PUBLIC ORDER ISSUES IN THE PERIOD OF NATIONAL STRUGGLE DURING THE BRITISH OCCUPATION IN ESKİŞEHİR

Abstract

The issue of public order has always had an important place in the general flow of social history in terms of its aspects affecting the ordinary course. Most of the time, this situation, which is a reflection of the unique characteristics of the social environment, sometimes affects the destiny of the region in terms of the political consequences it may cause. When we look at the period of the National Struggle in terms of the situation in question, it is seen that in a period when the Turkish society was faced with the problem of survival, from time to time, the problems of public order reached the dimensions that would affect this process. During the wars on the Western Front of the National Struggle in Eskişehir, which was at the center of the region where the war was focused on militarily, and at the same time, the developments leading to a solution were experienced. Security problems emerged that deeply affected this process during the occupation period. This situation, which was also in question for the whole country to a certain extent within the historical conditions of the period, had a different importance in Eskişehir due to the critical location of the region in terms of the course of the war. Public order problems, which manifested themselves with the effect of internal revolts in some regions, and in some regions due to the situation arising from the occupation environment, reached chronic dimensions and made social life arduous.

This study will shed light on the social environment of Eskişehir with in the occupation period during the National Struggle, focusing specifically on the issue of public order. Since there are many documents on the subject and it is based on a broad context, the subject of the study is limited to the period of the British occupation (22 January-22 March 1920). In the study, archival documents will be included as the primary source. In addition, other official publications, periodicals, newspapers, and literature on the subject will be utilized to the required extent.