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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. How many Armenian soldiers defended their country when half a million Persian soldiers invaded in the fifth century?

2. Why was Dr. Reyhadi refused admittance into the Balakian's country club?

3. When did the deportations of Armenians into the Syrian desert begin?

4. In what decade did Abdul Hamid massacre Armenians?

5. In what year was Morgenthau appointed ambassador to Turkey?

Short Essay Questions

1. How did the atmosphere of Syria differ from that of Lebanon when Balakian visited in 2005?

2. How does genocide denial affect the survivors and their descendants?

3. Why was Balakian surprised the Syrian government suppressed published works about the Armenian genocide?

4. How has Turkey's denial of the genocide affected its development as a modern nation?

5. Why were the orders for deportation of all Armenians into the Syrian desert the equivalent of a death sentence?

6. Why did Balakian question his failure to ask questions as a child when he saw the names of the dead listed on his grandmother's compensation documents?

7. Why was Balakian so affected by his visit to Aleppo, Syria?

8. According to Aunt Gladys, why did the Armenians in America never talk about the genocide?

9. What was the deeper significance of the 500 pairs of shoes stolen by the Turks from Balakian's grandfather?

10. How has the Turkish government used its influence to prevent honest discussion of the Armenian genocide over the years?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

At least some of Balakian's relatives would appear to have suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of their sufferings. Nafina, in particular, seemed to suffer as evidenced by her breakdown when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. How did her suppression of her memories affect her over the long term? Had she been more open about the genocide, would she have been spared the breakdown in 1941? Why did she continue to suppress the memories after recovering from the breakdown? Can this suppression ever be healthy or does it inevitably lead to PTSD? Would the survivors of the Armenian genocide have had a different post-war experience if the genocide had occurred after PTSD became a well-known malady?

Essay Topic 2

Balakian's grandfather Diran was a physician who served during the genocide and was required at times to treat Turkish soldiers. He did so knowing that many of these soldiers were likely to return to the front to kill more Armenians. Write an essay exploring how he was able to deal with this situation. Did knowing what these men were doing impact his ability to follow the Hippocratic Oath? Why did he treat the Turkish soldiers?

Essay Topic 3

Prior to beginning the genocide of the Armenians, the Turkish government conducted a campaign of propaganda against the Armenian people and other Christians. How does the dehumanization of other people make it easier to kill them? How did the long-term treatment of Christian minorities in the Ottoman Empire pave the way for the eventual extermination of a race? Would it have been possible for the Turks to have carried out the genocide if conditions had been different over the years?

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