Historic Letters of Kazım Karabekir Pasha Published in Press and Their Reflections in Public Opinion / Erol Evcin

Abstract

Being one of the prominent commanders of Turkish Independence War, Kâzım Karabekir Pasha found that some accusations and critics were forwarded to him on the occasion of the article series named "The Book of Native of Ankara" including the events of National Struggle and published at Milliyet newspaper by 1933 when he kept a "downfallen" and "freefrom" military and political activities. He felt the necessity of responding to such because he thought that his works in the independence struggle in which he was engaged by taking any risk of danger and hardship were ignored and the holy duty he executed earnestly for his country was tried to be overshadowed, and due to this reason, wrote a series of letters containing his memoirs of the period in question. Containing serious claims other than known in formation pertaining to the process from the armistice period to the announcement of the Republic and finding a place in the other leading press organs of the period, these letters have created a significant influence at the Government level, among the intellectuals and in the public opinion and caused thorough debates. This article is written to reveal the influence created in the public opinion by the said letters of Karabekir Pasha and the results of this by making use of the newspapers which published the agenda creating discussions of the period and the papers in Prime Ministry's Republic Archive. The studies made concerning the matter have gained specific depth at this occasion by referring in detail to the discourses and claims of the actors of the debates reflected at the press and the reflections of the discussions in the public opinion are included for the first time.