Today in History – 26 October

İsmet Pasha becomes the Minister of Foreign Affairs

Following the Armistice of Mudanya, the Allied States had decided to commence peace negotiations on November 13, 1922 in Lausanne, Switzerland and invited the Grand National Assembly Government to the conference. The Turkish delegation to partake in the conference was charged with the heavy mission of having the world acknowledge new Turkey and to clean up the remains of Ottoman history. The big question was who would be qualified enough to undertake such a challenging mission and preside over the delegation.

Although a number of names had been suggested, the one Atatürk deemed most suitable for the task was İsmet Pasha, who had successfully conducted the Mudanya ceasefire negotiations. However, as Mustafa Kemal believed that the chairman of the delegation ought to participate in the negotiations not as a military officer, but as the foreign minister of the nation, he sent a secret telegram to Minister of Foreign Affairs Yusuf Kemal Bey (Tergirşenk) and asked for his resignation. Once Yusuf Kemal Bey tendered his resignation, he brought the subject to İsmet Bey.

As told in Nutuk, İsmet Bey was appalled by this decision and asked to be excused from this mission on the grounds that he was a military officer. However, when he was told that the offer was an order, he conceded.

Some disagreed with the choice at the time.İsmet Pasha’s lack of familiarity with diplomacy was considered a disadvantage. In fact, some demanded to solicit help from experienced Ottoman diplomats. Yet, İsmet Pasha’s achievements in Lausanne proved them wrong. As an Italian delegate put it, “İsmet Pasha always managed the proceedings well. He found the weaknesses of his opponents. He fought relentlessly with his knowledge, rationality, and intelligence. After great military achievements, İsmet Pasha earned Turkish history an unprecedented political victory.”