Armenians attacked us while we were engaged in a foreign war, that we Turks would hit back and that we would hit back indiscriminately."
Enver always resented any suggestion that American missionaries or other friends of the Armenians should go to help or comfort them.
"They show altogether too much sympathy for them," he said over and over again.
I had suggested that particular Americans should go to Tarsus and Marsovan.
"If they should go there, I am afraid that the local people in those cities would become angry and they would be inclined to start some disturbance which might create an incident. It is better for the Armenians themselves, therefore, that the American missionaries should keep away from them."
"But you are ruining the country economically," I said at another time, making the same point that I had made to Talaat. And he answered it in almost the same words, thus showing that the subject had been completely canvassed by the ruling powers.
"Economic considerations are of no importance at this time. The only important thing is to win. That's the only thing we have on our mind. If we win, everything will be all right; if we lose, everything will be all wrong anyhow. Our situation is desperate, I admit it, and we are fighting as desperate men fight. We are not going to let the Armenians attack us in the rear."
The question of relief to the starving Armenians became every week a more pressing one, but Enver still insisted that Americans should keep away from the Armenian provinces.
"How can we furnish bread to the Armenians,"
