FROM MONDROS TO THE NATIONAL STRUGGLE: THE ROAD TO SAMSUN, GUIDED BY MUSTAFA KEMAL PASHA AND VAHIDETTIN TALKS

Abstract

The Ottoman Empire held a pivotal position in the history and tradition of the Turkic world, exerting immense influence until the 19th century. Its enduring power persisted until the Treaty of Lausanne in 1699, marking the first significant continuous decline since that date. The advent of science and technology gradually weakened the empire. The tumultuous events surrounding the Constitutional Monarchy, including the loss of its Balkan heartland and the Balkan Wars of 1912-13, led to the Ottoman Empire’s defeat and separation from World War I. The armistice of Mondros effectively brought the empire to a virtual end. However, Mustafa Kemal Pasha, the Sultan of the Caliphate, emerged victorious after a series of national struggles. On May 16, 1919, he embarked on a journey from Istanbul to Samsun aboard the bandirma ferry, symbolizing the beginning of a new era.