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184 M E S U T U Y A R

.frustration of the His superiors did not appreciate some of his actionsand masionally asked him not to d d with I d oliticsV2

His next assignment was Turkey. We do not know the exact date of hisarrival to Istanbul but it must be at the end of May 1919. He immediatelyk g a n working. He talked with representatives of various interest groups,opinion maken and knowledgeable individuals. He wrote down most of hisactivities in his diary but unfortunately he did not write his deafings withAdmiral Bristol and other American diplomats and intelligence officers. Hisdealings with fellow Entente officials were alw not dear. H e also refrainedfrom putting into writing some sensitive information he had gathered. Fromhis entries we understand that he put special emphasis on his conversationswith Turkish intellectuals who were eagerly seeking an American mandate.Halide Edib, Cami, Regid Sadi and Hawn Ahf explained their vision of anAmerican mandate and their frustrations with the occupation of fmir and theensuing Greek atrocities. Halide Edib additionally- gave information about theNational Defence (Miidafaa-i MilliyelKuvva-i Milliye) movement. Accordingto her a national army was being formed in the Anatolian interior ready to deaIwith occuption.3

Furlong visitsd Bursa in order to talk with Sheikh Seyid A b e d Senusion July 7 and 8. Sheikh Senusi expressed his regret ta fight against Britain

because of the Italian oxupation of Libya. He presented a letter to Furlong forhim to deliver to W~ison. According to Senusi, Wilson raised the hopes of thesmall nations: "I have seen the 14 points that you favorably pointed out forthe benefit of nations which have raised a hope for the weak nations and havecaused them to look to you with patience for assistance". Senusi voiced thesufferings of Libyans under Italian occupation. He was asking American helpto build an independent Libya. If Wilson found independence not suitable hewas proposing three possible solutions: an American mandate, Leagueof Nations supervision or governance under Egypt, n short myhng except

Furlong provided several petitions written by tht local dignitaries including the Nihhi tchm E ) MonbNegrin guerrilla l edem xe. 'To he Apostle of Humanity Mr. Wilson M d e n tof he Unittd S t a h of Amwica", CWF-HA, Box w: 8,"Fmm W~lliam hepherd to President Wilmn", M a y 12,1919, (d.) rthur S. Link, The Pupmsof W h m v Wilson,Lol.59, Princeton: Princeton University Press, 198X), (here &er PTYW).p-From J d m ClwIea F to Cary T w m Crraysw", May 13,1919. W , p. 119-120

"From Jobn Charles Frhmnt to Cary Travera Gramn , M a y 17,1919, WW ,pp. 241-242.'Wsmge to Major Furlong", May 23,1919, W-HL4, Box no: 2, Folder ID: Bristol.Turkish intellectuals' d a t e roject can be summarized in the words of IEaum Aof as;

"We want o d n e r o take the rnaodrttt for a certain F I erid ... Eighty pwcwt ofTurks favor America A mandate over all Turkey n& over a few dayeta." C h a r h W. FurlongPapers, Unive r s i~ f Oregon Library @ 8 ~ i a l ollectbmAx. 698 (herc after CWF-UOL),Boxno: 6, Noteboola 1898-1958,1919 o: 9.

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M E S U T U Y A R

From my recent investigation in Asia Minor cannot help feeling ourposition on Turkey as reported colossal blunder. For Armenia's sake as wellas justice to Turkey cannot note be rescinded and Turkey's faith in usfrsfrce fAmerica be retained before lost. If this not done no alternative but war leftTurkey with possible terrible consequences to not only Armenians andGreeks possibly to American missionaries and relief workers but startingperhaps the spark which will again set the world d a m e . '

Furlong was very sure hat Turkey and Turks are k i n g treated unfairlydue to the vicious black propaganda by minority groups and missionaries:

I feel that through the avalanche of unfair propaganda so persistentlylaunched by Greek, Armenian, Jew, material interests, as well as by well-meaning but misinformed or prejudiced ministers and priests of gmpel andugeh;-UQ&&g ~ % , & Q A ~ ~ T * * , u L ~be cruelly lending my own hand to unjust persecution were 1 to withhold myvoice and information at this time?

During his visit to Turkey he witnessed this propaganda and thepowerlessness of Turks to make known the amit ies committed against them:

Telegrams speaking of impending Turkish massacres which neveroccurred were constantly sent in by Greeks, in particdar, from the coasttowns of Asia Minor an d relaid [relayed] by Greek propagandists out of thecountry. while the Turka side or protests were so censor-controlled that hecould not make his voice heard to the peoples of Europe and America,although our press has lent itself against the Turks in this country.Likewise. the officer acting as military attachd in Constantinople, althougha g~aduate of West Point, was an Armenian. It is h d y o be supposal that,honest as I believe him to be, his reports muld be impartiaL3

Furlong later began to report the crimes and atrocities that unfairlywere inflicted on to Turks and of which the American administration andpublic did not know. He initially wrote about crimes and assaults againstTurks in Istanbul such as commandeering houses and looting, defiling Turkishwomen by trying to show them as prostitutes, making fun of sacred Islamicsymbds and beliefs to anger Turks and more i m p o r t a n k t h e expulsion

"From Charles W. Furlong to President Wilson", A p d 4, 1920,Blan F m i l y Archive.For theother copy of the same letter see C W F - U O L , Box no: 9, Correspondence, no: 31 Wilson,Woodrow. Furlong sent this letter to Wilson with the help of Admiral William Cary Grayson.&g CWF-UOL, ox no: 9, Comspn dence, no: 3 1 Wilson, W*.

Ibid.Ibid. ~ u r l o n ~as referring to Major Haig Sheke ian (18M-1966) ho played an important

role during his duty in Turkey and the Cauwus. He was one of the most important officem inthe Harbord Military Mission. See Who's Who: Members of the Mission, HMiM4, 184.0211101.From Mc Coy to Maj. Shekerjian, 8 September 1919, HMMA, 184.0211248, From Lt. Col.Jackson to General Harbord, 7 October 1919, H W , 84.0211317.

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