Reforms of Mustafa Kemal

Q Mustafa Kamal Pasha separated Turkey from the ancient Arabic sphere of culture and tradition and transformed her into a modern and westernized nation. Elaborate.

Q  Describe achievement and reforms of Mustafa Kamal Ataturk.

Ans:  At the beginning of 20th century, the Ottoman empire stretched from Asia Minor to North Africa. In the south-east Europe it bordered with Austria and Russia. The end of Ottoman empire came after 1st world war.
         After the world war-1, the terms dictated to Turkey by the allies at the treaty of Severs in 1920 came as a shock to the  nationalists. The Treaty deprived Turkey of its entire empire. Constantipole (Istanbul) was temporarily given to international control. An Armenian republic was to be created in the east. Turkey was given the status of semi-colonial state. The Greeks occupied Symrna(now Izmir).
       The nationalists under the leadership of Mustafa Kemal refused to accept the Treaty of Severs. Kemal led the revolt against the Govt. of Sultan. He established a rival govt. at Angora(Asia Minor). The Turks under his leadership inflicted a shattering defeat on the Greeks and negotiated more favourable terms with allies at lausanne in 1923. Turkey under the leadership of Kemal Pasha became a republic and Sultan Mohd-vi was deposed in 1922.
    Mustafa kemal laid six broad principles of reforms.
(1) Republic:-
In the first place Turkey was made a republic in 1922 with a constitution modelled on western parliamentary lines, though with a one party system. The office of Caliph was abolished. the women could participate in elections. The National Assembly of Turkey was to be elected for a term of four years through universal adult franchise. The Assembly was to elect a president of Republic for four years. Mustafa Kemal became the first president and retained  this office till his death in 1938.

(2)  Nationalism
All citizens of Turkey without distinction of race and religion were to be Turks. He provided modern Turkey an identity and made it a modern nation state. He shifted the capital from Istanbul to Ankara in Anatolia as a symbol of new nationalist Turkey.

(3) Populism.
Populism  means equality before law and rejection of class privileges. Kemal abolished the old Ottoman names and titles.

(iv) Estatism.
State control over industry, mines, transport and means of production were established. His govt subsidised agriculture. Modern farms were established with latest machinery and techniques. He created state enterprises managed by the Govt.

(v) Secularism
The Islamic codes and laws were replaced by a European law code. Polygamy was banned and civil marriages were introduced. The western calendar was introduced with sunday and the friday as weekly holiday. Building of new mosques and repair of old ones were discouraged. Public education was separated from mosque/church influences. He required men to wear western dress, abolished the Fez and veil. Women were made eligible for public offices and professions.
   The Turkish language was reformed by the introduction of western alphabets. Turks were now required to take surnames in the Western manner. Kemal himself took the surname of Ataturk(father of Turks). He deleted the articles in the constitution in 1928 that Islam was state religion.

(vi) Revolutionalization
At his death in 1938 Ataturk had revolutionized his country. According to him it was necessary to convert Turkey from an oriental state into a western one. However,  in foreign policy Turkey remained independent and conciliatory.
     So under Mustafa Kemal Turkey from a 'sickman of Europe' became a modern state. Although he took ruthless measures of westernization and practically was a dictator, but he was a popular and benevolent dictator.
  The six pillars of Kemalism are:- (i) republicanism (ii) Kemalism (iii) Populism (iv) Estatism (v) Secularism (vi) revolutionism

Objective questions

Q what is Kuwait crisis of 1961?
Ans Iraq announced its intention to annex Kuwait. Britain was there to protect Kuwait.

Q what is ARAMCO?
Ans Arabian American oil company

Q Who was Moshe Dayan?
Ans He was the Defense minster and later foreign minister of Israel.

Q who is Noori Maliki?
Ans He is the prime minister of Iraq

Q When Yaser Arafat died?
Ans 11 Nov, 2004


Q  RCD stands for?
Ans Regional cooperation organization  (Pakistan, Iran and Turkey)


Q When Rafiq Hariri was assassinated?
Ans Rafiq Hariri was a Lebanese Politician who was assassinated on 14 Feb, 2005.


Q who is head of Hezbollah?
Ans Hassan Nasrallah


Q who is Maryam Rijavi?
Ans Maryam Rajavi is an Iranian politician who is president elect of National council of resistance of Iran


Q who is Abdullah Ojlan?
Ans Abdullah Ojlan is the founding member of Kurdistan workers party. He is under arrest by Turkish forces. He is considered a terrorist by Turkey, while Kurds consider him a hero.


Q What is Cha Bahar?
Ans Cha Bahar is a city in the Sistan and Baluchestan province of Iran.


Q Define Marshall Plan
Ans Marshall plan was the U.S aided European recovery plan which was announced by George Marshall U.S secretary of state in 1947. The plan aimed at providing economic aid to European nations after second world war.

Q When the Treaty of Lausanne was signed? What was the aim?
Ans In 1928. According to the treaty of Lousanne(Switzerland), the Dardanelles and the Bosphorous waterways were internationalised.

Q who were the original signatories of Montreux convention?
Ans (1) Turkey (ii) Britain (iii) France (iv) U.S.S.R (v) Australia (vi) Bulgaria (vii) Germany (viii) Greece (ix) Japan (x) Yugoslavia

Q What do you mean by SAVAK?
Ans SAVAK was the secret police of Shah of Iran. It was trained by Americans and Israelis . It was a notorious secret service which tortured the opposition.

Q What does UNTAG stand for?
UN transitional Assistance Group for Namibia.

Q Where is geographical location of Malta?
Ans   Malta is an island country on Meditteranian sea. It is nearer to Sicily(Italy).

Q Define Eisenhower doctrine
Ans The Eisenhower doctrine was constructing an anti-Russian stance in the Middle East. the assumption was with the decline of Britain, U.S should fill Vaccum in middle east. Fifty (50) million dollars were offered by U.S  as aid.

Q Who was Dr. A.C Millspaugh?
Ans He was an American who wrote 'Local Democracy and Crime Control'. He was asked by Reza shah in Iran to fix the public finances of the country.

Q Who nationalized the suez canal
Ans Gamal Abdul Nasser - President of Egypt in 1956

Q When the suez war took place?
Ans 1956

Q what is meant by the term Muslim Brotherhood?
Ans The Muslim brotherhood was founded in Egypt in 1928 by Hasam-al-Banna. The Muslim brotherhood opposed the separation of religion and state. Their aim is Sharia law. During president Nasser's time most of the Muslim brotherhood were put in jail.

Q Differentiate between National assembly and constituent assembly.
Ans National assembly consists of elected representatives at federal/central level. Constituent assembly is formed for the purpose of a new constitution. The elected members elect the members of constituent assembly.

Q what is strait?
Ans Narrow passage of water connecting two seas or two large areas of water.

 Q what is the name of Turkish  president?
Ans Mr Abdullah Gul

Q where is the strait of Bab-al-Mandeb located?
Ans Strait between Arabia and Africa that connects the red sea with the Gulf of Aden and Indian ocean.

Q what does AIOC stand for?
Ans Anglo Iranian oil company

Q Define Zionism
Ans Zionism is Jewish nationalism and racism. It is a political creed that the jews should have a national homeland in Palestine.

Q What was the name of chief U.N weapon inspector to Iraq?
Ans Hans Blix( a swedish)

Q what do you mean by the term sphere of influence?
Ans When a country has rights on other country but not territorial rights.

Q who was Sir Percy Sykes?
Ans Sir Percy Sykes was a British commander who in order to protect the oil pipelines during the 1st worl war. trained the Iranian recruits called the south Persia rifles.

Q Define Consortium
Ans Temporary association of a number of countries for a common purpose.

Q what is the meaning of Estatism?
Ans Constructive intervention of the state in the national economy.

Q what was capital of Yugoslavia?
Ans Belgrade

Q Who was Sir Rignold Wingate?
Ans Sir Rignold Wingate was the British high commissoner for Egypt.

Q When  the Sadabad pact was signed/concluded?
Ans It was concluded in 1937 between Turkey and eastern nations.

Q when and where the Arab league was formed?
Ans 1945 in Alexandria(Egypt)

Q what do you know about hostage crisis?
Ans In 1979 radicals particularly students in Tehran invaded American embassy and took 53 of its inmates as hostage. An attempt by the Americans to release the hostages failed. The hostages were not killed but American prestige suffered.

Q how long Mohammed Reza or Reza shah Pehalvi ruled over Iran?
Ans Reza shah Pehalvi rule dover Iran for 20 years.

Q where is Gallipoli?
Ans Gallipoli is a seaport located on the north-east coast of Dardanelles(European Turkey)It was scene of bitter fighting in the first world war.

Q/A The term of Treaty of Severs in 1920 were revised in the Treaty of Lausanne in 1923.

Q/A In September 1922 the nationalist army under Mustafa Kemal recaptured Symrna (Izmir) from the Greeks.

Q In which year the treaty of Sevres was signed between Turkey and allies?
Ans   1920

Q In 1894 Captain Dreyfus(a jew0 of France was accused of?
Ans  Sold  military secrets to a foreign nation.

Q what does CENTO stand for?
Ans Central treaty organization

Q Give the geographical location of Cyprus.
Ans Cyprus is an island on Mediterranean sea. It is divided between Greek cypriots in the south and Turkish Cypriots in the north.

Q what is buffer state?
Ans A small country located between two large antagnoistic states. It lessens the conflict between powerful states.

Q Name the capital of Lebanon.
Ans Beirut

Q who was Saad Zaghlul?
Ans He was an Egyptian Arab nationalist and belonged to WAFD party. He became premier of Egypt but soon resigned. He dies in 1927.

Q when Islamic revolution broke out in Iran?
Ans Juary 1979.

Q which country was known as the sick man of Europe?
Ans Turkey

Q what does MTCR stand for?
Ans Missile Technology Control Regime

Q when the 1st Arab-Israeli war broke out?
Ans 1948

Q where is the Black sea?
Ans Black sea touches Turkey and old Soviet union particularly Crimea.

Q who is the president of Iran?
Ans Ahmedi-nijad

Q what does CTBT stand for?
Ans Comprehensive test ban treaty

Q when the second world war ended?
Ans 1945

Q what does Neo stand for?
Ans New international economic order

Q Name the exact members of Montreux convention
Ans Turkey, Britain, France, U.S.S.R, Germany, Japan, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Greece, Australia(10 countries)

Q what do you know about Arab nationalism?
Ans Britain encouraged Arab nationalism during the 1st world war to hasten the disintegration of Turkish Ottoman empire. Arabs became independent of Turkey after the 1st worl war. But they could not setup a great Arab state. Arab league which is the symbol of Arab nationalism was formed in 1945. In 1950 and 1960's President Nasser was a great champion of Arab cause and pan Arabism.

Q Why is the  West Asia also called the Middle East?
Ans West Asia generally includes the Arab countries of the eastern Arab world, Turkey, Iran and Israel but conventionally excludes Afghanistan and Pakistan. the term middle east was coined in 1902. West Asia is the new name.

Q what do you know about Kemalist revolution?
Ans The Turks under the leadership of  Mustafa Kemal defeated Greeks and Mustafa Kemal got favourable terms at the treaty of Lausanne in 1923. Under Kemal's leadership Turkey became a republic and Sultan Mohd-vi was deposed. Kemal westernized the country.

Q Give the names of seas connected by Suez Canal
Ans Mediterranean sea and Red sea

Q where is Camp david?
Ans Camp David is in Maryland U.S.A. Peace talks and agreements took place in Camp David during president Saadat's time and then by Yasir Arafat and Israelis.

Q when and why did the Islamic Revolution occur in Iran?
Ans In 1979. Iran had become a satellite of U.S.A. There were atrocities of SAVAK, people wanted democracy and democratic rights. All these and many other factors led to the revolution in Iran.

Q why did Baghdad Pact was converted to CENTO?
Ans Because Iraq left Baghdad Pact in 1959 therefore Baghdad pact was converted into CENTO.

Q write the names of countries who share common border with Iran
Ans Pakistan, Afghanistan, Turkemanistan, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Iraq, Gulf states.

Q who was Cyrus the Great?
Ans Cyrus the great was a Zarostrian who was the founder of the greater Persian empire. He also conquered Babylonians.

Q what was the old name of Iraq?
Ans Mesopotamia

Q what do you know about Balfour declaration?
Ans Balfour was a British foreign secretary. The Balfour declaration in 1917 favoured the establishment of Jewish national home in Palestine.

Q when did the King Faisal came to power in Saudi Arabia?
Ans 1964 and killed in 1975

Q what does OPEC stand for?
Ans Organization of petroleum exporting countries

Q who was Ismet inonu?
Ans Ismet Inonu or Ismet Pasha was right hand man of Mustafa Kemal Pasha. He became primer minister of Turkey  during Mustafa Kemal's time. After Kemal's death he became President of Turkey.

Q where is Shatt ul Arab?
Ans It is on the frontier between Iran and Iraq i.e waterways between Iran-Iraq.

Q what do you know about Gaza strip and West Bank?
Ans Gaza borders with Egypt and west Bank with Jordan. In between Gaza and west Bank lies the Israeli controlled area.

Q who is the leader of Hammas?
Ans Khalid Bashar

Q what does OIC stand for?
Ans Organization of Islamic countries.

Q Differentiate between operation Desert storm and operation Desert fox.
Ans Operation desert storm was the Gulf-war in 1991 when Iraq was attacked. desert Fox was the name given to German commander Erwin Rommel.

Q who was Ayatullah Ruhollah Khomeni.
Ans Iranian religious leader who brought revolution against Shah in 1979.

Q what is the Palestinian road map?
Ans It was a plan to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict proposed by U.S.A, European union, Russia and the U.N. Principles of plan were outlined by President Bush in 2002.

Q what do you know about Intifada?
Ans Intifada is resistance (uprising) by the Palestinians against Israeli occupation. It started in Gaza in dec, 1987.

Q what was the prime reason cited by Bush and Blair for launching war on Iraq?
Ans they had the pretext that Iraq has weapons of mass destruction(WMD). Actually they wanted to show their power to friend and foe.

Q who was Lawrence of Arabia?
Ans T.W Lawrence or Lawrence of Arabia was an Englishman who supported the Arab cause against the Ottoman Empire. He was also serving British  interests as an agent in Arabia.

Q The 1st Gulf war took place in?
Ans 1991-92

Q The 2nd Gulf war took place in?
Ans 2003

Q Where is Dardanelles located?
Ans Strait near Turkey that separates Black sea from the Aegeab sea. In 1915 during 1st world war it was a scene of bitter fighting between allied forces and Turks.

Q When Iraq occupied Kuwait?
Ans Aug, 1990

Q when was GCC formed and how many members it has?
Ans Gulf cooperation Council was formed in 1981. It has six members . Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Behrain, Qatar, UAE and Oman.

Q On which side was Turkey during 1st world war?
Ans Germany

Q when civil war broke out between Muslims and Christians in Lebanon?
Ans spring of 1975

Q why and when Iran-Iraq war erupted?
Ans Iran-Iraq war erupted in 1980 over the disputed Iranian province of Khuzestan and over control of  Shat ul Arab waterways which formed part of frontier between the two states.

Q why was Ottoman empire called the "sick man"?
Ans because its possession and property had to be divided among the western powers.

Q what is Balfour declaration?
Ans In 1917 the British Govt. issued the Balfour declaration for the establishment of Jewish homeland in Palestine. Balfour was British foreign minister. When the Balfour declaration was made the Jewish population was less than 10% in Palestine, about 85000 Jews.