Van During the National Struggle

The Van Province, which will be discussed in this study, consisted of Merkez, Erciş, Şatak (Çatak), Adilcevaz and Gevaş districts during the years of the National Struggle. The activities of Armenian committees for independence which continued for about thirty years in Van and its environs, and the destructive acts during World War I disrupted the advanced socio-economic life in the region. This period also had negative effects on the population. The most advantageous development for Van, after liberation from the Russian occupation, was achieved through the management of experienced administrators such as Haydar Beg and Ali Ihsan Pasha, who initiated the reconstruction process. It was important to inform and unite the people and tribes in Van against the intense claims of Armenia and Kurdistan after the Armistice of Mudros. This unity was ensured by the Van representatives at the Erzurum Congress. This study aims to present the reconstruction process after the liberation of Van from the Russian occupation, the reactions of the administrative and civil units of Van against national and international developments, and the struggle of the Ottoman Empire to protect its territorial integrity after the liberation of Van, within a general framework based on archival documents, newspapers and research conducted on the period.

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