Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire Henry Morgenthau Sr.

a telegram written morgenthau state department in 1915 described massacres of armenians in ottoman empire campaign of race extermination .

as wilson supporter, morgenthau assumed wilson appoint him cabinet-level position, new president had other plans him; other prominent jewish americans, oscar straus , solomon hirsch before him, morgenthau posted ambassador ottoman empire. wilson s assumption jews somehow represented bridge between muslim turks , christian armenians rankled morgenthau; in reply wilson assured him porte in istanbul point @ interest of american jews in welfare of jews of palestine focused, , indispensable have jew in post . though no zionist himself, morgenthau cared fervidly plight of coreligionists. rejected position, following trip europe, , encouragement of pro-zionist friend rabbi stephen wise, reconsidered decision , accepted wilson s offer. appointed u.s. ambassador ottoman empire in 1913, served in position until 1916.

 —henry morgenthau, ambassador morgenthau s story pg. 309.

although safety of american citizens in ottoman empire, christian missionaries , jews, loomed large in ambassadorship, morgenthau stated 1 issue preoccupied him armenian question. after outbreak of war in 1914, u.s. remained neutral, american embassy – , extension morgenthau – additionally represented many of allies interests in constantinople, since had withdrawn diplomatic missions due hostilities. ottoman authorities began armenian genocide in 1914–1915, american consuls residing in different parts of empire flooded morgenthau s desk reports every hour, documenting massacres , deportation marches taking place. faced accumulating evidence, officially informed u.s. government of activities of ottoman government , asked washington intervene.

audio recording of chapter 24, murder of nation , ambassador morgenthau s story.

the american government however, not wanting dragged disputes, remained neutral power in conflict @ time , voiced little official reaction. morgenthau held high-level meetings leaders of ottoman empire alleviate position of armenians, turks waived , ignored protestations. famously admonished ottoman interior minister talaat pasha, stating: our people never forget these massacres. massacres continued unabated, morgenthau , several other americans decided form public fund-raising committee assist armenians – committee on armenian atrocities (later renamed near east relief) – raising on $100 million in aid, equivalent of $1 billion today. through friendship adolph ochs, publisher of new york times, morgenthau ensured massacres continued receive prominent coverage, 145 articles in 1915 alone. exasperated relationship ottoman government, resigned ambassadorship in 1916. looking on decision in murder of nation, wrote had come see turkey place of horror. had reached end of resources. found intolerable further daily association men, gracious , accommodating…who still reeking blood of million human beings. published conversations ottoman leaders , account of armenian genocide in 1918 under title ambassador morgenthau s story.

in 1918 ambassador morgenthau gave public speeches in united states warning greeks , assyrians being subjected same methods of deportation , wholesale massacre armenians, , 2 million armenians, greeks, , assyrians had perished.

in june 1917 felix frankfurter accompanied him, representative of war department, on secret mission persuade turkey abandon central powers in war effort; mission had stated purpose ameliorate condition of jewish communities in palestine .