Trabzon During the National Struggle

During the Ottoman administration the vilayet of Trabzon consisted of the sanjaks of Trabzon, Rize, Giresun, Ordu and Gümüşhane, albeit the borders of the vilayet and the sanjaks shifted from time to time. Like all regions of the Ottoman Empire that felt the precarious situation of the State after the First World War, the vilayet of Trabzon was also in expectation of what to come. The Armistice of Mudros, which ended the Great War for the Ottoman Empire was signed in the Mudros harbor of the Limnos island. After the conclusion of the Armistice, in order to fully execute the heavy clauses of the agreement the Allied Powers encouraged the Greek populations of the Eastern Black Region to establish a Pontos Greek state in a claim to reassert their ethnic identity under a new political establishment. Those who advocated the Pontos cause spread speculative information about the number of the Greek people living in the vilayet of Trabzon during this time.In the initial stages of the National Struggle Trabzon led the way in various areas of resistance. For establishing a popular front the National Society for the Defense of Legal Rights in Trabzon (Trabzon Muhafaza-i Hukuk-ı Milliye Cemiyeti) was pioneering in terms of contribution to the national cause especially in terms of organizational efforts, thus earning a significant status politically. Because of its location the city of Trabzon became one of the main logistical centers of the National Struggle. The port of Trabzon was the primary base of transporting the Soviet arms after the Russian Revolution as well as sending the military personnel and equipment to the Western Front after the Eastern Front was closed. Besides its military and political significance the city of Trabzon also campaigned hard for the dissemination of news and propaganda for the national cause especially with the vociferous and effective newspaper İstikbal, which began to be published in the city right after the Armistice of Mudros, in December 1918. This newspaper was not only instrumental in leading the masses behind the leaders of the National Struggle but also in keeping them alert and aware against the Pontos irredentist claims and activities.

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