The Armenian Genocide started on April 24, 1915, when the community leaders (intellectuals, Armenian members of the Turkish parliament, top clergy) were arrested and killed leaving the community leaderless after which the plan of extermination was executed city by city and village by village.  The Genocide lasted until 1923.  They wanted the Armenians to convert to Islam, become Muslims. Military leaders began to argue that the Armenians were traitors (another excuse for the genocide). They were afraid if Armenians win their independence, they would be victorious and would be eager to fight and they are considered as an enemy force and decided their slaughter was a necessary measure.