George Horton

George Horton (1859–1942) was a member of the US diplomatic corps who held several consular offices, in Greece and the Ottoman Empire, in late 19th century and early 20th century. Horton initially arrived in Greece in 1893 and left from Greece 30 years later in 1924. During two different periods he was the US Consul and US Consul general to Smyrna, known as Izmir today, the first time between 1911-1917 (till the cessation of diplomatic relations between the U.S. and the Ottoman Empire during the First World War) and the second time between 1919–1922, during Greek administration of the city in the course of the Greco-Turkish War. The Greek administration of Smyrna was appointed by the Allied Powers following Turkey's defeat in World War I and the seizure of Smyrna.

Today, George Horton is best remembered for his book about the events, notably the systematic ethnic cleansing of the christian population, leading up to and during the fire. In his book he briefly summarises events from 1822 through to 1909 and then in more detail, with eye-witness accounts, from 1909 through to 1922. The book was published in 1926, and its title, The Blight of Asia, refers to what he considered the abominable behavior of the Ottoman Turks, and by extension, all of Islam.