In 1919, following World War I, the Ottoman Empire (1299-1919) fell and people of Turkish heritage came under the rule of a sultan who was servile to British, French, and Russian expansionism. The Treaty of Sevres (August 1920), signed by Allied Powers Britain, France, Italy, Japan, as well as Allied States Armenia, Belgium, Greece, Hedjaz, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serb-Croat-Slovene State, and Czechoslovakia, attempted to legitimize and implement anti-Turkish, anti-Semitic, and anti-Muslim policies in Anatolia, under the cover of "liberal society."
"Liberal" was a pseudonym for Christian imperialism, which the Turkish nation rejected as a breach against its independence, sovereignty and freedoms. The Sevres Treaty aimed to place Istanbul under British, Aegean Turkey under Greek, and Mediterranean Turkey under Italian rule. It sought to place eastern Turkey under American rule on behalf of the Armenians, and force the Kurds of southeastern Turkey under British rule. Turks, including Muslims and Jews, were to be expelled to the Anatolian plateau.
During the Turkish War of Independence 1919-1923, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and the diverse citizenry of Anatolia fought to remove this oppression, first defeating the Russians and Armenians in the east, then the French and Italians in the south, and then the Greeks in the west. Only Britain retreated without violence, following a flag-lowering ceremony in Istanbul.
The Lausanne Peace Treaty was signed on July 24, 1923, by a Turkish delegation headed by General Ismet Inonu. Britain, France, Italy, Japan, Greece, Romania, the Serb-Croat-Slovene State signed the treaty. Turkey entered bilateral recognition treaties with other nations, including the United States. The Lausanne negotiations lasted eight months as Turkey advocated and achieved complete independence and sovereignty. Three months later, on October 29, the Turkish people proclaimed the Turkish Republic, as Turkey emerged as a true victor of WWI.
Wishing all a Blessed and Happy Lausanne Anniversary.
