Elusive forces in illusive eyes: British officialdom's perception of the Anatolian resistance movement

Abstract

In the aftermath of the First World War, British officials had difficulty understanding the elusive forces behind the Anatolian resistance movement. They anxiously assumed that Kemalists were being controlled by the Unionist leaders in exile and that they were part of an international conspiracy. In this confusion, the fugitive Unionist leaders received disproportionate attention and credit in British intelligence reports, with critical consequences for their political sense-making and decision-making. I argue that the preconception of 'Young Turks' in general as well as assumptions about Unionist leaders' alleged and actual activities after 1918 were crucial for British officialdom's policies towards the Anatolian resistance movement.

Petitions, Propaganda, and Plots: Transnational Dynamics of Diplomacy During the Turkish War of Independence

“…In this alleged global plot, so-called 'Young Turk intrigues' 51 were seen as the principal force of subversion in the Muslim world at the behest of German revisionists, Russian Bolsheviks, or other cabals. 52 In the chaos and uncertainty even rumours of supposed clandestine plots-whether real or not-affected international relations. 53 To be sure, Turkish actors utilized secret and revolutionary diplomacy to create leverage against the Allies.…”