IR 112- CULTURE AND

POLITICS IN MODERN
TURKEY
1960-65
ASSOC. PROF. CEMİL BOYRAZ
 IMPACT OF 27 MAY
1960
 Routinized interventions of the army to the civilian
politics
 Erosion of the inner hierarchy of the army would
cause political problems in the following years:
reaction within the army to the 1961 election
results, emergence of new juntas abd power
competition within the army, failed coup attempts
in 1962 and 1963
 Hierarchy would be established only by the 1980
coup
 AFTER THE COUP
 First military coup in Turkish political life: Out of command of chain
 Aimed to restore the Kemalist establishment (army, bureaucracy and
intellectuals)
 Internal power struggle within the army after the coup
 Foundation of the Committee of National Union (Milli Birlik Komitesi),
mostly composed lower officers
 Inner power struggle among the soldiers in the MBK: Madanoğlu faction
versus Türkeş faction: resulted in the elimination of 14 members of
Türkeş’ group in the MBK
 Low-officers versus higher commanders: MBK vs. SKB (Union of
Armed Forces, Silahlı Kuvvetler Birliği)
 EMİNSU (Retired Offficers of the Revoution, Emekli İnkılap Subayları)
case: 235 generals and 5000 officers were forced to quit the army
 Elimination of university professors (totally 147) critical to the coup:
“147’ler Olayı”
  Two goals for the army: preparation of the 1961 Constitution and Yassıada Trials
for ex-members of the Democrat Party
 1961 Constitution: 9th July, %61,5 YES vote: extension of rights and freedoms,

AFTER THE social state, rule of law, check and balance mechanisms (National Security Board,
Constitutional Court, Higher Board of Elections, Higher Board of Judges and
Prosecutors), political rights recognized such as rights of association and

COUP: 1961 unionization, freedom of press and meetings

 The political background: to eliminate any possible violation of the constitution

CONSTITUT by the strong governments having majority in the parliament, mistrust to political
elites
 Superiority of the Constitution vis a vis the laws was strictly established

IONAL  Bicameral system: Assembly of Representatives and Senate

REFEREND  Former members of the Committee of National Unity have direct seats in the Senate

 Proportional electoral system (in House of Representatives) rather than

UM
majoritarian voting (Senate)
 Autonomy of the Radio and Universities

 Exit guarantees for the Army: no way for application to the decisions given by the
MBK (lifted in 2010 via the Referendum on the constitutional amendments)
  Milli Birlik Kurulu (Committee of National Unity) monitors the
judicial process: 592 members of the DP are before the court
 Military tutelage during the judicial process and debatable autonomy
of the YAD (Higher Court of Justice)
 Claims on the violation of the 1924 Constitution and corruption:
Köpek davası (AOÇ); Bebek davası (Ayhan Aydan); 6-7 Eylül
Olayları davası; Dolandırıcılık davası; Arsa davası; Ali İpar davası;
YASSIADA Değirmen davası; Barbara davası; Örtülü Ödenek davası; Radyo
davası; Topkapı olayları davası; Çanakkale olayı davası; Kayseri
olayları davası; Demokrat İzmir davası; Üniversite olayları davası;
TRIALS İstimlak davası; Vatan Cephesi davası; Anayasayı İhlal davası
 Lasted almost a year, 202 hearings, and 31 life-long prison and 15
capital punishment (out of 228 demanded), 4 were accepted by the
MBK and 3 of them were executed (Adnan Menderes, Fatin Rüştü
Zorlu and Hasan Polatkan)
 Reaction would be seen in the referendum of 1961 Constitution and
1961 General Elections: the rise of the Justice Party as the successor
of the closed Democrat Party
Adnan Menderes (Prime Minister)- 17 Sept 1961,
late due to the failed attempt of Menmderes to
commit suicide
Hasan Polatkan (Minister of Finance)- 16 Sept 1961)
Fatin Rüştü Zorlu (Minister of Foreign Affairs)- (16
Sept 1961)
  CHP: %36.7-173, AP (the successor of the DP) %34.8-158 (YTP %14-65,
CKMP %13-54); In the Senate, AP wins
 Discontent of the army due to the electoral results: 21 October Protocol,
SKP decides for another coup

1961  Çankaya Protocol, 24 October 1961: Military pressure on the new

parties and leaders and demand guarantee about the execution of the

ELECTIONS Coup principles and Cemal Gürsel will be the President (although Justice
Party is against)

AND  Two coup attempts by Talat Aydemir in 1962 and 1963, finally capital
punishment in the second attempt

ÇANKAYA  Political instability and weak coalition governments between 1961 and
1965

PROTOCOL  Other Issues: 1964: Last Exiles of Istanbul, deportation of the Istanbul
Greeks, 13,000 people: last case of the ethnic Turkification and
homogenization
E  Cyprus Issue: Johnson Letter crisis and rise of the anti-American
sentiments
 Electoral Victory of the AP in 1965 Elections: Years with Süleyman
Demirel, who would get the support of the bourgeoisie but the military
would react
21
OCTOBER
PROTOCOL:
UNION OF
ARMED
FORCES
1965 ELECTIONS