Mütareke’de İstanbul ve İstanbul Hükûmetleri
Authors: ERASLAN Cezmi 
Published: December 2023

"In this chapter, it is aimed to address the practices of the Ottoman Empire in Istanbul during the Armistice period through the governments. The actions of the Sultan and the Ottoman governments, who have tried to preserve the empire by keeping good relations with the victorious states, will be enough to explain the changes and developments experienced during the four-year period (1918-1922). In the capital, officially and de facto captive between 13 November 1918-6 October 1923, the sense of weariness was dominant. On the other hand, the victorious states have wanted to divide the country into areas of economic exploitation. In this process, it is understood that the Ottoman Empire had a shortage of educated, combative statesmen who could see the realities of the age. Responding to the expectations of society is the most basic function that strengthens the power of political structures. the civil part of Ottoman governments, trusting the sense of law and justice of Europa and excepting achieve result wia diplomacy, did not produce any other project. It is possible to say that the Ministry of Defence and chief of staff were more resistant, put on the will for fight and succeded to be with the nation on the contrary. The capacity of solving problems of the struggle movement which began with the decree of Sultan/Caliph who was accepted as legal and able to according to the society, determined the end of the state. The advance acceptance of the winners as irresistible led to the suspension of the movement in Erzurum started in Istanbul. Under the pressure of the British High Commissioner, Sultan Vahdettin dismissed Mustafa Kemal, the inspector of the Ninth Army. Despite this, the Turkish people have also started the process of claiming their own destiny and have supported Mustafa Kemal and the struggle for national sovereignty. Enemy armies were driven out of Anatolia by the Army of National Assembly under the guidance of the National Oath developed in the Amasya, Erzurum, Sivas and Ankara lines. The Sultan and his governments could not appreciate the possibilities and conditions of time properly and had to take the consequence of it. The great Powers would like to end Ottoman domination by using Greek Army in Western Anatolia, and Ottoman Armenians in the Eastern Anatolia. The staff of the army predicted that the great states would not enter into direct war, and by defeating the Greek army, they opened the way to power to their own understanding. At the end of the Sakarya war, the victors were divided within themselves, while the interest of Istanbul, which does not line on to the nation was divided into two, centred on England and France but could not reached a successful result. Unfortunately, the experienced and old statesmen that Sultan had formed a government for four or five times could not see this fact. In addition to these, the Sultan also failed to maintain his place in the minds of the Turkish nation by recognizing the Grand National Assembly. At the end, the newly Turkish State, founded in 23rd April 1920 in Ankara, abolished the Sultanate and finished her Governments in 4th of October."