News - The Making of Modern Turkey Seminars 2007-2008

Third Saturday of each month from 2:30 to 5:00 p.m.

Presented in association with Bogaziçi University

The 1908 Young Turk Revolution and the Second Constitution.

April 19, 2008 – Prof. Sina Akşin
Why did Europe’s leading nations dislike the Committee of Union and Progress?
“There are bound to be some who will immediately object to this question. In the March 31 incident, Germany  stood by the Committee of Union and Progress. Later, when the Unionists came to power, they accepted the Ottoman State as their ally during World War I. Nevertheless, it can be said that Germany didn’t really like the Committee of Union and Progress ‘all that much.’ The main topic of the seminar will be of course why Europe’s leading nations disliked the Unionists.”

May 24, 2008 – Assist. Prof. Ahmet Kuyaş
Winds of War in Istanbul
Despite Mustafa Kemal’s claim in his Nutuk– a claim that Ahmet Emin Yalman reitarated in his Turkey in the World War –  it is not true that Turkey entered World War I under the coercion of a small minority group. The great majority of Ottomans,  although perhaps for different reasons, were in favor of the war that began in the summer of 1914. A number of factors – the fear that Russia inspired, the wish to put an end to the capitulations, the desire to avenge the Balkan Wars, and Nationalist (Turancı)expansionist dreams – made this war appear a good option. In effect, even when Turkey still remained neutral, plans were being made with Bulgaria to attack Greece. The lecture focuses on how this hostile atmosphere developed and on various of its aspects.