiç yer verilmediği tespit edilmiştir. Ayrıca Sultan Abdülhamid’in kişiliği ve politikaları ile ilgili ağır ithamlarda bulunan gazete, bu şekilde Osmanlı Sultanı’nın Avrupa kamuoyundaki ağırlığını sarsmayı hedeflemiştir.

Keywords

• Ermeniler
• Müslümanlar
• Sultan Abdülhamid
• Kara Propaganda
• Katliamlar
• Avrupa

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