Nationalist Movement in Turkey

Disintegration of the Ottoman Empire after Turkey’s defeat in the First

World War led many nations which were formerly under the subjugation of
the Ottoman Empire, become free. Arab territories of the empire had been
given away to Britain and France as mandates after the First World War.
 The Allies, however, did not stop at the dismemberment of the empire.
 They wanted to establish their domination over Turkey itself and to
give away parts of Turkey to Greece & Italy.
 The treatment meted out to Turkey by the Allies had led to a mass
upsurge in India directed against Britain.
 This upsurge is known as the Khilafat movement which had merged
with the Indian nationalist movement.
The nationalist movement in Turkey was organised to prevent the domination of the country
by the Allied powers and the annexation of parts of Turkey by Greece & Italy.

 
The Sultan of Turkey agreed to the terms dictated by the, Allied powers
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 However, even before the treaty was signed by Sultan, a national
government had been established under the leadership of Mustafa Kemal
with its headquarters at Ankara.
 This government signed a treaty of friendship with the Soviet
government in 1921 under which Turkey received Soviet political support
and arms for the nationalist cause.
 Following the treaty with the Sultan, Turkey was invaded by Greece.
 The Turks under Kemal’s leadership were able to repel the invasion &
Allies were forced to repudiate the earlier treaty.
 The Allied troops were withdrawn from Turkish territory and the areas
which were to be annexed by European countries remained in Turkey.
 Thus Turkey was able to win her complete independence.
Turkey was proclaimed a republic.The new government abolished the institution of Caliph.
Education was taken out of the hands of the religious leaders. Religion was separated from
the state. The revolution in Turkey became a source of inspiration for the movements for
freedom in Asia. It also helped to promote the ideas of social reform and modernization.