1993 Turkish revolution (1918-1919: Germany's Last Stand)

the **1993 Turkish revolution** was a violent revolution in the Turkish Peoples Republic which saw the collapse of the hardline-communist military junta which had been in place since April. It began on October 28, 1993 and ended on November 3, 1993, and was the final event of the Cold War.

## History

### Precursor events

*See articles here: 1992 Turkish coup d'etat attempt, 1993 Turkish coup d'etat*

On December 5, 1991, the USSR halted exports to Turkey with a collapsing economy and the USSR falling apart at it's seams. The USSR collapsed on December 8, 1991, as Ukraine, Byelorussia and Russia agreed to sign a economic union which involved the dissolution of the USSR.

By January of 1992, violence erupted in Turkey demanding that the communist government resign, the worst violence was seen in Istanbul and Turkish Kurdistan. The government deployed the military on January 27, 1992, as a mini Cold War began between NATO and Turkey.

A massacre occurred in Ankara on February 1, 1992, which led to the UN revoking Turkey's membership on February 2. A underground militia was formed on February 8, 1992, called the Organization of Turkish Democracy.

It announced the "February 10 Constitution" on February 11, 1992, which nullified the communist government's leadership over Turkey and proclaimed a democratic republic. The government saw this as a coup attempt and immediately deployed it's military to the larger cities.

The coup attempt began on February 15, 4 days after the constitutions proclamation, with several Turkish Red Army divisions revolting against the government in Ankara.

As fighting became rampant in Istanbul, the USS Freedom was sunk in the Strait of Istanbul on February 16, as the Turks feared the Americans were going to give weapons to the revolutionaries.

By February 20, ammunition stockpiles ran out for the coup government and the Turks began to push them back. The coup government was dissolved on February 21, 1992, 10 days after the proclamation of the February 10 constitution.

By March 1993, liberal reforms had begun in Turkey, which horrified the hardline communist Turkish Red Army. On April 2, 1993, the military killed the leader of Turkey, disbanded the government and took over the country.

By August 1993, widespread resistance was in progress across Turkey, which was worsened by increasing attacks on the civilian population. In September 1993, members of the Organization of Turkish Democracy escaped prison and began preparing the overthrow of the socialist government once and for all.

### October 28-November 1, 1993 (First half)

On October 28, 1993, the Organization of Turkish Democracy was reformed and called a meeting in Sofia, Bulgaria that evening. They agreed upon a method of entering the country and starting a revolution.

Several tanks that had been stolen from Turkish military bases crossed the Bulgarian border early on October 29, waving the 1992 Turkish coup attempt's banner.

Revolts began in Ankara that morning, and Kurdistan formally declared it's independence that afternoon. The military coup deployed it's troops to Ankara and Istanbul on the afternoon of October 29.

American Airlines Flight 28 was shot down over Crete during the evening hours by a Turkish warship, About 20% of the Turkish army had defected by that evening.

The military junta began to lose it's grip of control on the morning of October 30, with the Istanbul and Ankara Uprisings growing out of control, and the pro-OTD Kurdish government attacking Turkey from the southeast.

The main general of the Turkish Red Army, Duman Giray, was killed in a American air strike on Ankara around noon. The Red Army quickly collapsed that afternoon, as remaining communist resistance fought harshly in the countryside.

By the morning of October 31, the remaining members of the Turkish Peoples Congress called a meeting in İzmir, and nullified all former bills, and pulled out of recognizing the Geneva Convention.

Gas attacks on citizens of the Ankara area occurred on October 31, which pushed the United States to the brink of declaring war on Turkey.

The OTD called a meeting in recently captured Ankara on October 31, and officially recognized the February 10 Constitution as the new Turkish constitution.

On the morning of November 1, the Turkish Provisional Republic was proclaimed, with Ankara as it's capital. Intense fighting continued on November 1.

### November 2-3, 1993 (Last 48 hours of communist rule in İzmir)

On November 2, the military junta was officially dissolved as all remaining high-ranking members of the Turkish Red Army turned themselves in to the Ankara Police. They were brought into the city center, where crowds cheered at the news of victory.

November 2 would become a national holiday in Turkey, known as "Democracy Day". However, resistance continued to fight in the countryside.

İzmir was the final area holding out to the advancing revolutionaries on the morning of November 3. The revolutionaries managed to convince the İzmir Police to revolt against the communists.

The "final stand" of sorts for the communists began as revolutionaries entered the Turkish Peoples Congress temporary building, they held out for 2 hours against the revolutionaries before the last 8 remaining communists surrendered, with all of their colleagues either being captured or killed in the fighting.

The final Turkish Red Army soldier laid down arms that evening, ending any communist resistance, and thus ending the revolution.

## Aftermath

On November 4, the Republic of Turkey was proclaimed, with the OTD proudly announcing the deposal of the communist government in Turkey after 72 years.

Turkey joined NATO in December, and recognized Kurdistan in February 1994. Turkey would hold it's first elections in March 1994.

Turkey's economy would only start to recover in 1996 however, as the first leader of democratic Turkey was a notoriously bad economic adviser.