The Middle East Pt. III: Kemal Atatürk & Turkey

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A Turkish Nationalist group created in the late 1800s, aiming to modernize the Ottoman Empire, dissolve the Sultanate, and establish a democracy.

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Who were the Young Turks?

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Between 1915-1917, the Young Turks killed 600,000-1.5 million Armenians in forced death marches and massacres, viewing them as threats to their nationalist agenda.

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What was the Armenian Genocide?

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What was the significance of the Battle of Gallipoli?

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Fought from Feb 1915 to Jan 1916, the Ottomans, led in part by Kemal Ataturk, pushed back the invading forces of France, Britain, and Russia, making Ataturk a major figure in Turkish Nationalism.

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Signed in 1920, it was the result of the Ottoman Empire losing WWI, leading to plans to divide Turkey among the Allied Powers.

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What was the Treaty of Sevres?

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How did Ataturk respond to the Treaty of Sevres?

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Between 1919-1922, Ataturk mobilized an army to stop the partition, leading to the recognition of the Republic of Turkey as an independent state in 1923.

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What were some of Ataturk's secular reforms as President?

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He closed religious courts and schools, lifted the ban on alcohol, changed the Turkish alphabet, banned fez hats, promoted industrialization, and gave women the right to vote.

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How did Ataturk's rule change in the 1930s?

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In 1930, Ataturk made Turkey a one-party state, claiming it was for stability, and suppressed opposition, including closing newspapers and persecuting religious minorities.

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What happened to Turkey after Ataturk's death?

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Ataturk died on Nov 10, 1938, leaving no heirs. He is revered in modern Turkish culture, but Islam has reemerged as a political power, reversing many of his secular reforms.