I haven’t really read much about Turkish history in the past, but I’ve had the opportunity over the last few days to get a better understanding of the country. What a delight for blog readers….
Kâzım Orbay (1886-1964) was the quintessential ‘fixer’ of the early Turkish Republic, one of those characters where it seems that it’s the case that by staying in the military long enough, he was able to become part of the state furniture. Having survived the Balkan Wars and the First World War, he climbed the ranks to become the third Chief of the General Staff.
His tenure in that role was from 1944 to 1946 and was a masterclass in staying neutral, while the globe was tearing itself apart, Orbay’s main strategic challenge was more deciding which side’s telegrams to ignore first. Turkey had joined the Second World War in early 1945, which was arguably just a little late than was perhaps ideal.
Orbay eventually resigned following a high-profile murder scandal involving his son, proving that even though he could manage an entire national defence force, he was ultimately defeated by a teenager’s poor life choices. It’s still not entirely clear what happened in this case, but it was rather damaging to his career.
He re-emerged from retirement after the 1960 coup to serve as the Speaker of the Constituent Assembly and he presided over the drafting of the 1961 Constitution with what was likely a weary patience. He died in 1964, very much a soldier statesman who is now being remembered as one of the heroes of the Republic.