U.S. Does Little to Aid Global Catastrophes

Although the Holocaust is the most well known example of genocide, many forget the first; of the Armenians. Sparked by the assassination of Franz Ferdinand, the Turkish government planned to exterminate the Armenian nation to “punish” them, in 1915. Great Britain, France, Russia, and the United States all strongly opposed the genocide, and warned Turkish leaders that they would be held responsible for the atrocities. Although America staunchly objected to the Armenian genocide, the United States has significantly weakened concern for problems such as the crisis in northern Uganda, and the genocide in Darfur.

America's response to the Armenian genocide was sincere, led by an outraged cry by the American people. When America heard of the horrors in Armenia from Protestant missionaries, diplomats, doctors and relief workers it “generated an enormous humanitarian response,” “a strong public outcry,” and “sparked a countrywide campaign,” to help starving Armenians. The fact that America actually paid attention to tragic events in the world, during the war, when they did not have any reason or desire to get involved in war, certainly shows how America expressed their care towards major world problems. Not only was the awareness about the Armenian genocide present in American lives, it “generated a huge enormous humanitarian response,” such as raising money for the starving Armenians and establishing a foundation for American human rights relief work. This was no small movement. The passion Americans felt to help these people, abused and starving, was enormous, enough to create “a countrywide campaign.”

The American citizens weren't the only ones who cared about the misfortunes of the Armenians. American Ambassador Morgenthau asked the Young Turk leaders to stop the killing, and then telegraphed the American Secretary of State saying the Turks' actions were an attempt at "racial extermination." America continued the strongest possible protests to the Ottoman government for the benefit of the Armenians, with contemporary hearings held by the U.S Senate. This exemplifies how the U.S. government was also involved with the Armenian genocide. The government whole-heartedly supported its country's cause, and the whole of America certainly became a “rebel with a cause.”

It was brave of the U.S. government to support this cause so strongly when they had other things to worry about. But they threw themselves into helping another country with its problems instead of turning a blind eye to the problem. President Woodrow Wilson asked for permission to establish a U.S. mandate over the new state (Armenia). [I ask this] "Not only because it [the mandate] embodied my own convictions and feeling with regard to Armenia and its people, but also, and more particularly, because it seemed to me to be the voice of the American people expressing their deep sympathies. At their hearts, this great and generous people [the Americans] have made the case of Armenia their own.” And his request was met. This statement by Wilson mirrored America's concern about Armenia, and established a huge step towards America's involvement with the Armenian genocide. The fact that the president of the United States is addressing the issue, and asking permission to form a U.S. mandate over Armenia to stop the killings is an unbelievable advance for bringing a stop to the extermination of the Armenians. Without America as the moral leader, the Armenian massacre would have gone unnoticed. Because of President Wilson's success with his proposition, the boundary between Turkey and Armenia was established and helped to bring about an end to the Armenian genocide. All the world needed was America to help them open their eyes. The United States responded to the Armenian genocide with a courageous, passionate approach. America and its people were committed to ending the genocide, and as a result of their determination, they were able to bring a much needed awareness to the Armenian annihilation.

For more than 20 years, the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) has fought against the government of Uganda in seriously violent ways killing, abducting, and maiming thousands of people. But now, in the 21st century, the United States does anything but spring into action to help a country in need. The U.S. government has mostly ignored the crisis, but has provided Ugandans with the equipment necessary to track down Joseph Kony (leader of the LRA), and even established a plan to take down the army. However, when things began to go wrong, “U.S. officials disassociated themselves from the operation rather than trying to salvage what they themselves had helped to initiate.” This incident makes the United States look uncommitted. Witnesses to a crime who won't do anything. They help Uganda, acting genuinely sincere in their actions, but when something goes wrong, they abort their mission, as if there is no hope in even trying to finish it.

During the Armenian genocide, nothing like this happened. The U.S. followed through with their plans to help the Armenians. They did not raise awareness about the annihilation and then sit back and expect other people or countries to take care of it. The President even went so far as to form a mandate over Armenia. Has President Bush or President Obama attempted to fix another countries mass killings? No. America's responses to injustice show that history does not repeat itself. Michael Poffenberger, Executive Director of RESOLVE Uganda, “criticized the State Department’s lack of support for the Juba [peace talks] process, and noted that the administration has not so much as mentioned the conflict in recent high-level discussions with President Museveni.” For the U.S. government to be publicly criticized by a campaign to help end the war in Uganda, certainly exemplifies how others have noticed the U.S.'s lack of participation. The fact that the United States is not as involved in the Ugandan predicament as they should be, absolutely shows. Besides being incredibly embarrassing, the single accusation made by Poffenberger, could help to pressure as well as convince America's government to hop on the bandwagon and save the people of Uganda. Hopefully, the United States will take action instead of ignoring this catastrophe. If the government has helped end a massacre before, it can aid in ending another. America's response to the war in northern Uganda is a prime example of how the U.S. has changed since the Armenian genocide. The United States government is so concerned with itself, it seems no interest in really attempting to aid another country in dire straits.

Another issue largely ignored by the U.S. government, would be that of the genocide in Darfur. In Darfur, innocent people are being killed by their own government. Although former President Bush has passionately addressed this issue, the promises he has made have not been kept, much to the disappointment of American citizens. John C. Danforth, a former senator, expressed that, "This isn't a country that has much strategic interest for the United States." This statement is absolutely outrageous. It seems almost as if Danforth is forgetting the fact that innocent people are being raped and killed every day. What he really seems to be saying is that the killing in Darfur is not much interest for the United States. After all the United States did for Armenia during World War I, they are being put to shame by America's current political choices. Danforth's statement reflects just how self-centered the U.S. government is acting. By ignoring Darfur, they are making genocide seem like something that can be executed without severe consequences. Dan Bartlett, a former White House counselor said of Darfur, “Whether you call it genocide or not, we have an urgent security and humanitarian crisis on our hands. Yet these institutions cannot garner the will or ability to come together to save people." The institution Bartlett is speaking of, is the White House. This is a matter of life and death and our country's government is simply standing by? People are dying and the world has full knowledge of this, yet no one seems to be able to muster up the time and effort to stop this injustice and save lives. Bartlett calls the situation in Darfur “an urgent and humanitarian crisis.” Yet, the United States government has done nothing. If American people were been slain every single day, the U.S. government would certainly be doing something to stop it. But when it has to do with another country, the government doesn't worry about it as much, even if it is a humanitarian crisis. If only the government could reflect upon our country's actions in the past. If only they could somehow remember the time when our country was able to aid in ending the first genocide. If only America could end this genocide, and help it to be the last.

America helped spread awareness of the Armenian genocide, but come the 21st century, the United States puts important world crises out of sight, out of mind. The U.S. attempted to help the people of Uganda involved in the northern Ugandan war, but ended up not making any significant improvements. This same situation repeats itself with the genocide in Darfur. Yet again, nothing was done. The United States failed to step in and help end injustice. In response to the Armenian genocide, America took all the right steps; educating American citizens, raising money, and establishing a mandate over Armenia, eventually ending the atrocities committed to the Armenians. While the United States was helping Uganda, things did not go exactly as planned, so they aborted their mission, leaving Uganda to fend for itself. As for the genocide in Darfur, former President Bush was incredibly opposed to this, and was a staunch supporter of helping the people of Darfur. And like most world leaders, President Bush said many things, but never actually helped try and solve the problem. America's response to today's international crises is exactly the opposite of the responses America had in World War I. The current America could certainly benefit from opening their eyes and start paying attention to the world around them, and seeing what they can do to help. The Armenian genocide. The first official genocide, but the least remembered. America's response to this issue was key in ending it, yet current world issues are being ignored by today's America allowing the same atrocities to be committed again and again.

Works Cited

1. Abramowitz, Michael. "U.S. Promises on Darfur Don't Match Actions." Washington Post 29 Oct. 2007, A01 sec. The Washington Post. The Washington Post Company, 29 Oct. 2007. Web. 23 Feb. 2010.
2. Cooper, Belinda. "The Armenian Genocide and America's Response." Race Matters. 19 Oct. 2003. Web. 20 Feb. 2010.
3. "Enough is Enough: Prospects for Peace in Northern Uganda." Center for American Progress. Web. 22 Feb. 2010.
4. Papazian, Dennis R. "Useful Answers to Frequent Questions on the Armenian Genocide." UM- Dearborn Home: University of Michigan-Dearborn. Web. 21 Feb. 2010.
5. Spiegel, Julia, and Noel Atama. "Finishing the Fight Against the LRA |." Enough. Center for American Progress. Web. 22 Feb. 2010.