Young Turks were a revolutionary group of students and army officers that dominated the Ottoman Empire in the early 1900’s. The Ottoman Empire, which had peaked during the 1500’s and 1600’s, centered on what is now the nation of Turkey. The Young Turks took power in 1909 and modernized the empire. However, their decision to enter World War I (1914-1918) led to the empire’s end. In 1923, Kemal Atatürk, once prominent among the Young Turks, helped create the Republic of Turkey. In Turkish, the Young Turks are called Jön Türkler.
Revolt.
In the 1890’s, small groups of students and military officers opposed the harsh policies of Ottoman Sultan Abdülhamit II. The groups banded together secretly and became collectively known as the Young Turks. The most influential group was the Committee of Union and Progress (CUP). In 1908, the CUP led a revolt against Abdülhamit and forced him to restore constitutional government. The Young Turks made him give up the throne in 1909 and then ruled the empire through Abdülhamit’s brother Mehmet V.
The Young Turks wanted to restore the Ottoman Empire’s past greatness. However, many people no longer cared about maintaining an empire. The empire’s Christians and other minorities demanded freedom from Ottoman rule. In a series of military and political setbacks from 1908 to 1913, the Ottoman Empire lost large amounts of territory in northern Africa and southeastern Europe.
The Three Pashas.
In 1913, CUP leaders Mehmed Talaat, Ismail Enver, and Ahmed Djemal staged a coup d’état (sudden take-over of government). These powerful Young Turks ruled as a dictatorial triumvirate (three-person ruling group) nicknamed the Three Pashas. Pasha (or Paşa) was a title used by Turkish civil or military officials of high rank. The new leaders initiated a number of reforms. They promoted Turkish nationalism and industrialization, and they consolidated power in the central government. They reduced the role of religion in education and law and encouraged education for girls.
In 1914, the Young Turks’ liberal reforms were interrupted by the outbreak of World War I. The Young Turks joined with Germany and Austria-Hungary of the Central Powers. This action put the Ottomans at war against the Allied powers of France, Russia, and the United Kingdom.
Over the next four years, hundreds of thousands of Ottoman troops were killed in fighting throughout the Middle East. Large numbers of Ottoman civilians also died (see Armenian Genocide). The Three Pashas relinquished power a few weeks before the Ottoman Empire was forced to surrender on Oct. 30, 1918.
Many people blamed the Three Pashas for the empire’s defeat and the great loss of life. The former leaders fled to Germany as the Allied powers broke up the empire and occupied Istanbul and the Dardanelles. Greek troops then landed at the Ottoman port of Izmir and advanced into the area.
Kemal Atatürk.
War hero and former CUP member Kemal Atatürk (then known as Mustafa Kemal) soon organized a nationalist movement. Under his leadership, foreign troops were driven from the region, and a series of congresses formed a provisional (temporary) government. In April 1920, a new Turkish Grand National Assembly elected Atatürk as assembly president. In 1923, he became the first president of the new Republic of Turkey.
Today, the term Young Turks is often used to describe members of groups that have grown impatient and wish to reform or replace existing organizations.
