Citation:
Bryce, James. “Armenian Appeal by Bryce in Full.” The New York Times. October, 10, 1915.
Biography of James Bryce
James Bryce was a significant British advocate for the Armenians during the events leading up to and including the Armenian Genocide. He held various roles in the British government, like Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and Ambassador to the United States. His first trip to Armenia in 1876 led him to write a book called "Transcaucasia and Ararat," where he shared his travel experiences and thoughts on political matters. In 1878, he helped start the Anglo-Armenian Association and visited Armenia again in 1880.
In 1893, Bryce formed a new version of the Anglo-Armenian Association with British parliament member F. Stevenson as the leader. His book "Transcaucasia and Ararat" got a new edition in 1896 that added a chapter discussing the Armenian Question over the last twenty years. During World War I, Bryce spoke out in the British parliament against the Ottoman Empire's actions to eliminate Armenians, and he worked on relief efforts. He also edited a significant book in 1916 by Arnold Toynbee called "Treatment of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire, 1915–1916," which is still a major source for studying the genocide.
Later, in his 1918 article "The Future of Armenia," Bryce talked about the ongoing struggles of Armenians and criticized both the Young Turks and the Kemalists who came after them. He continued to support Armenian causes until he passed away in 1922.