Asa Jennings - Revision history

Roger Jennings at 02:54, February 27, 2012

2012-02-27T02:54:19Z

Irlandos at 09:10, January 3, 2011

2011-01-03T09:10:07Z

Irlandos: New page: '''Asa K. Jennings''' was an American Methodist minister, from New York, who played a very big part in the evacuation of over 300,000 Greeks in Smyrna during the [[Asia Minor disaster]...

2010-03-29T15:48:47Z

New page: '''Asa K. Jennings''' was an American Methodist minister, from New York, who played a very big part in the evacuation of over 300,000 Greeks in Smyrna during the [[Asia Minor disaster]...

New page

'''Asa K. Jennings''' was an American Methodist minister, from New York, who played a very big part in the evacuation of over 300,000 Greeks in [[Smyrna]] during the [[Asia Minor disaster]].

Jennings was born on [[September 20]], [[1877]]. He had been working with the YMCA in [[Smyrna]], [[Asia Minor]] when the forces of Kemal Ataturk entered the city on [[September 9]], [[1922]]. In the next few days, Greeks, Armenians and other Christians living in the city were subjected to atrocities by the Turkish troops. On [[September 13]], 3/4 of the city was burned down and the Smyrniots - plus thousands of other Greek refugees from the hinterland of [[Asia Minor]] - were forced to camp out on the quay of the once-bustling city. There were several allied war ships in the harbour but none would take anyone aboard. Captains, claiming neutrality, went so far as to have scalding water poured on anyone swimming near their ships. Western governments were contented to evacuate their own nationals while the Greek government would not sent ships fearing they would be seized by the Turks.

It was in this backdrop that Jennings decided to act: he met with Kemal Pasha (later known as Ataturk) and worked out the terms for the evacuation of the refugees. Jennings then returned to the port, and was provided with a boat and coxswain by the U.S. Navy to visit ships in the harbour. After many refusals, he managed to bribe the captain of an Italian ship to take some refugees aboard and land them in [[Mytilene]]. There he found anchored the Greek ships that had evacuated the Greek army just days before. He then convinced, after much effort, the Greek government to let him take charge of these ships in order to evacuate the people of Smyrna. Thus, he took charge of 26 Greek ships - flying the US flag - which evacuated from Smyrna's quay nearly 300,000 refugees.

Jennings' efforts were soon expanded to include Greeks fleeing from Cesme and [[Ayvali]]. His initial fleet of 26 ships eventually grew to 55. In appreciation of his efforts, Greece awarded him several medals and citations.

Jennings died on [[January 27]], [[1933]].

[[Category:1877 births|Jennings, Asa]]
[[Category:1933 deaths|Jennings, Asa]]
[[Category:History of Anatolia|Jennings, Asa]]

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-'''Asa K. Jennings''' was an American Methodist minister, from New York, who played a very big part in the evacuation of over 300,000 Greeks in [[Smyrna]] during the [[Asia Minor disaster]].
+'''Asa K. Jennings''' was an employee of the International YMCA.  Previously, he was a Methodist minister from Upstate New York.   He was credited with saving 300,000 Greeks and 50,000 Armenians and Jews in 11 days in [[Smyrna]] during the [[Asia Minor disaster]].  He had acquired 26 Greek ships by blackmailing the Greek Prime Minister and his Cabinet.  After all the refugees had been removed from Smyrna, Jennings got permission from the Turkish Government to remove all non-Muslims from Turkey.  The Greek Government, which had changed due to a coup of King Constantine I during the rescue, increased the fleet to 55 ships which Jennings controlled for almost a year.  His All Holiness Meletios Metaxakis credited Jennings with saving 1,250,000 people and in December 1922 decorated Jennings with the Golden Cross of Saint Xavier while the Greek Government conferred the Medal of Military Merit.  This was the first time in Greek history both medals were awarded at the same time.
-Jennings was born on [[September 20]], [[1877]]. He had been working with the YMCA in [[Smyrna]], [[Asia Minor]] when the forces of Kemal Ataturk entered the city on [[September 9]], [[1922]]. In the next few days, Greeks, Armenians and other Christians living in the city were subjected to atrocities by the Turkish troops. On [[September 13]], 3/4 of the city was burned down and the Smyrniots - plus thousands of other Greek refugees from the hinterland of [[Asia Minor]] - were forced to camp out on the quay of the once-bustling city. There were several allied war ships in the harbour but none would take anyone aboard. Captains, claiming neutrality, went so far as to have scalding water poured on anyone swimming near their ships. Western governments were contented to evacuate their own nationals while the Greek government would not send ships fearing they would be seized by the Turks.
+Jennings was born on [[September 20]], [[1877]]. He had been working with the YMCA for only two weeks in [[Smyrna]], [[Asia Minor]] when the forces of Kemal Ataturk defeated the Greek Army on August 30, 1922.  The Greek troops retreated to the port of Smyrna along with the civilians who feared the Turks.  The Turkish Army entered the city peacefully on [[September 9]], [[1922]] after some 350,000 people were trapped between the sea and City.  People gave flowers to the Turkish Calvary, and there was peace until an Armenian threw a bomb at the Turkish officer.  The officer lost sight in one eye, and his troops then went after Armenians killing them.  These troops had witnessed the killing, destruction and rape by the retreating Greek soldiers, and were incensed.  . In the next few days, Greeks, Armenians and other Christians living in the city were subjected to atrocities by the undisciplined Turkish shock troops who preceded the regular Turkish Army.  Greek Archbishop Chrysostomos was stripped bare and murdered.  The U.S. Navy had at most 2 destroyers in port at one time with some 210 sailors aboard.  The sailors who were greatly outnumbered and out gunned patrolled the City to protect civilian life.  At night, the destroyers used their spot lights trained over the refugees to reduce the number of crimes being committed.   On [[September 13]], 3/4 of the city was burned down and the Smyrniots - plus thousands of other Greek refugees from the hinterland of [[Asia Minor]] - who were pressed body to body on the quay of the once-bustling city. There were several allied war ships in the harbour, including U.S., U.K. and others but they did not have room for the thousands of refugees aboard.  Jennings had formed the American Relief Committee at the beginning of the crisis.  The Committee members were from the International College, Standard Oil and other American interests.  They gathered flour and fuel to make bread, plus gathered orphans and helpless single women.  Wealthy Greeks who could buy passage out of the City gave their houses to Jennings who then had 500 women in one house being used as a maternity ward.  Other women were in other houses.  There was no room for 2000 orphan children.  So they were on the street in front of one of these houses guarded by the U.S. Navy.  The orphans were removed from Smyrna on U.S. destroyers that shuttled to Istanbul where they loaded with flour which was a gift from Near East Relief, an organization established to help the Armenians.  The senior U.S. diplomat was George Horton, a friend of Greece who had married a Greek woman.  Horton attended meetings of the American Relief Committee and was repeatedly asked by Jennings to intercede with the Turks on behalf of the Greeks, but the notes from those meetings show Horton's response was always the same..."bring the subject up at the next meeting."  Horton did nothing for the Greeks.  The Greek government would not send ships fearing they would be seized by the Turks.
-It was in this backdrop that Jennings decided to act: he met with Kemal Pasha (later known as Ataturk) and worked out the terms for the evacuation of the refugees. Jennings then returned to the port, and was provided with a boat and coxswain by the U.S. Navy to visit ships in the harbour. After many refusals, he managed to bribe the captain of an Italian ship to take some refugees aboard and land them in [[Mytilene]]. There he found anchored the Greek ships that had evacuated the Greek army just days before. He then convinced, after much effort, the Greek government to let him take charge of these ships in order to evacuate the people of Smyrna. Thus, he took charge of 26 Greek ships - flying the US flag - which evacuated from Smyrna's quay nearly 300,000 refugees.
+ Jennings was provided with a boat and coxswain by the U.S. Navy to visit ships in the harbour. The Captain of the French ship Pierre Loti refused to  take any refuges even though he had an empty ship, because he did not want to get involved.  Jennings then went to the Italian ship Constantinople.  The Captain agreed to take 2000 refugees, but demanded a bribe.  Jennings agreed, paid the bribe and loaded the 2000 people.  The Captain then reneghed on his promise, and demanded more money. Jennings settled the dispute by going on the ship to Mytilene] where it would be his responsibility to get the people off the ship with the approval of the local authorities.  There he found anchored the Greek ships that had evacuated the Greek army just days before. Jennings went to the Greek General in charge, Frangos, and requested the ships saying Kemal had approved and the U.S. Navy had promised protection for the Greek ships.  General Frangos refused repeatedly.  Jennings did not know that Frangos was part of a group of officers planning to overthrow King Constantine I, and the General needed the ships for the coup.  Power was more important than saving 300,000 Greek lives.  Then Jennings saw the Greek battleship (the former USS Mississippi that the U.S. had given to Greece) coming into the harbor.  Jennings approached Captain I. Theofanides requesting help.  The Captain was lower rank than the General who had refused, but nevertheless agreed to help.  Jennings then wrote a series of radio messages which the Captain translated into Greek, and the radio room put into code.  In the end, the Prime Minister and his Cabinet refused to allow Greek ships be used to save 300,000 Greeks stranded in Smyrna.  Then Jennings sent his final message.  In this message he said his next message would not be in code, that he would transmit openly for all the world to hear that the Greek Government let the Turks kill 300,000 Greek citizens.  The blackmail worked, and 26 ships were put under the command of Jennings.  The merchant captains were then ordered to attend a meeting on the Kilkis.  Most said their ships could not sail due to mechanical problems.  Captain I. Theofanides told the merchant captains that any ship not ready to sail by midnight would have its captain court marshaled and shot.  Captain I. Theofanides is the great Greek hero no one in Greece knows.  Without his help, the non-Muslims in Turkey would have been killed. Thus, Jennings took charge of 26 Greek ships - flying the US flag - which evacuated from Smyrna's quay nearly 350,000 refugees.
-Jennings' efforts were soon expanded to include Greeks fleeing from Cesme and [[Ayvali]]. His initial fleet of 26 ships eventually grew to 55. In appreciation of his efforts, Greece awarded him several medals and citations.
+By Jennings' own word, his greatest accomplishment was not his work to save so many lives, or his work at Lausanne.  He was asked after the crisis by both Greece and Turkey to stay and help with humanitarian needs.  He could not do both.  All of the educated people of the Ottoman Empire were  the minorities, and they had left Turkey.  Greece was a modern  country with many friends.  Turkey had no friends and was in desperate condition.  So Jennings formed the American Friends of Turkey that was financed by wealthy Americans.  Working with Turkish leaders, including Ataturk, Jennings instilled Christian values in Turkish society while providing playgrounds, vocational training, clinics, prison reform and many other social services.  Ataturk closed the mosques and banished the mullahs.  Turkey became a secularized country of Muslims, and better neighbor to Greece and the world.  Jennings also provided Turkey with its first foreign aid, and the seeds and livestock for Ataturk's model farm in Ankara.  The Ojak building in Ankara was built with these U.S. funds.  Jennings never made any attempt to convert anyone to Christianity.  His opinion of his greatest work now is prophetic, because Turkey stands in contrast today to all the other former Ottoman lands like Iraq, Syria, etc.
 Jennings died on [[January 27]], [[1933]].