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Article The Mediterranean Agreements and Their Implementation in Turkey(Hacettepe Univ, 2021) Birlik, Gultekin K.; Department of Social Sciences for University wide CoursesIn the Spanish Civil War, before the breakout of World War II, Turkey became a part of the Mediterranean Agreements against the marine piracy in the Mediterranean that appeared due to the conflict between the revisionist and the anti-revisionist blocks. In August of 1937, Turkey was affected by marine piracy when two ships, which were taking provisions from the Soviet Union to the Republicans in Spain, were sunk in front of the Dardanelles. Turkey took part in the Mediterranean Nyon and Geneva Agreements against marine piracy in September 1937 and allocated two ports to British ships within the frame of these Treaties. While it was necessary for Turkey to take measures against the piracy targeted at submarines, ships and planes in all its territorial waters within the frame of these Mediterranean Agreements, it took measures only in the territorial waters of the Dardanelles, Gokceada and Bozcaada. While the capacity of the naval power was decisive in Turkey's taking such measures, its unwillingness to create an atmosphere of conflict with Italy was also effective. While the marine piracy could not be prevented in the Western Mediterranean, there was no marine piracy in the Dardanelles and the Aegean Sea. The reason for this is not the measures taken within the framework of the Agreements but the fact that the Soviet Union sent its assistance through France instead of the Mediterranean way. At the end of 1938, along with Britain, Turkey sought to withdraw from the Treaties, however, Britain did not approve of this due to the on going marine piracy in the Western Mediterrenean. Immediately after the invasions of Czechoslovakia and Albania, Turkey withdrew from the Mediterranean Agreements, on April 8, 1939, before all the other countries. Just before the World War II, with "cautious and quick" policies, Turkey sought to escape any confrontation that might originate from the Mediterranean Agreements.Article The Occupation of Bursa by the Greek Army During the National Struggle Period(Hacettepe Univ, 2023) Birlik, Gultekin K.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.
