Review by Nate Merz

The Short:

Intent to Destroy is a documentary that explores the history of the Armenian Genocide and the consistent denial of the atrocity of the by the Turkish government. Joe Berlinger explores how this denial has affected the foreign policy of several nations including the United States, Turkey, Armenia, and Azerbaijan.

The Long:

Intent to Destroy looks at the deep history of the Armenian Genocide and Turkey’s consistent denial of the genocide in the face of overwhelming evidence. The documentary also connects this to other instances of genocide denial in civil wars and political conflicts throughout history. 

In light of the United States and President Biden’s recent announcement recognizing the Armenian Genocide, the documentary also looks at the problematic history of how Turkey’s government has used its position as a key NATO ally as a means to exploit the United State’s governments’ position on the issue. Even though the United States has now changed its position to recognize the horrors of this genocide, the history of the United States’ denial does stem in the larger issue of widespread denial of human rights abuses and genocide. 

The documentary includes interviews with survivors of the Armenian Genocide and discusses how the genocide continued past 1922’s ethnic conflicts between modern day Armenia and Azerbaijan, such as the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. It provides a very insightful look into the pain and peace-seeking that Armenia has felt since it’s modern day founding.

To watch or not to watch:

Watch! As an someone of Armenian descent, I believe that it is vitally important to remember and to learn about the Armenian Genocide, as it continues to be so often overlooked. This documentary helps us better understand a country that is forgotten about, and why there has been high ethnic tensions in the region.