The blight of Asia : $b An account of the systematic extermination of Christian populations by Mohammedans and of the culpability of certain great powers; with the true story of the burning of SmyrnaHorton, George
History
The blight of Asia : $b An account of the systematic extermination of Christian populations by Mohammedans and of the culpability of certain great powers; with the true story of the burning of Smyrna
Horton, George
Christians -- Turkey; Fires -- Turkey -- İzmir; Greeks -- Turkey; Turkey; İzmir (Turkey) -- History
“During this time, one of the Turkish students, who had seen
the thing from the college, ran over. While the guns were
pointed at father, he threw himself on the butt ends of the
rifles and beseeched the men not to kill him, that he was a
good man. They then accused this student of being an infidel
and he swore that he was a true Moslem and he was wearing
Khemal’s picture on his arm and also wearing a fez. Sergeant
Crocker had given the order to his men on the roof of the
college not to fire or use their machine guns. Two of the
Marines chased over to help when they saw what was going on.
Sergeant Crocker ordered them to retreat in order to save
Doctor MacLachlan’s and his own life. The Turks placed Doctor
MacLachlan up against a wall and were about to shoot him
when, at the very moment, a young Turkish officer appeared on
horseback and ordered them to desist.”
They obeyed immediately and went away, proving by their immediate
obedience that they were regular troops under good discipline.
The following details concerning the attack on President MacLachlan and
Sergeant Crocker were furnished me by another eye-witness of the scene:
“When the bluejackets in the main building saw the predicament
of their chief and that he was in danger of being ill-treated,
they ran to his rescue. Sergeant Crocker spreading his arms
motioned them backward, saying: ‘Retire! Retire! Don’t shoot!
Retire!’
“This they did, and after they had covered some distance in
this manner, he gave the order: ‘Wheel and run!’
“They obeyed, whereupon the Turkish soldiers opened up a lively
fusillade on the running Marines, and their rifle fire was
so rapid and continual that it reminded me of a machine gun.
Fortunately none of the Americans was hurt.”
The following looting of American property occurred at Paradise, as
described to me by an American lady connected with the college:
“In September, 1922, every American house at Paradise had an
American flag, back and front, and all have been broken into
except two.
“Lately, while the chief of the Turkish army, who had billeted
himself at the president’s house, was eating there with his
band playing on the campus, the Turks looted the dean’s house,
right on the same campus.”
Meanwhile, in the city of Smyrna itself, the hunting and killing of
Armenian men, either by hacking or clubbing or driving out in squads into
the country and shooting, caused an unimaginable panic. There was no
help anywhere in sight. The battle-ships of the Great Powers, including
America, could not interfere for various reasons and there were instances
of persons who had reached them being sent back to the shore.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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