Milli Mücadele Dönemi'nde Asker Firarileri

Abstract

Deserters in the Period of National Struggle, Master of Arts Thesis, Ankara, 2018. The development of modern mass armies not only created obedient (law-abiding) citizens but also led to the emergence of deserters and rebels. This is a natural consequence of having warfare and the military. During the National Struggle Era (1919-1923), as the legacy of World War I (1914-14)- in an environment of disintegration caused by distrust and uncertainty- the biggest reason of the Army’s weakness had been deserters. Not only that, army deserters had also constituted the manpower of the rebellions. Thus, they started to threaten the internal and external security behind the battlefront. In this thesis, relying on historical evidence, it is aimed at assessing the issue of army deserters, who have also created security vulnerabilities and authority problems, within the context of motives, processes and consequences. Throughout the history, these deserters have been regarded just as figures who initiated the establishment of the Liberty Courts. In this thesis, these people are examined not just as criminals but also as individuals. In the first section, desertion incidents are discussed through the concepts of compulsory military service, total war and discipline. In the second section, National Struggle Era is briefly summarized. In the third section, desertion reasons and types are analyzed. In the fourth section, crimes committed by army deserters are also debated. And in the final section, penalties for deserters and Liberty Courts are discussed.