Famine, ethic strife and disease tend to be indiscriminate killers. Why did so many Armenians die compared to the death tolls for Turks?
I believe that the Russians killed off about 700,000 Ottoman troops stopping an Ottoman campaign (1914 or 1915). There weren't that many of them left.
No question that far more Christians died than Ottoman troops or Ottoman Empire civilians. A quick search turned up no numbers that I could find.
I am attempting to find out why blame modern Turkey? Why is there the demand that Turkey admit to genocide? I have my reasons for wanting to know.
First I keep this in mind, Armenia was a "republic" in the USSR. Second, Turkey was a NATO member and staunch ally of the U.S. for decades throughout the Cold War. Third, Communists lie.
I've never discussed the Ottoman Empire with any Turk. It never occurred to me to do so because it's like asking a German, What was it like being a Nazis?
How would he know? I accepted that that was in the past.
I have no doubt that the Ottoman Empire was as evil as any Islamic state can be. I know that the Turks strictly enforce their secularism -- it being the duty of the Army to keep the government respectful of Turkey's constitution and republic.
(The EU demands an end to the Army's "interference" yet the EU fears radical Islam in Turkey. Go figure.)
I doubt that anyone disputes history that in early 1915. [the Ottoman] authorities decreed the demobilization and disarmament of the Ottoman Christians.
Russia had just declared war on the Ottoman Empire (ditto, France and United Kingdom) and I believe that the Armenians sided with Russia and were involved in the fighting.
Genocide has the connotation of helpless civilians being killed off. Even massacres -- separate from the context of battle especially civil war -- is just as evil as genocide.
I am most definitely not a historian or knowledgeable in the history of the W.W.I era.
I am wondering however why are these demands (admit genocide) being made upon modern Turkey when there are many independent historians who dispute the claim of genocide? No one disputes the horror of W.W.I madness. The Ottoman Empire was destroyed.
And what of the accusers? When even a cursory search turns up accusations about Armenian Nazis, Armenian aggression, Armenian terrorism, and even Armenian genocide (of others) it gives me more reason to wonder about the accusers.
http://www.karabakh.org/
Repeat: I am not an expert. Just looking for something as close to truth as possible.