 A History of the Turkish Revolution and Turkısh Republic
A. Afetinan
Pars Matbaası
The Republic of Turkey, which was founded in 1923, has now realized its fifty-eighth year. This constitutes only a brief period in the history of the Turkish nation, which appeared on the scene of history over two thousand years ago. The Turks have been founders of many states in many different parts of the world. The Ottoman Empire, one of the greatest empires ever founded in history, was the last great Turkish State, but it was consumed in the flames of the First World War. Out of its ashes emerged the new Turkish State, which has been flourishing for the last fifty-eight years. The creation of the modern Republic of Turkey was a long and hard struggle for the Turkish nation at a very desperate period of her history. Numerous books and articles have been written on this period of Turkish history, which was so remarkable and full of world—shaking events, in spite of the abundance of publications on this subject both in this country and abroad, there are still some gaps in our knowledge about what really happened in our country during the last sixty years.
Foreign scholars find recent ...
Table of Contents
Foreword / 3
Introduction / 3
Chapter I
1. A brief survey of World Affairs in the 19th and early 20th centuries / 9
2. The Ottoman State during the 19th and at the beginning of the 20th centuries / 13
Chapter II
The Turkish War if Independence and the Foundation of the Turhish Republic / 19
the End of the World War I and the Armistice of Mondros / 19
1919
Events of 1919, the revival of the idea of the unity of the country, National Congresses and the emergence of Mustafa Kemal as a National Leader / 25
The concept of National unity and its practical outcome / 26
The National Congresses which convened in 1919 / 36
The role of the Turkish Woman in the struggle for national independence / 43
The Amasya Meeting and the Commanders' Meeting at Sivas / 45
The departure of the Council of Representatives for Ankara / 48
Life of Mustafa Kemal Atatiirk (1881 — 1918 ) and his career as a soldier and statesman / 49
1920
a.The meeting of the last Ottoman Parliament 12th January, 1920- Declaration of the Misak-i Midi (National Pact) 19th Febrauary, 1920) / 71
b.The occupation of Istanbul (16th March, 1920) / 73
c.The meeting of the Turkish Grand National Assembly (23rd April, 1920) / 74
d.The Treaty of Sevres signed by the Istanbul Government (10th August, 1920) / 77
e.Resistance to invasion Battle Fronts / 82
f.War in the North-East (20th October, 1920) and the Gümrü Agreement (2—3rd December, 1920) / 85
1921
a.The First Battle of İnonü / 87
b.The London Conference (27th February — 12th March, 1921) / 89
c.The Second Battle of Inonü / 91
d.The Battle of Sakarya / 92
e.The Treaties of Moscow and Kars / 95
f.The Ankara Agreement concluded between Turkey and France / 97
1922
a.Treaties and Agreements / 99
b.The Major Offensive and the Final Victory (26th August - 9th September, 1922) / 100
c.The Armistice of Mudanya (3rd - 11 the October, 1922) / 104
d.The Abolition of the Ottoman Sultanate (1st November, 1922) / 105
1923
a.The first stage of the Lausanne Peace Treaty (Negotiations) (20th November, 1922 — 4th February, 1923) / 111
b.The Izmir Economic Congress (14th February - 4th March, 1923) / 113
c.The election of the Turkish Grand National Assembly (1st April - 11th August, 1923) / 125
d.The conclusion of the Lausanne Peace Treaty (24th July, 1923) The Montreux Agreement on the Straits (1936) the Agreement on the annexation of Antakya (1936 — 1939) / 129
e.The declaration of the foundation of the Turkish Republic (29th October, 1923), Ankara chosen as the capital of the new Turkish State / 132
f.The major events of the early phase of the Republic of Turkey (1923-1939) / 136
Chapter III
The Turkish Revolution and the principles of Ataturk / 141
1.Democratic State and the Constitution / 144
2.The State Controlled Economy / 164
3.Intellectual and Social Life / 168
Woman's Rights / 169
Health, Social Assistance and the Sports / 176
Dress / 177
Education and the change of alphabet / 178
The Positive and Social Sciences / 191
The basic principles of nationalism / 193
Unity of language / 193
The importance of Turkish History / 194
The revolutionary character of the reforms of Ataturk / 203
Sources for the History of Turkish Revolution an Turkish Republic / 207
FOREWORD
It is hoped that this book, designed as an outline of the history of Turkey during the period between the two world wars, and an account of the creation of the Turkish Republic and the developments achieved by the Turkish people in political, social, cultural and economic fields will serve as a handbook for readers abroad who wish to familiarize themselves with the creation of modern Turkey.
Among the major topics the book deals with are the collapse of the Ottoman Empire at the end of the First World War, plans for the destruction of Turkey as an independent country, the Turkish War of Independence, the foundation of the Turkish Republic and the achievements the Turkish people have accomplished in founding a modern and progressive society up to the time of the outbreak of the Second World War.
Professor A. Afetinan, the author of the book, is not only an internationally known historian, but was also a close associate of Kemal Atatürk, our great leader and the founder of the Turkish Republic. She was one of the first women intellectuals to appear under the encouragement of Kemal Atatürk. As such she was able to observe closely the series of profound changes which constitute what is called the Turkish Revolution.
We hope this book, appearing in the centennial anniversary of the birth of Atatürk, will be sought by those who wish to know the early phase of the history of the Turkish Republic.
The New Turkish State which emerged out of the ashes of the Ottoman Empire is now 58 years old. Having a long history of statehood, the Turkish nation is taking rapid strides towards a bright future. The Turks have always produced great leaders under difficult conditions and maintained their national existence.
The book will have fulfilled its aim if it informs the reader about Turkey's hard and long struggle in attaining her present status among the community of civilized nations.
Necati Özkaner
Director General of Press
and Information
IntroductıonThe Republic of Turkey, which was founded in 1923, has now realized its fifty-eighth year. This constitutes only a brief period in the history of the Turkish nation, which appeared on the scene of history over two thousand years ago. The Turks have been founders of many states in many different parts of the world. The Ottoman Empire, one of the greatest empires ever founded in history, was the last great Turkish State, but it was consumed in the flames of the First World War. Out of its ashes emerged the new Turkish State, which has been flourishing for the last fifty-eight years. The creation of the modern Republic of Turkey was a long and hard struggle for the Turkish nation at a very desperate period of her history. Numerous books and articles have been written on this period of Turkish history, which was so remarkable and full of world—shaking events, in spite of the abundance of publications on this subject both in this country and abroad, there are still some gaps in our knowledge about what really happened in our country during the last sixty years. Foreign scholars find recent Turkish history to be of immense interest in mainly two respects: firstly, the Treaty of Sevres (10th August 1920) signed between the vanquished Ottoman State and the Entente Powers, the victors of the First World War, was the only treaty concluded at the end of that war which was to prove to be worth no more than a scrap of paper. A foreign observer has compared this treaty to a cracked wase which was later shattered to pieces by the Turks. According to the terms of this treaty, the Ottoman territories were to be partitioned and the Ottoman State was to be allocated a small territory in the middle of Anatolia. In order to maintain their national existence the Turks had to found a new state (23rd April 1920). .....
A. Afetinan
A History of the Turkish Revolution and Turkısh Republic
Pars Matbaası
Pars Matbaası
A History of the Turkish Revolution and Turkısh Republic
By Prof. Dr. A. Afetinan
Translated into English by
Prof. Dr. Ahmet E. Uysal
Printed by Pars Matbaası
Tel: 30 02 13
Ankara - 1981
The General Directorate of Press and
Information of the Turkish Republic
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