The Treaty of Sèvres: A Catalyst for Conflict in Turkey

The Treaty of Sèvres, signed in 1920, was intended to formally conclude hostilities between the Ottoman Empire and the victorious Allied Powers following World War I. However, rather than fostering peace, it ignited a firestorm of conflict in Turkey. This essay will argue that the treaty's draconian terms, particularly its dismemberment of Ottoman territories and perceived humiliation of the Turkish people, fueled nationalist resistance and ultimately led to its demise.

Punitive Measures and Territorial Disintegration

The treaty’s severity far exceeded that imposed on Germany in the Treaty of Versailles. Vast swathes of the Ottoman Empire, including Palestine, Iraq, and Syria, were placed under British and French mandates, effectively extending their imperial control over strategically important regions. Moreover, the treaty stipulated the division of Anatolia itself, the Turkish heartland, into zones of influence for the victorious powers. This blatant disregard for Turkish sovereignty inflamed nationalist sentiment and created a powerful rallying cry against the treaty.

The Armenian Question and Nationalist Outrage

Further exacerbating tensions was the treaty's provision for an independent Armenian state carved from eastern Anatolia. While the Armenian genocide perpetrated by the Ottoman government during the war provided justification for this measure, it was viewed by many Turks as a deliberate attempt to weaken and humiliate them. This perception fueled nationalist outrage and provided fertile ground for the rise of figures like Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, who capitalized on widespread anger to galvanize resistance against the treaty.

The Turkish War of Independence and the Rise of Kemalism

The treaty’s stipulations sparked a civil war in Turkey between the Ottoman government in Istanbul, which had agreed to the treaty’s terms, and the Turkish Grand National Assembly (GNA) established in Ankara under the leadership of Mustafa Kemal. The GNA vehemently rejected the treaty, denouncing it as an illegitimate imposition on Turkish sovereignty. The ensuing Turkish War of Independence (1919-1923) saw the GNA forces, fueled by nationalist zeal and widespread popular support, defeat both the Ottoman army and foreign interventionist forces.

The Collapse of the Treaty and the Treaty of Lausanne

The Treaty of Sèvres, never ratified by the Turkish Grand National Assembly, became untenable in the face of Turkish resistance. By 1922, the Ottoman Sultanate had been abolished and replaced by a republican government in Ankara. The Allied powers, recognizing the futility of enforcing the treaty, convened the Lausanne Conference in 1922. This resulted in the Treaty of Lausanne (1923), which formally recognized the Turkish republic and superseded the Treaty of Sèvres.

Conclusion

The Treaty of Sèvres stands as a stark example of how attempts to impose a victor's peace can backfire spectacularly. Its harsh terms, perceived as humiliating and unjust by the Turkish population, served only to ignite nationalist resistance and plunge the region further into turmoil. The eventual success of the Turkish War of Independence and the subsequent Treaty of Lausanne underscored the limitations of using military victory to dictate political settlements without considering the aspirations and grievances of the defeated.

Bibliography
Fromkin, David. A Peace to End All Peace: The Fall of the Ottoman Empire and the Creation of the Modern Middle East. New York: Henry Holt and Company, 1989.

Smith, Michael Llewellyn. The Emergence of Modern Turkey. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001.