24 Temmuz Lozan Sulh Bayramı
Özet
KORKMAZ, Kaan, 24th of July Lausanne Peace Holiday (1924-1955), Master’s Thesis, Ankara 2024.
The aim of this study is to examine how July 24, the day of the signing of the Lausanne Peace Treaty, was celebrated as a holiday between 1924 and 1955 and why these celebrations were banned, and to explain the process between 1924 and 1955 in various aspects specific to the Lausanne Peace Day. The study is unique in that it firstly explains the process of Lausanne Peace Holiday and the celebrations organized in the light of the developments between 1924-1955 and compares the Lausanne Peace Holiday with the mentioned holidays by including Montreux Day, Hatay Holiday, Liberty Holiday and 29’th of October Republic Day celebrated during this period. It is thought that this study will contribute to similar studies to be conducted in the future about the special days and holidays celebrated between the mentioned years.
The study categorized under three main titles, excluding the Foreword and Introduction. In the Foreword chapter, the outline of the study is drawn, the main sources used in the study and previous studies on this subject are mentioned, and finally the road map of the study explained. In the Introduction chapter, the history of the origins of national holidays and special days analyzed. France, England and pre-Republican Turkey were choosed as example, and how the holidays celebrated in these countries arose and the purposes of their celebration are mentioned countries.
In the first part, First World War, Turkish Independence War, the Lausanne Peace Treaty and the process leading to July 24, 1923, when the Peace Day was celebrated for the first time. These were examined. In this chapter Lausanne Day celebrations during the Atatürk period (1924-1938) are discussed together with political and economic developments such as the Sheikh Sait Rebellion and the 1926 Ankara Treaty, the Izmir Assassination, the World Economic Depression and the Montreux Straits Convention. The aim here is to reveal the press's approach to these issues in the context of Lausanne Day and to examine their impact on the celebrations of the holiday. In addition, the effects of social and political developments such as the opening of the People's Houses, the law enacted for the
officialization of national holidays and İsmet İnönü's resignation as prime minister on Lausanne Day are also analyzed.
The second part covers the İsmet İnönü period. The changes experienced by the Lausanne Peace Holiday during Hatay's accession to the motherland, the Second World War and the process leading to multi-party life are discussed. In this period, İsmet İnönü's personality and the acceptance of the Lausanne Peace Feast as “one and the same” is the striking point of the chapter. The rise of this understanding between 1939 and 1945 and its decline between 1946 and 1950 are analyzed. With the establishment of the Democratic Party in 1946, Lausanne Day became politicized between the two parties. The effects of this politicization on the holiday are tried to be explained in the light of the developments of the period.
In the third part, the loss of prestige experienced by the Lausanne Peace Day during the Democratic Party rule compared to the previous years and the process leading to the banning of the celebrations and the conditions that prepared this process are discussed. In the conclusion, firstly, the importance of national holidays, the process leading to the Lausanne Peace Holiday and the Lausanne Peace Treaty are mentioned. Then, the new meanings that the Lausanne Peace Holiday gained in the stages between 1924 and 1955 were identified and named, and its suitability for the purpose of the study was evaluated.
Until 1937, on Lausanne Days, the treaty was seen as a declaration of independence together established by Atatürk and İnönü. From 1938 to 1946, The day became closely associated with İnönü himself. Between 1946 and 1955, there was a conflict between CHP-DP and İnönü-Menderes. Lausanne Day by the time became significantly politicized and finally its celebrate was banned. During the nearly thirty-year period of celebrations, Lausanne Peace Treaty was regarded as the international document of fully independent Turkey, the sole proof of Turkish pacifism, and the founder and reminder of economical freedom.
