Answer:
The reason for the Ottoman government branding Armenians as a traitorous internal enemy during World War I was primarily to suppress Armenian nationalism. The Ottoman government viewed the Armenian population, which was concentrated in the eastern provinces of the empire, as a potential threat to its wartime efforts due to their aspirations for self-determination and autonomy. The government feared that the Armenians might align with the Ottoman Empire's enemies, particularly Russia, and engage in acts of rebellion or collaborate with foreign powers against the Ottoman state. As a result, the Ottoman government implemented a policy of persecution and deportation of Armenians, which led to widespread atrocities, including mass killings and deportations, known as the Armenian Genocide. The labeling of Armenians as traitorous internal enemies was used as a pretext to justify these brutal actions and eliminate perceived threats to the Ottoman Empire during the war.
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