While the CUP was able to gain political strength by overthrowing the Sultan the new government caused its own ruin by allying itself with Germany during WWI in 1914. Because of early German victories the Turks believed that joining forces with Germany would help them prevent the collapse of their empire, drive away their enemies, regain lost territory, and receive aid in modernizing their army. On August 2 the Turkish army signed a treaty with Germany confident that they were on the path to success. However, by 1918 Germany along with Turkey was defeated.
By this time “the war ultimately cost Turkey one fourth of her population. Of 4,000,000 adult males, about 1,600,000 were called to service. More than 1,000,000 families were left without breadwinners. A multitude of women, children, and old folk died of starvation and lack of medical care" (Marshall and Josephy 71). The once loved CUP was now considered a nuisance among the people and because of the defeat there were even those that wanted the sultan to regain full power. |
Why did Turkey join forces with Germany? Source: The Ottoman Empire: World of Difference documentary
Çanakkale Türküsü (WWI Turkish lament). Source: Erol Köker
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Mustafa Kemal had been a member of the Young Turks since its founding but after going against the Sultan’s censorship laws he was soon exiled, thus preventing him from becoming one of the main leaders. He made himself known after several victories in WWI as an accomplished commander. After Turkey’s defeat in the war the country was partitioned with the signing of the Treaty of Sevres and placed under foreign control.
Soon afterwards the Greeks planned an invasion in 1919 to take over Turkish land and that’s when “in 1920, as leader of a national resistance movement, he set up a rival government in Ankara, 300 miles from Istanbul” and “expelled Greek forces from Asia Minor in 1921-22” (Mckenna 190). He then went on to rid Turkey of remaining foreign control through diplomacy and declared the nation a republic in 1923. By this time his people gave him the name Ataturk, which means "Father Turk", in order to honor his accomplishments. |
Your first duty is to preserve and to defend Turkish Independence and the Turkish Republic forever. This is the very foundation of your existence and your future. This foundation is your most precious treasure.
In the future, too, there may be malevolent people at home and abroad, who will wish to deprive you of this treasure. If some day you are compelled to defend your independence and your Republic, you must not even hesitate to weigh the possibilities and circumstances of the situation before doing your duty!
These possibilities and circumstances may turn out to be extremely unfavourable. The enemies conspiring against your independence and your Republic may have behind them a victory unprecedented in the annals of the world. It may be that, by violence and trickery, all the fortresses of your beloved fatherland may be captured, all its shipyards occupied, all its armies dispersed and every corner of the country invaded.
And sadder and graver than all these circumstances, those who hold power within the country may be in error, misguided and may even be traitors. Furthermore, they may identify personal interests with the political designs of the invaders. The country may be impoverished, ruined and exhausted. Youth of Turkey's future! Even in such circumstances it is your duty to save Turkish Independence and the Republic. You will find the strength you need in your noble blood.
Ataturk's "Address to the Turkish Youth" speech. Source: Republic of Turkey-Ministry of Culture and Tourism
Speech Translation. Source: John Guise