Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
SELCUK UNIVERSITESI TURKIYAT ARASTIRMALARI DERGISI-SELCUK UNIVERSITY JOURNAL OF STUDIES IN TURCOLOGY, sa.59, ss.25, 2023 (ESCI)
The concept of popular sovereignty, which was emphasized both in the congresses period and in the Grand National Assembly during the National Struggle, was actually a sign of the process that would turn into the Republic after the great victory. The idea of the Republic, however, was not mentioned in that period as the integrity of the homeland and the national independence were prioritized. Thus, Anatolian movement could be limited to the concept of national sovereignty until the proclamation of the Republic. That period, which was followed closely by many countries, was also observed by United States of America which emerged as a great power. U.S press released foundation process of the Republic of Turkiye together with the other developments in Anatolia to American public with various comments. Throughout that period, the figure whose name most remained on the agenda in the domestic and foreign public opinion regarding Turkiye was Mustafa Kemal Pasha the founding father of the new regime. In the beginning, while he did not use the word "Republic" in his statements to U.S press about Ankara government, he stood aloof from this regime and carried out the cautious policy followed before the proclamation of the Republic. On the other hand, while Entente Powers was putting forward the danger of Bolshevism for National Struggle movement, warning statements from Ankara that kept this danger alive were reflected in newspaper columns. The proclamation of the Republic in October 1923 and naming the regime officially were interpreted in American newspapers with praise and sometimes with the concern that Turkiye might be an authoritarian regime and Mustafa Kemal became the prominent figure in the news.