The Occupation of Bursa by the Greek Army during the National Struggle Period

Abstract

One of the aims of the official invasion of Istanbul on 16 March 1920 was to keep the national liberation forces away. Despite this, the national liberation forces attacked the British in Beykoz, Istanbul on 4 July 1920. Considering this Beykoz attack as a major threat, and in order to keep Istanbul and the Straits under control, the British decided on 4 July 1920 that Bursa should be invaded by the Greek forces and to make the invasion easier, Mudanya and Gemlik should be invaded by the British. The aim of the invasion of Bursa was to keep Istanbul and the Straits under control. However, with the propaganda made by the Istanbul government, it was shown to be geared towards the "solution of the public disorder" generated by the national liberation forces. Against the Greek operation that started on 22 June 1920, it was decided that defense should be set up first in the west of Bursa. However, the efficient propaganda against the National War of Independence made by the Istanbul government caused widespread desertions among the soldiers of 56. Division which was supposed to defend Bursa. To the paralysis of the units' operations was added the possibility of blockage of the ways to withdraw due to the invasion of Gemlik and Mudanya by the British, and the defense set up in the west of Bursa ended in failure. To be able to stop the movement of the Greek troops towards Eskisehir, it was necessary toevacuate Bursa and after the evacuation, a local committee was elected to take over the administration of Bursa. As a result of the propaganda, the committee saw the "the problem of public disorder" as the reason for the invasion of Bursa and guaranteeing the reestablishment of the public order, it wanted to take steps in the direction of preventing the invasion. Mustafa Kemal Pasha stopped this committee's attempts to communicate with the British through the French, as he considered these attempts as accepting the hegemony of the British. Bursa, which was under the influence of the Istanbul government as it was too close to Istanbul, could not be defended due to the dissolution of the units as a result of desertions, and was invaded by the Greek forces on 8 July 1920.