Lou Ureneck explains how the Turkish assault on Smyrna threatened Armenians in the city as well as migrants trying to enter the city as they fled from their homes outside the city. While the American ambassador showed no interest in supporting the Relief Committee of Americans that was formed in Smyrna, Asa Jennings took charge of rescue and managed to get immigrants, primarily women and children, to Greek ships and safety. The Turkish army had agreed that there were seven days to get the migrants (women, children and elderly) out of the city after they had checked for possessions on the migrants. Jennings working with Powell managed to get thousands of migrants on ships departing from the city. Why was the American ambassador and the U.S. State Department opposed to helping the migrants? Professor Ureneck does not answer this but focuses on rescue work of Jennings and Powell.
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