Atatürk’s Foreign Policy Victory: Evaluation of Hatay’s Annexation to Türkiye through the Turkish Diplomatic Archive Documents of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (1936–1939)
Volkan PayaslıDuring the period between the two world wars, Atatürk’s insistence made the Hatay issue one of the leading issues of the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1936. Atatürk carefully followed the transfer of the issue to Geneva and the subsequent process, leaving France in a difficult situation with diplomatic and military maneuvers. The uprisings in Syria and Britain’s desire to take Türkiye to its side were important in resolving the Hatay issue. This study reveals how the Hatay issue was resolved by the ingenious foreign policy pursued by Atatürk in the changing world balances through documentary evidence. Additionally, how meticulously the telegrams sent by the ambassadors of Rome, Berlin, Washington, London, and Paris were followed by the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and how hard the Ministry worked on the Hatay issue were analyzed. This research is based on documents obtained from the Turkish Foreign Ministry Diplomatic Archive.
Atatürk’ün Dış Politika Zaferi: Hatay’ın Türkiye’ye İltihakının Dışişleri Bakanlığı Türk Diplomatik Arşiv Belgeleri Üzerinden Değerlendirilmesi (1936-1939)
Volkan Payaslıİki dünya savaşı arası dönemde Hatay konusu Atatürk’ün ısrarı üzerine 1936 yılı itibarı ile Türk Dışişleri Bakanlığının önde gelen konuları arasında yer almıştır. Atatürk, meselenin Cenevre’ye taşınmasını ve sonraki süreci dikkatle takip etmiş, diplomatik ve askeri manevralarla Fransa’yı zor durumda bırakmıştır. Suriye’de baş gösteren isyanlar ve İngiltere’nin Türkiye'yi kendi yanına çekme isteği Hatay meselesinin çözümlenmesinde önemli bir unsur olmuştur. Çalışmanın temel amacı değişen dünya dengeleri içinde Atatürk'ün izlediği dahiyane dış siyaset sayesinde Hatay meselesinin nasıl çözümlendiğini elde edilen belgeler üzerinden ortaya koymak olmuştur. Ayrıca Roma, Berlin Washington, Londra ve Paris Büyükelçilerinin gönderdikleri telgrafların Türk Dışişleri Bakanlığınca nasıl titizlikle takip edildiği ve Bakanlığın Hatay konusunda nasıl meşakkatle çalıştığı analiz edilmiştir Araştırma, Türk Dışişleri Diplomatik Arşivi’nden elde edilen belgeler üzerine temellendirilmiştir.
Hatay is the gateway to the Eastern Mediterranean, located in the south of Türkiye. During the First World War, Britain and France shared the region through secret treaties they made between themselves. After the Armistice of Mudros, first Britain and then France occupied the İskenderun Port. The French occupied Antakya on December 7, 1918 and had to fight against the regional independence forces until 1921. Their divideand-rule policy shaped the administrative structure against the Turks. In the Ankara agreement signed between Türkiye and France in 1921, the right to special administration was granted to İskenderun Sanjak. According to the treaty, Turkish became the official language, and the cultural rights of the Turkish were guaranteed, but France never met the terms of the agreement. According to this agreement, İskenderun Sanjak remained outside the borders of Türkiye. However, Tayfur Sökmen had always been in contact with Ankara. He organized the people of the region against the French on the order of Atatürk. To reduce the Turkish population, the French took the lands held by the Turks and distributed them to their supporters, Armenians, and Arabs, and tried to destroy Turkish culture among the Arab population. Atatürk visiting Adana on March 15, 1923, promised the people of Antakya who welcomed him that he would save them when the time came. Until 1936, the case of the Turks remained pending. However, with the change of the Straits regime in favor of Türkiye, Atatürk would bring the Hatay issue to the Turkish Grand National Assembly. Especially with France’s giving independence to Syria and ignoring the İskenderun Sanjak, the Hatay issue would be moved to Geneva. According to the Turkish thesis, the Sanjak should be completely independent and the official language in the region should be Turkish. This thesis was not accepted by the French. Especially in November–December 1936, the decision of the Turks not to participate in the elections held in Sanjak to send a deputy to the Syrian Assembly and the rising tension caused the murder of two young Turkish people at a mass meeting in Hatay. Martial law was declared in Hatay, and under the oppressive conditions, the Turks were forced with arms and bayonets to go to the ballot boxes. Then Atatürk went to Ulukışla to inspect the military units used to intimidate France. This situation had repercussions in a short time. Thousands of Turks welcomed the observer delegation sent to Hatay by the League of Nations. Britain and France, who met again in Geneva shortly after, agreed on Hatay. The report submitted by Sandler on January 27, 1937, was accepted, and Sanjak was accepted as a separate entity. Prime Minister İsmet İnönü’s visit to Britain on May 14, 1937 and his meeting with British Foreign Minister Eden also produced a solution in a short time on the Hatay issue. The Sanjak Constitution and Statute were adopted on May 29, 1937. It was decided that the Constitution would come into force on November 29, 1937. While the Turks of Hatay were celebrating this development, the Syrian Assembly declared the Sanjak to be an inseparable part of Syria. The oppression and persecution of Turks by the Arab and French officials in Hatay were increasing day by day. France, unbeknownst to Türkiye, acted together with the mandate officers in Hatay and prepared an election directive. However, the Ankara government protested to the League of Nations and did not recognize the election directive prepared by France. Thus, a new election commission was established by the League of Nations, and two representatives, one from Greece and one from Yugoslavia, were added to this commission upon the request of Türkiye. In the elections held in Hatay in May 1938, the pressure on the Turks continued. Thereupon, Atatürk’s visit to Mersin to inspect military units again yielded results in a short time. France approved the Turkish soldiers’ presence in Hatay at the time of the election. However, Türkiye did not consider agreeing with France before the Hatay issue was resolved. Eventually Hatay gained its independence through Atatürk’s military and diplomatic maneuvers. Hatay State was established on September 2, 1938. On June 29, 1939, the Hatay Assembly decided the state to join the territory of Türkiye. On July 23, French soldiers withdrew from Hatay, which has become a part of Türkiye.
