The Greek Genocide In American Naval War Diaries
Description
This book is a gripping collection of American naval war diaries recently found in the National Archives about what was happening on the northern coast of Turkey in 1921-1922. At the time, a series of American destroyers were continuously stationed at the port of Samsun, and the destroyer captains describe here many of the atrocities then being perpetrated upon the Asia Minor Greek minority by the ruling Nationalist Turks, along with local Greek reactions.
Reviews
“...an important and chilling account of the Turkish atrocities against Greek and Armenian subjects of the Ottoman Empire.”
—Lou Ureneck, author of Smyrna, September 1922
“These rare eye-witness accounts from US Naval officers and crew...paint a vivid portrait of the cruel, unjustified attacks on the Pontian Greek population.”
—Thea Halo, author of Not Even My Name: A True Story
“...confronts not only the very current problem of minorities within a nation state, but also the moral friction experienced by armed neutrals in the face of atrocity.”
—C. Herbert Gilliland, author of Voyage to a Thousand Cares: Master’s Mate Lawrence With the African Squadron, 1844-1846
“Published here for the first time is a selection of US Navy archival sources that are quite valuable in documenting events related to the Greek Genocide.”
—George N. Shirinian, editor of Genocide in the Ottoman Empire: Armenians, Assyrians, and Greeks, 1913-1923
“The narratives are delivered in the sober professional tone one would expect of naval officers yet contain factual information that acquires an increasingly harrowing and nightmarish tenor that serves to underscore the inhuman suffering inflicted on the Greeks.”
—Alexander Kitroeff, Professor of History, Haverford College
Author Bio
Savvas "Sam" Koktzoglou is a retired mechanical engineer. He received his engineering degrees from Villanova University and the University of Pennsylvania and has worked in senior level engineering positions in both the private and government sectors in the United States and internationally. He has been active in various capacities in a number of Chicago area nonprofit organizations. Prior to his engineering career, he served as a second lieutenant in the special forces of the Greek Army reserves.
Dr. Robert Shenk retired in Spring, 2019 as a professor of English at the University of New Orleans. As author or co-author he has published nine books, including the Naval Institute Guide to Naval Writing; Authors at Sea (a History Book Club selection); and a naval history published in 2012, America's Black Sea Fleet. Dr. Shenk is also a retired captain in the U.S. Naval Reserve, having seen duty on a destroyer and on river patrol boats in Vietnam, and as an instructor of English on voluntary recall to active duty at both the U.S. Air Force Academy and the U.S. Naval Academy.
