Sivas Congress

The Sivas Congress was a pivotal event in Turkish history, held in September 1919 in the city of Sivas. It was the second national congress called by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, who would later become the first president of Turkey. The congress played a crucial role in consolidating the Turkish national movement during a period when the Ottoman Empire was occupied by Allied forces.

The Sivas Congress ratified the National Pact, which had been drafted at the earlier Erzurum Congress. This pact affirmed the territorial integrity of Turkish lands and established a provisional government. The congress successfully exposed attempts to arrest Atatürk and disrupt the movement, leading to a shift in power in Istanbul. Ultimately, the Sivas Congress contributed significantly to the eventual expulsion of occupying forces, the end of the Ottoman Empire, and the establishment of the Republic of Turkey.12