The Armenian Genocide – Forced Marches and Mass Death (1915–1917) The Armenian Genocide occurred during the final years of the Ottoman Empire amid the chaos of World War I. Armenian communities, who had lived in Anatolia for centuries, were increasingly portrayed by the Ottoman leadership as an internal threat. The ruling Committee of Union and Progress (CUP) accused Armenians of sympathizing with Russia, using this claim to justify extreme measures against a civilian population. In April 1915,