Determinations About the Delegates of The Sivas Congress (4-11 September 1919)

Abstract

From the point of view of defenders of full independence, one of the most important turning points in the history of the National Struggle was the Sivas Congress. The decisions taken at this Congress, which was convened between 4-11 September 1919, determined the character and shape of the process leading to the New Turkish State and the Anatolian Movement. In the light of the decisions made at the Sivas Congress, the Anatolian movement would make efforts on behalf of the whole country and of the nation it represents. However, it is known that there are some mistakes in the memoirs and copyrighted works written about the Sivas Congress delegates. These issues are mainly regarding the names and number of delegates attending the convention and the cities they represent. This study aims to explain the issues expressed about the delegates of the Sivas Congress in a more specific way and to clarify them to some extent. Therefore, this study is based on a direct examination of the minutes and documents of the Congress within the framework of certain criteria.