Smyrna, September 1922: One American's Mission to Rescue Victims of the 20th Century's First Genocide

by Lou Ureneck

The Great Fire is the thrilling story of a Methodist Minister and a principled American naval officer who rescued tens of thousands refugees during the Turkish genocide of Armenian and Greek Christians —a tale of bravery, morality, and politics, published to coincide with the genocide’s centennial.

The modern era’s first genocide swept Turkey in the early 20th century. The final episode was the burning of Smyrna, a rich, sophisticated and multicultural city on Turkey’s Aegean coast. The fire created an enormous humanitarian crisis. The world’s great powers refused to intervene on behalf of the city’s residents who, after surviving the fire, were being raped and killed by the Turkish army.
Asa K. Jennings, a minister from upstate New York, stepped forward with an audacious plan. It required the cooperation of the U.S. Navy, which he got through a brave officer, Lt. Commander Halsey Powell, a Kentucky native and hero of WWI.

By turns harrowing and inspiring, The Great Fire uses eyewitness accounts, documents, and survivor narratives to bring this episode—extraordinary for its brutality as well as its heroism—to life.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Historical, War, Biography, Middle East, Unfinished

528 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 12, 2015

About the author

Lou Ureneck is a teacher and writer. He lives in Boston. His first book, "Backcast," won the National Outdoor Book Award for literary merit. He has worked as a reporter and editor at the Providence Journal, the Portland (Maine) Press Herald and the Philadelphia Inquirer. He also has been a merchant seaman and carpenter. Ureneck also was a Nieman fellow and editor-in-residence at Harvard University. He built a cabin in Maine with his brother, Paul, and wrote a book about it called "Cabin." In the book, he tells the story of Paul and him, of the cabin's construction and of his coming to consciousness about his love of nature. His most recent book, The Great Fire, is out in May 2015.

Reviews

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want to go back to every history teacher I've ever had (and as a history major, that's a quite a few), show them this book, and say "Why didn't you tell me?!" I had heard about Ataturk, the father of modern, secular Turkey, the "great uniter"--but I had never heard of how he became that "father." Somehow, every history book I've ever read has conveniently left out the rampant rape and slaughter of Jews, Christians, Greeks, Armenians, and anyone who was not a Muslim Turk, like him. It's easy to unite everyone if they're all just like you.

And, of course, once he's wiped out everyone who isn't just like him, then there's no one left to disagree and he can do whatever he wants, include re-write history to make him the hero. Forget the forced marches of men from sixteen to sixty and raping from girls and women from below and above those ages. Bayonet babies, gut old women, and do it all in the sight of the so-called "Allies," who dare not interfere because they don't want to upset the diplomatic apple cart or interfere with their respective countries' access to oil.

The more things change...

Two people (not one, as the title states) stood in the way, and rescued hundreds of thousands virtually on their own: Asa Jennings, a hunch-backed Methodist missionary from the YMCA, and Halsey Powell, a Naval commander who chose to ignore rank and politics and focus on right and wrong. These are true heroes, who worked tirelessly and against all odds, sometimes against their own organizations, to save as many lives as they could. Tear down Ataturk's statue, and put statues of these men up!

These was a beautifully, masterfully written book, and one I will be buying copies of to distribute among all my friends and family. But be advised before you read it--it is depressing and graphic. You will have to deal with accounts of dead bodies, raped women and children, brutalization in all its forms. Man's inhumanity to man is on display in all its most base, horrific varieties. You will also see bravery, faith, honor, and true compassion and heroism; the most direct confrontation between good and evil. A strong stomach, for this one, is a must, but I guarantee it is worth it in the end.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's kind of weird giving a book that was a bit of a slog 5 stars, but the book earns them. Ureneck takes the horrible events of a short and horrendous time in what is now called Turkey and expands it into incredible detail. The event was the takeover of that land by the Turks and the wholesale slaughter of the Greeks and Armenians. All of the important, and sometimes lesser known people involved are presented to us in great detail. The true heroes of the book - Asa Jennings and Halsey Powell - and the villains are all discussed along with their strengths and weaknesses, their pasts and futures.

This book is not for the the faint of heart or the impatient. The author does not hesitate in telling of the atrocities of this time of genocide, The slaughter is rightly known as the first genocide of the 20th century and is only hinted at today. In fact these events are not to be found in our history books .It is shameful that the events are so downplayed today.

Now, why was the book a slog if it was so interesting? We are told such details as the pastimes of each person their histories and hopes and dreams. It rounds out the individual players and makes them memorable, but it's done in such a way as to distract from the story.

I was very fascinated and quite angry at the actions of Mark Bristol, who for his own reasons chose to overlook the events happening right under his nose. His attitude stood in the way of any action by the United States. This does not take the blame away from the true perpetrators of the crime, but makes him equally culpable and guilty of gross negligence.

[Kenneth]

I wish I had not read Smyrna 1922 during the peaceful holiday period! The suffering, robbery, rape, murder, and immolation of the population by fire of a once great and cosmopolitan city is too much to bear psychologically...one wonders how the few people who saved thousands of survivors could do it even in defiance of their own government's failure to act on behalf of humanity while cozying up to genocidists to secure oil concessions in the Middle East...

[Donna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reality can be horrible. This books relates one especially horrible time in history. Why do we STILL do horrible things to each other because of fear and politics (that we disguise under the name of religion)? Ureneck's book is terrifying on many, many levels.

[Peter Corrigan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very thorough treatment about the aftermath of the Greek defeat in Anatolia in 1922 and the subsequent continuation of the Turkish genocide of Christians (mainly Armenians, later Greeks) that began in 1915. The burning of Smyrna (present day Izmir) and mass murder and deportations of Greeks in September 1922 was the culmination of process of ethno-religous cleansing that has few parallels. It is a harrowing account of the horrific events in across Anatolia and the seaborne evacuation that saved many. The Turkish genocide during these years is of course not so well known (and is denied by Turkey to this day), especially compared to others that have occurred but it ranks up there with the Nazis, Soviet and Chinese Communists, Pol Pot and Hutus. The book shines a brief light on the heroic efforts of Asa K. Jennings, Halsey Powell and few other Americans (in the face of fierce resistance from the highest ranking American in Turkey, Admiral Mark Bristol) and a few British to arrange the evacuation of women (many of them rape victims), children and the old back to Greece. Nearly all the Greek men from age 15 to 50 were forcibly marched back to the interior of Anatolia to be shot or die enroute, in a similar manner to the extinction of 1 to 1.5 million Armenians likewise dispatched in 1915-1918. It's cheaper than building ovens and camps. Thus ended 2,000+ years of Greek presence in Asia Minor. To gain a better understanding of modern Turkey and the megalomaniac Erdogan, running the place today, this book and few others like it ('The Burning Tigris' stands out in my memory) ought to be required reading.

[Γιώτα Παπαδημακοπούλου · Rating 4 out of 5]

Δεν είμαι ιστορικός! Δεν είμαι καν από τους ανθρώπους εκείνους που αγαπάνε την Ιστορία! Όχι τουλάχιστον με την έννοια εκείνη που επιβάλλει, ο ενδιαφερόμενος, να διαβάζει, να μελετάει, να θέλει ν' ανακαλύπτει συνεχώς νέα πράγματα και γεγονότα που μπορεί να μην γνώριζε. Ανήκω στη μερίδα εκείνη του κόσμου που είναι ευχαριστημένος με το να κατέχει στοιχειώδεις γνώσεις και που αν τύχει, δεν θα πει όχι στο να τις εμπλουτίσει, αν και ποτέ δεν θα το επιδιώξει σχολαστικά ο ίδιος. Έτσι, λοιπόν, ίσως ν' απορείτε που επέλεξα να διαβάσω ένα βιβλία σαν τη "Μεγάλη φωτιά". Δεν σας αδικώ! Κι εγώ απορώ με τον εαυτό μου, όμως για κάποιο λόγο, τα βιβλία που βασίζονται σε αληθινές μαρτυρίες, ασκούν μια ιδιαίτερη γοητεία πάνω μου, κάτι που συνέβη και στην προκειμένη περίπτωση.

Θα μπορούσα να μπω στη διαδικασία ν' αναλύσω το βιβλίο αυτό σχολαστικά, διεξοδικά και σε υπερβολικό βαθμό, ωστόσο, δεν θα το κάνω. Πρώτα απ' όλα, θεωρώ πως δεν έχω την απαραίτητη κατάρτιση για κάτι τέτοιο -αλλά και που αν την είχα, μάλλον θα ενδιέφερε μονάχα ακαδημαϊκούς μια ανάλυση τέτοιου τύπου-, και σε δεύτερο επίπεδο, η πραγματικότητα μπορεί να είναι τόσο φρικτή, που μονάχα όσοι έχουν ζήσει την χειρότερη πλευρά της είναι σε θέση να περιγράψουν το πρόσωπο εκείνο που έμελλε να στοιχειώσει τα όνειρα και τους εφιάλτες τους για το υπόλοιπο της ζωής τους. Γιατί, σε τέτοιες μαρτυρίες βασίζεται το βιβλίο του Lou Ureneck, που δεν είναι τίποτα περισσότερο και τίποτα λιγότερο από την άκρως ρεαλιστική αποτύπωση στο χαρτί μιας καταστροφής, που όσα κι αν μαθαίνεις γύρω απ' αυτήν, ποτέ δεν είναι αρκετά.

Αυτή, λοιπόν, είναι η ιστορία του Έισα Τζένινγκς, ενός πάστορα που στην καταστροφή της Σμύρνης, με θάρρος και αυτοθυσία, προστάτεψε και έσωσε τις ζωές εκατοντάδων ανθρώπων, και που μέσα στον όλεθρο και την καταστροφή, όχι μόνο έδειξε το δρόμο προς το μεγαλείο της ανθρώπινης ψυχής, αλλά όρισε και έδωσε νέα ταυτότητα στο τι θα πει ήθος. Μια ιστορία που μπορεί να διαβαστεί ως μυθιστόρημα, ή και ως ένα σκοτεινό παραμύθι, αλλά που τελικά οφείλουμε να την διαβάσουμε ως αυτό που πραγματικά είναι. Μια αληθινή μαρτυρία! Μια αποτύπωση της σκληρής πραγματικότητας που κάποιοι βίωσαν, όχι πολλά χρόνια μακριά από το σήμερα, και που στιγμάτισε την παγκόσμια Ιστορία μια πάντα. Μια περιγραφή του πόσο βίαιοι και εμμονικά καταστροφικοί μπορούμε να είμαστε οι άνθρωποι, με την ελπίδα πάντα να παραμένει ζωντανή στις καρδιές εκείνων που μπορούν να ξεφεύγουν από το σκότος.

[Kealani · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lord have mercy

The horrifying and painful truth, beautifully written. Truth that must be told and retold. Value of lives that must be reaffirmed.

[Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars.

This book looks at the genocide against the Armenians and Greeks in 1922 as the Turks took control of Anatolia (modern day Turkey). The focus is on the city of Smyrna which was set on fire while Turkish soldiers pillaged, beat, raped, and killed the minorities. Eventually, a mass evacuation was allowed and millions of refugees were carried to Greece.

This was a fascinating read. Many of the events are horrifying to think about. But it also offers heroes who rose up to help the oppressed. One of them was clearly motivated by his love for God.

I'm glad I read this.

[Chrissie]

I'd like to read this, despite that I've read many about the Armenia genocide. I have many such books registered on my turkey shelf!

[Leroy Erickson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a tough book to read, as the fact that it took almost a month to finish it shows. As I was reading through so many sections of the book I would get very depressed, angry and frustrated in a way that only a non-fiction book can do. This is the story of what happened in the city of Smyrna in 1922.

The setting is that at the close of World War I, the Ottoman Empire had been defeated. The European powers had assigned themselves portions of the empire to administer, to their own benefits of course. Greece had been awarded a portion of Anatolia on the eastern Aegean coast, wrapping around to the northern Mediterranean coast, all of which had been settled by Greeks for 3000 years. Smyrna is right in the middle of that area. The Ottoman Empire had quit fighting, but its army hadn't. One of the military leaders, Mustafa Kemal, who later renamed himself Ataturk, rallied the army, defied the European occupiers and proceeded to take back control of the country. England and France had no interest in any further fighting. The U.S. didn't want to get involved. Italy actually took advantage of the situation to sell arms to the Turkish army. Ataturk led his army against the Greek army defending their territory. No country helped the Greeks at all, so the Turkish army were able to drive the Greeks back until they had to abandon the entire area of Anatolia. At that point the Turkish army and general population continued what they had been doing since 1915. They attacked the Christians in the country, robbing, raping and killing them. The Christians fled to the coasts, with at least 200,000 to 300,000 of them ending up in Smyrna, and with several hundred thousand others scattered across the Mediterranean, Aegean and Black Sea coasts.

Ureneck describes the situation in Smyrna as the Turkish army entered the city. The Turkish army and the general Turkish population attacked the Armenian and Greek sections of the city. Stores were looted. Private homes were broken into. The women were raped and the men were killed. The remaining Greeks and Armenians had no choice but to grab whatever possessions they could and flee to the harbor of Smyrna and try to get on departing ships. Then, the Turkish army started setting fires, which ended up burning through the Armenian and Greek sections of the city and threatening the people at the harbor.

All of that is the depressing part of the story. The frustration comes in when France and England initially refuse to do anything to help the refugees. The anger comes when the highest U.S. official in the country, in Constantinople, refuses to even recognize that there is a problem. He does everything that he can to keep good relations with the Turks, refusing to allow stories that criticize them to be sent back to the states, reporting through official channels that the Turkish army is doing a good job of maintaining peace in Smyrna, and stating that the departing Greek army had performed horrible atrocities against the Turkish people but that the Turks had not responded and were treating the Greeks and Armenians well.

The main focus of the story is on the actions of two people, Asa Jennings, an American minister, and Halsey Powell, a U.S. Navy Lt. Commander. Jennings, on his own initiative, organized safe houses in the city where refugees could stay, get fed and get medical care. Later, he set out on his own to persuade the Greek government to allow several ships to be used to transport refugees from Smyrna and other locations on the Turkish coast to Greece. He worked in conjunction with Powell, who in some cases went directly against his superior's orders to provide American naval support for the safety of the refugees. Through the work of these two people, several hundred thousand lives were saved.

It's angering, frustrating and depressing, but this book is worth reading.

[Elgin · Rating 5 out of 5]

After WWI, parts of the Ottoman Empire were ceded to Greece. The Greek army moved in and occupied a large part of Anotolia. Turk Nationalists under Mustapha Kemal (Ataturk), pushed the Greek Army back to the Aegean Sea, and at the same time reinstagated the Turkish effort to rid their country of Christians (mainly Armenians and Greeks.) This effort included the elimination, by execution or death marches of almost every Greek or Armenian male of military age, theft, rape, the killing of children, etc. by Turkish soldiers and civilians. The book focuses on the Turkish town of Smyrna, a costal city with large Greek and Armenian populations. As the Greek army fell back, hundreds of thousands of Greek and Armenian people on farms and in small Anatolia villages fled to Smyrna. With hundreds of thousands of refugees crowded into a small space, the Turkish Army and population began a ruthless campaign of terrorism, rape and murder against the trapped Christians. Allied forces (Italian, French, British, and American) were all reluctant to help the refugees, but a small group of American missionaries and YMCA workers organized an effort to feed and protect many of the refugees.

At some point, Smyrna caught (or was set) on fire leading to a mile wide and mile deep inferno that killed many and drove the refugees to the narrow harbor area.

One amazing American missionary, Asa Jennings opened several safe houses in the harbor area where he sheltered hundreds of women and children. Jennings found a Navy Lieutenant Commander, Halsey Powell who was sympathetic to the refugee situation, and the two of them worked to organize Greek merchant ships and American British cooperation to eventually evacuate over one hundred thousand Armenians and Greeks. Jenning and Powell are true heroes, managing a seemingly impossible rescue in the face of Allied reluctance to get involved and empty Turkish promises.

Nonetheless, during the periods before, during, and after WWI the Turkish government directed the slaughter of millions of Christian in an effort to cleanse Anatolia of non-Muslims. Although few are aware of this episode in history, it is considered the first genocide of the twentieth century.

This was an excellent (and very disturbing - for the Turkish atrocities) book. Why the tremendous hate that the Turks felt for the Greeks and Armenians? Unfortunately the book was almost completely focused on the Smyrna story. I wish there had been a few chapters about the events leading up to the intense hatred between the peoples involved.

[Alicea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ureneck clearly feels passionately about this subject. It's evident in his writing and his description of the events which unfolded. He used data from a variety of sources including interviews of family members of those directly involved with the evacuation of the Christian refugees in Smyrna. Going into this, I had absolutely no knowledge of this event and I now feel that I am informed enough to have a discussion about the events of that fall of 1922 (and early spring of 1923). According to the author, the event is mostly unknown to those residents now living in the area (called Izmir now) and the man Asa Jennings has been left out of most published accounts. It's hard to believe (and sometimes not so hard) the level of violence that humans can inflict on one another. I don't think it will ever be possible to truly ascertain the numbers of people which were killed during the massacre described in this book. When will humans stop trying to destroy one another? If you'd like to gain more knowledge about an area of the world that is very relevant in the news these days (I'm talking about Greece, guys) you could give The Great Fire a shot.

[Tim Stafford · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful book, well written, and extremely engrossing. It gracefully illuminates an important and highly relevant bit of history, and also paints some wonderful characters, especially Asa Jennings, the crippled American missionary for the YMCA. Short and with a curved spine, Jennings was treated shabbily by many of his contemporaries, but he ended up the key figure in saving hundreds of thousands of lives. That's inspirational, but the book mainly details the horrifying details of the Turkish decimation of Armenians and Greeks. More than once I thought of ISIS.

[Jeremy Hallum · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a depressing read. The story of the Turkish nationalist occupation of Smyrna (Izmir), and the subsequent massacre and deportation of the Armenian and Greek christian population that remained. The parallels with the current refugee crisis in Syria are not immediately obvious, but they exist and show that indeed, history does repeat itself.

The book also demonstrates that American dependence on oil goes back a century, which is just scary.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Covering a brief yet extremely destructive time frame, The Great Fire delves into the events surrounding the burning of Smyrna, modern day Izmir. A thoroughly researched book highlighting a handful of foreigners and their reaction to the burgeoning numbers of Greek and Armenian refugees and the advancing Turkish army. A difficult read at times due to the brutal actions of the Turkish army.

[Hélène · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an excellent book! Extensively and well researched, fact filled. Unbelievable that so much information from so long ago could be contained between those pages! Lou, I am honored to have met you. Thank you for being so gracious. I would love it if when you offer a guided tour of Smyrna you let us know so we can save up and go along. In a few years maybe?

[Gary · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was very well done. To date, this is the best reference of Asa Jennings that I've come across. Of course, some of the personal reflections are very disturbing (violent), but is to be expected when writing about genocide.

[Stephanie Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't even know about this intense piece of history until I found this book...I'm grateful to the author for spending the time to research and print the story, so that this tragedy is not forgotten.

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read about a period and location I had not read About.

[Jim Blessing · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an excellent book on a largely unknown genocide involving Turkey against the Greeks and Armenians in 1922. Due to the subject matter, the book was difficult to read.

[Noel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very well written book. Fast moving true story of a genocide I knew little about. There’s a reason the original churches Paul started in Asia Minor are no longer in existence today.

[Laini · Rating 5 out of 5]

Back during the 90s, I caught a Rick Steves Travels in Europe show where he went to Turkey and visited various sites in Istanbul- Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque, the market, etc. Also Ephesus and some other places. I was entranced. I bought other books on the subject-- A Fez of the Heart, Turkish Reflections by Mary Lee Settle, and a cookbook or 2. I even began learning Turkish, with an eye to taking a gulet cruise from the company River Odysseys West off the Turkish coast, and seeing many of the places I'd studied in art history.

Then, I met my long distance romance, who eventually became my husband, and my dreams of traveling to Turkey never materialized.

I knew there had been bad feelings between the Greeks and Turks, but I knew nothing about the nitty gritty of any of it. Then, I forget how, I found out about the Armenian genocide. I bought The Burning Tigris by Peter Balakian to find out more, and I was horrified.

Lou Ureneck's Smyrna, September 1922, is an excellent companion piece to Balakian's hugely significant work. I'd had no idea what had happened at Smyrna (now called Izmir). The Great Catastrophe, as the Armenians refer to it, was a horrific mass murder of anyone who wasn't Turkish and Muslim. And if it weren't for the heroic efforts of several men, going behind the back of the US Naval guy in charge, who hated Greeks (Mark Bristol, may he rot in hell), many more thousands would have died.

This is NOT an easy book to read. But it is an important one. The brutality of the Turks to Armenians, Greeks, Assyrians, and other minority groups is stunning.

A handicapped man stationed nearby, Asa Jennings, just a basic functionary of the YMCA, hooked up with one of Bristol's subordinates. He also made connections on a boat headed to Lesbos, and managed to evacuate over 100,000 people from certain death in Anatolia (WHILE the Greek government was experiencing a military coup, yet!). There need to be monuments to Jennings all over the world, and especially where large numbers of Greeks and Armenians have settled. I couldn't imagine doing all he did while in as much pain as he must have been in. Pretty amazing. And the fact that his name is not more well known today is an outrage.

Now, knowing everything I know about Ataturk and what happened in Turkey, the only thing I would feel would be sadness upon visiting.

A stunning, well-written account of a part of history I'm ashamed I'd been unfamiliar with until now.

[Robert L. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a lightweight student of Turkey and her people. I've been to Izmir once ~1999. I have read about Mustafa Kemal and the Turkish Nationalists.

Others here have written good reviews of the book.

For me, it's a good thing that a book's story keeps moving. And that is the case with this book, a story that I looked forward to picking up at the end of the day, my reading time, and continuing. So the story...and the mini-stories within...moved along at a good pace.

Astounding events. We learn much here. And Ureneck's history and telling is so good that it makes me want to learn more. Yes, he gives an afterword to the story, telling what became of the main characters after Smyrna; I was glad the author did that.

From the book, I concluded that indeed Mark Bristol (U.S. Navy and State Dept. representative) had little if any concern for the hundreds of thousands of refugees suffering in Smyrna. Even giving him the benefit of the doubt, it appears he was a high-minded, selfish and prejudiced bully of a sort. But in a few places, I thought Ureneck had a sort of ax to grind with Bristol. Maybe justified.

I'd love to learn more about Halsey Powell...not that Ureneck needed to tell more in this book...my parents both from KY, my brother a graduate of Centre College. Wonder if there's enough material for a book on Powell....?

Anyway, this is a good book. I hope that the sort of soldiers and the sort of thinking that effected the evil (raping, robbing, destroying) to many helpless refugees is not much prevalent in Turkey today. But when I read of the...what seems to me...strong-arm, politically charged, hateful actions of Turkey's 2017 leadership toward journalists, academics, Christians, westerners, I see the same sort of thinking...narrow-minded, racial and religious bigotry. It's complex no doubt. Just my opinion. I hope and think better of the great majority of the Turkish people though.

[Rev Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is important. The Great Fire tells a story that should be told. The people of Smyrna and Turkey who were killed in mass should be remembered and those who committed these atrocities should be condemned. This book is not an easy read. At times it is needlessly long with some details that do little to add to the account and narrative as a whole. It is also heart-wrenching to go over story after story of the abuse of young women. It is also very one-sided. I am certain that any Muslim or Turk would have many problems with the book. It appears to be based on thorough research, so I accept that the vast majority of the terrors as recorded in this book. I believe that they took place and that the Armenians and Greeks in the city were tortured by the Turks. Don't expect a book that looks at this incident with a post-modern view that holds Christians and westerners responsible for every Muslim act of cruelty. Asa Jennings, the real hero of the story, could have been featured more in the earlier portions of the book as he established safe houses during the fires. Maybe there were simply not accounts of his efforts in detail at that time. Great, important read...more people should know this story and honor those who sacrifice their lives for others like Asa.

[Lee Murray Brazos Booksellers · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Bitter but Needful Insight into History

I consider myself fairly well read, but I must admit, this was a shocking bit of history that I was completely unaware of. It was an excellent read, the time line was good, and the switching of viewpoints in order to give simultaneous events treatment was handled very well.

It is almost inconceivable to believe that so many people were brutalized and murdered while the world did almost nothing. The pettiness of the characters involved—concerned more for their own political futures that the lives of innocents—should be shocking, but we are seeing it even today. The courage of those who defied their leadership in order to rescue thousands of refugees stands even brighter against the dark backdrop of political ineptitude.

This is not an easy read, but I think it is a vital read. Rather than stifling the reporting of man’s inhumanity to man, we need to keep it before us or we will see it happen again.

Probably not for early teens, but high school and up should have no difficulty reading this. There are some typos and omitted words in the text, and on occasion it is a bit wordy.
It’s a great and necessary read.

[Owen Otto · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m sad to rate this book 3 stars because I believe there’s a 5 star book buried inside it. The author uncovered a great story and characters to focus on in telling the tale of the destruction of Smyrna. I definitely gained deep insight into the historical moment. The issue is that the research was so impeccably done that the author obviously fell in love with all his amazing findings and had trouble leaving anything out. The result is a meandering journey through dozens and dozens of characters—complete with backstory and interesting little personal details—50% of which don’t advance the narrative at all. I lost track of who was who and the order of events became a jumbled junk drawer in my mind. I quit reading the book 2 or 3 times before finally picking it up again and getting to the eventual interesting rescue story in the last 100 or so pages. Overall, I’m glad to have read it, but with better editing it could have been a masterpiece.

[Teoman Celkan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ureneck draws from the reports, letters and diaries of US naval and consular officers, and declassified diplomatic cables to create this narrative of the Smyrna fire of 1922 and its aftermath. The fire reduced to ashes the Greek and Armenian quarters of the richest and most cosmopolitan city in the Ottoman Empire, days after the city’s fall to the army of the Turkish nationalists. The slaughter, rape and robbery that followed would end with deportation of the refugees, the last chapter in an almost 10 year campaign of ethnic cleansing against the Christian minorities. The events contain lessons about modern day conflicts between the West and Islam, and US oil diplomacy of looking the other way when middle eastern countries create humanitarian disasters, in the name of protecting strategic national interests.

[Shaheryar · Rating 3 out of 5]

A well narrated historical rundown of the events that led to Turkey' nationalist's conquest of the city of Smyrna and the systemic killing if it's citizen. This is not a book for the weak. The book gives a chilling account on how war was fought and won, highlighted the deep hatred between the Turks and Greeks that has been in the making for centuries from Byzantine to the Ottoman. It gives deep insights to the lifestyle of people in that region during that era, the conquest and subsequent fire at Smyrna and the operation to rescue thousands of refugees from death. Good read but repetitive on many areas.

[Avid Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read!!!
Very well documented, shows what really happened back there despite the efforts (in vain) of "modern Turks" and their politically correct friends to show an alternate "truth" that would serve them better.
Apart from that it is an honour to the people who fought using whatever means they had at the time, to save as many innocent people as possible.
I have to admit that it corrected my false impressions on the role of the Americans and the English during the events described so vividly in the book.
My congratulations to the author for the choice of subject, the research, the presentation and the merit he gives to unknown heroes of the tragedy.

[Viewpoints Radio · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lou Ureneck tells the epic story of one man who saved a million people during the Turkish Genocide of Armenian Christians in 1922. Through this story, we learn the power of perseverance and unshakable compassion through Asa Jennings, the unsung hero of this book. We had the chance to speak with author Lou Ureneck about Jennings on our weekly radio show Viewpoints Radio. If you would like to hear the full story and the interview with the author, check out this link! https://viewpointsradio.wordpress.com...