Harbord Commission
Encyclopedia
The Harbord Commission was a U.S. political commission tasked with studying the relationship between the United States and Armenia following World War I
.
In 1919 President Woodrow Wilson sent two missions to the Near East to gather information on issues relating to the future of the region in the immediate aftermath of World War I
. One group, later known as the "King-Crane Commission
", was civilian, centered on Istanbul
(Constantinople), and tasked to interview community leaders and representatives of the Ottoman government. In August 1919, a second group, the "American Military Mission to Armenia" was sent out to travel to the centre of Anatolia
and then to Armenia
. It was headed by Major General James G. Harbord. Secretary of State Robert Lansing instructed Harbord to "investigate and report on the political, military, geographic, administrative, economic, and such other considerations involved in possible American interests and responsibilities in the region."
The fifty-member mission arrived in Istanbul
(Constantinople) at the beginning of September 1919, and then traveled for 30 days: by train to Adana, Aleppo
, and Mardin
, then by motor car to Diyarbakir
, Harput, Malatya
, Sivas, Erzincan
, Erzurum
, Kars
, Etchmiadzin, Erivan and, finally, Tiflis. A side-expedition left the main party at Sivas in order to investigate conditions at Marsovan, Samsun, and along the Black Sea coast as far as Trebizond. For information on the important vilayets of Bitlis and Van, General Harbord relied on information provided in the Niles and Sutherland Report
.
The Harbord report also indicated that the Turkish population was far more numerous than the Armenians, following the massacres and deportations of the Armenian population in Eastern Anatolia. Harbord's report stated that "the temptation to reprisals for past wrongs" would make it extremely difficult to maintain peace in the region. The final conclusion of the report was the inclusion of Armenia in the possible American mandate for Asia Minor and Rumelia since a mandate for Armenia alone was not deemed feasible under these conditions.
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
In 1919 President Woodrow Wilson sent two missions to the Near East to gather information on issues relating to the future of the region in the immediate aftermath of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. One group, later known as the "King-Crane Commission
King-Crane Commission
The King-Crane Commission was an official investigation by the United States government during the summer of 1919 concerning the disposition of non-Turkish areas within the former Ottoman Empire...
", was civilian, centered on Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
(Constantinople), and tasked to interview community leaders and representatives of the Ottoman government. In August 1919, a second group, the "American Military Mission to Armenia" was sent out to travel to the centre of Anatolia
Anatolia
Anatolia is a geographic and historical term denoting the westernmost protrusion of Asia, comprising the majority of the Republic of Turkey...
and then to Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
. It was headed by Major General James G. Harbord. Secretary of State Robert Lansing instructed Harbord to "investigate and report on the political, military, geographic, administrative, economic, and such other considerations involved in possible American interests and responsibilities in the region."
The fifty-member mission arrived in Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
(Constantinople) at the beginning of September 1919, and then traveled for 30 days: by train to Adana, Aleppo
Aleppo
Aleppo is the largest city in Syria and the capital of Aleppo Governorate, the most populous Syrian governorate. With an official population of 2,301,570 , expanding to over 2.5 million in the metropolitan area, it is also one of the largest cities in the Levant...
, and Mardin
Mardin
Mardin is a city in southeastern Turkey. The capital of Mardin Province, it is known for its Arabic-like architecture, and for its strategic location on a rocky mountain overlooking the plains of northern Syria.-History:...
, then by motor car to Diyarbakir
Diyarbakir
Diyarbakır is one of the largest cities in southeastern Turkey...
, Harput, Malatya
Malatya
Malatya ) is a city in southeastern Turkey and the capital of its eponymous province.-Overview:The city site has been occupied for thousands of years. The Assyrians called the city Meliddu. Following Roman expansion into the east, the city was renamed in Latin as Melitene...
, Sivas, Erzincan
Erzincan
-Trivia:Erzincan has the largest man made of Portrait of Atatürk, located north of the city, 176m×43m. It covers 7,500 square meter. Turkish Army made it 1982, in 29 days by 3,000 soldier, 100 tons of black and white paint was used...
, Erzurum
Erzurum
Erzurum is a city in Turkey. It is the largest city, the capital of Erzurum Province. The city is situated 1757 meters above sea level. Erzurum had a population of 361,235 in the 2000 census. .Erzurum, known as "The Rock" in NATO code, served as NATO's southeastern-most air force post during the...
, Kars
Kars
Kars is a city in northeast Turkey and the capital of Kars Province. The population of the city is 73,826 as of 2010.-Etymology:As Chorzene, the town appears in Roman historiography as part of ancient Armenia...
, Etchmiadzin, Erivan and, finally, Tiflis. A side-expedition left the main party at Sivas in order to investigate conditions at Marsovan, Samsun, and along the Black Sea coast as far as Trebizond. For information on the important vilayets of Bitlis and Van, General Harbord relied on information provided in the Niles and Sutherland Report
Niles and Sutherland Report
The Niles and Sutherland Report was a report commissioned by the United States Congress in 1919 to investigate conditions in the Ottoman Empire's eastern provinces in the aftermath of World War I, and to assess what sort of aid was needed and whether that aid could be provided by the American...
.
The Harbord report also indicated that the Turkish population was far more numerous than the Armenians, following the massacres and deportations of the Armenian population in Eastern Anatolia. Harbord's report stated that "the temptation to reprisals for past wrongs" would make it extremely difficult to maintain peace in the region. The final conclusion of the report was the inclusion of Armenia in the possible American mandate for Asia Minor and Rumelia since a mandate for Armenia alone was not deemed feasible under these conditions.