VOA慢速英语2015 Did an Armenian Army Officer Fight in Gallipoli Battle?

AS IT IS 2015-04-23 Did an Armenian Army Officer Fight in Gallipoli Battle?

Friday, Turkey marks the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Gallipoli in World War I. The battle was a major military campaign. The Ottoman Turks defeated a British-led invasion, but later lost the war.

Also on Friday, Armenians around the world will mark 100 years since the killings¹ of large numbers of Armenians by the Ottomans. Armenians use the word “genocide” to describe the killings. But Turkey argues that the number of deaths is overstated. And it says those who were killed died during a civil war.

The events of a century ago are captured in the story of a Turkish Armenian army officer. The publication of his recollections of the Battle of Gallipoli has fueled debate in Turkey.

The officer was named Sarkis Torossian. His story explores many subjects considered taboo² or largely ignored in Ottoman history. In other words, Turks refuse to talk about them today.

In the early 20th century, Captain Torossian was recognized for his work in the army of the Ottoman Empire. Yet his mother and sisters died when the Ottoman government forced large numbers of Armenians from their homes. Armenians and others have used the word genocide to describe this mass expulsion. But the Turkish government strongly rejects this description.

Ayhan Aktar is a professor at Bilgi University in Istanbul. He says the most troubling part of Captain Torossian’s story is that he fought at the Battle of Gallipoli. He says the story disputes Turkey’s official version of events, which says only Turks fought at Gallipoli. He notes it is also in conflict with the latest Islamic explanation of the battle.

“When you form a Turkish republic based upon ethnic³ nationalism, then you try to rewrite history. In the last 15 years, a kind of Islamic narrative⁴ started. They started to talk about the kind of ‘saints’ are coming from the sky, protecting the glorious Islamic army against the infidel. You know, in both narratives⁵ -- in the Turkish narrative and the Islamic narrative -- poor Captain Torossian is persona non grata. He does not have any place. He is not Turk to take place in the Turkish narrative, and he is not a Muslim. He is Christian⁶ and therefore he does not fit to the Islamic narrative.”

Professor Aktar says publishers were persuaded to produce the book in Turkey because of the importance of Captain Torossian’s story. He says he knew the memoirs⁷ would create a debate. But he says he was surprised when Turkish nationalists, Islamists and even the army joined to attack it.

“I was not expecting such a debate. I was not expecting such a fury. They told me that I was na?ve, I was cheated by the text, and they tried to discredit⁸ the book, saying that this guy is a systematic⁹ liar¹⁰. When the Torossian debate started, (the) Turkish chief of staff made an official declaration, saying that there was no officer called Sarkis Torossian on the Gallipoli front in 1915.”

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has admitted the truth of the story. Mr. Erdogan made note of it in a message to Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan. Mr. Erdogan wanted to persuade the Armenian leader to attend the Gallipoli anniversary observances. But the offer was refused.

Professor Aktar says the debate over the book has created a worrying atmosphere for Turkey’s small Armenian minority.

“An Armenian Facebook friend wrote me a personal message, saying that my grandfather, Hacik Bey, was wounded at Gallipoli. I wrote to him saying can I use this account? He said please do so, but don’t give my name. I mean, this upsurge of nationalism against an Armenian officer who fought in the army created a kind of uneasy feeling in an ordinary Turkish-Amernian citizen, who is still having the trauma¹¹ of genocide and I never forgive this.”

He says the book has opened the way for other recollections of Armenian officers who fought at Gallipoli to become known.

“This debate on Captain Torossian initiated¹² another upsurge of research about who were these officers in the Ottoman Army. Actually, I am very proud of it. While we are commemorating¹³ a battle of resistance or heroism¹⁴, we should never forget the ones who are fighting with us. This is very important and we should pay respect.”

Many Turks question the involvement and even the presence of Armenian officers in the Ottoman army at the Battle of Gallipoli. But observers say the debate about the book and the publishing of similar stories mean another historical taboo has been tested and is now being discussed.

Words in This Story

recollections – n. the act of remembering something from the past

taboo – n. something that is unacceptable to talk about or do; adj. not acceptable to talk about or do

persona non grata – adj. unwelcome or unacceptable

memoirs – n. writings in which someone describes past experiences

1 killings   

谋杀( killing的名词复数 )； 突然发大财，暴发

参考例句：

• His statement was seen as an allusion to the recent drug-related killings. 他的声明被视为暗指最近与毒品有关的多起凶杀案。
• The government issued a statement condemning the killings. 政府发表声明谴责这些凶杀事件。

2 taboo   

n.禁忌，禁止接近，禁止使用；adj.禁忌的；v.禁忌，禁制，禁止

参考例句：

• The rude words are taboo in ordinary conversation.这些粗野的字眼在日常谈话中是禁忌的。
• Is there a taboo against sex before marriage in your society?在你们的社会里，婚前的性行为犯禁吗？

3 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

4 narrative   

n.叙述，故事；adj.叙事的，故事体的

参考例句：

• He was a writer of great narrative power.他是一位颇有记述能力的作家。
• Neither author was very strong on narrative.两个作者都不是很善于讲故事。

5 narratives   

记叙文( narrative的名词复数 )； 故事； 叙述； 叙述部分

参考例句：

• Marriage, which has been the bourne of so many narratives, is still a great beginning. 结婚一向是许多小说的终点，然而也是一个伟大的开始。
• This is one of the narratives that children are fond of. 这是孩子们喜欢的故事之一。

6 Christian   

adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒

参考例句：

• They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

7 memoirs   

n.回忆录；回忆录传( mem,自oir的名词复数)

参考例句：

• Her memoirs were ghostwritten. 她的回忆录是由别人代写的。
• I watched a trailer for the screenplay of his memoirs. 我看过以他的回忆录改编成电影的预告片。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 discredit   

vt.使不可置信；n.丧失信义；不信，怀疑

参考例句：

• Their behaviour has bought discredit on English football.他们的行为败坏了英国足球运动的声誉。
• They no longer try to discredit the technology itself.他们不再试图怀疑这种技术本身。

9 systematic   

adj.有系统的，有计划的，有方法的

参考例句：

• The way he works isn't very systematic.他的工作不是很有条理。
• The teacher made a systematic work of teaching.这个教师进行系统的教学工作。

10 liar   

n.说谎的人

参考例句：

• I know you for a thief and a liar!我算认识你了，一个又偷又骗的家伙！
• She was wrongly labelled a liar.她被错误地扣上说谎者的帽子。

11 trauma   

n.外伤，精神创伤

参考例句：

• Counselling is helping him work through this trauma.心理辅导正帮助他面对痛苦。
• The phobia may have its root in a childhood trauma.恐惧症可能源于童年时期的创伤。

12 initiated   

n. 创始人 adj. 新加入的 vt. 开始，创始，启蒙，介绍加入

参考例句：

• He has not yet been thoroughly initiated into the mysteries of computers. 他对计算机的奥秘尚未入门。
• The artist initiated the girl into the art world in France. 这个艺术家介绍这个女孩加入巴黎艺术界。

13 commemorating   

v.纪念，庆祝( commemorate的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• He was presented with a scroll commemorating his achievements. 他被授予一幅卷轴，以表彰其所做出的成就。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The post office issued a series commemorating famous American entertainers. 邮局发行了一个纪念美国著名演艺人员的系列邮票。 来自互联网

14 heroism   

n.大无畏精神，英勇

参考例句：

• He received a medal for his heroism.他由于英勇而获得一枚奖章。
• Stories of his heroism resounded through the country.他的英雄故事传遍全国。