Ed Erickson's Ottomans and Armenians is courageous and provocative. Whether or not one agrees with the author's military-strategic interpretation of the catastrophe which befell Ottoman Armenians in the First World War, it is impossible to ignore the depth of his research and the cogency of his argument. This book is essential reading for anyone wanting to get to the bottom of what really happened in 1915 and why. - Sean McMeekin, Bard College, USA, author of The Berlin-Baghdad Express and The Russian Origins of the First World War
Readers offended by dispassionate analysis of late Ottoman history should avoid this book. Readers who value such analysis or have a serious interest in the history of irregular warfare, however, will find it enlightening, informative, and readable. - Douglas Streusand, Marine Corps University, USA, author of Islamic Gunpowder Empires: Ottomans, Safavids, and Mughals
This carefully researched study provides irrefutable evidence that the sole motive of the Ottoman military command in recommending the 'relocation' of Armenians in 1915 was the threat to the war effort from Armenian insurgent groups mobilized with the support of Russia...This is a truly ground-breaking work, the first treatment of the 'Armenian question' from the perspective of the Ottoman military. Propaganda takes one hit after another from the hard facts fired with deadly precision by the author. Ed Erickson's book changes the discourse permanently, and anyone, historian or general reader, trying to get to the truth of what happened during the First World War should read it. - Jeremy Salt, Bilkent University, Turkey, author of The Unmaking of the Middle East, A History of Western Disorder in Arab Lands
