REMORSE OF OTTOMAN OFFICER
News.am
21:24 / 08/14/2009
A lot has been said about tragedies throughout Armenian history. There
were many witnesses and participants of Armenian Genocide, and
Rafael de Nogales Mendes (Venezuelan mercenary of Ottoman army)
was one of them. His "The Four Days Beneath the Crescent" book about
atrocities of Ottoman Empire was published in the 1920s. It is one
of the most incredible accounts of World War I by a former officer
of the Ottoman Army.
As Nogales’ attempts to join the Entente Army failed, he was recruited
in Turkish Army. He participated in the siege of Van and Bitlis cities
and regrets he caused considerable damage.
Later, the Armenian issue deeply impacted him. Civilian population
mass destructions stirred remorse and were haunting him at nights.
The memoirs that he brings in his book matter a lot, as they are
invaluable witness and insights into Armenian Genocide of 1915.