Antioch,Turkey's Danzig?

[Peter H]

Antioch and Alexandretta fell under French rule in 1920,becoming part of Syria.The protection of the large Greek population there appears to be one excuse for this annexation.

http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/tr-hatay.html

The sanjak of Alexandretta was awarded to Syria in 1920 and in 1936 became the subject of a complaint to the League of Nations by Turkey, which claimed that the privileges of the Turkish minority in the sanjak were being infringed. The sanjak was given autonomous status in 1937 by an agreement, arranged by the League, between France (then mandatory power in Syria) and Turkey. Rioting by Turks and Arabs resulted (1938) in the establishment of joint French and Turkish military control. In 1939, France transferred the sanjak to Turkey and it became Hatay province.

http://www.ataa.org/ataa/ref/s_karakoc.html

In May 1, 1920, Mustafa Kemal gave a speech in Turkish Grand National Assembly where he said: "One of our foremost principles is the fact that our nation' border will pass South of Alexandretta. In the East, this border stretches to include Mosul, Kirkuk and Sulaymaniyah. Those are our national borders."(4) Thus setting out a clear goal that in Hatay's case was ultimately achieved. Another example of the importance that Atatürk attached to Hatay was when on 15 March 1923 he told a young girl in Adana who had emotionally said: "Father of our nation, please save us" that: "Lands that have been Turkish for 40 centuries will not remain in the hands of the enemy."

[Nikolay]

"Lands that have been Turkish for 40 centuries will not remain in the hands of the enemy."

[/quote]

40 (?!) centuries . Must be missquote.

[Tosun Saral]

Although he was sick during Hatay Crisiss Atatürk came to Adana which was at the Turkish French border. While holding a speech to the Adanaer he saw suddenly women all covered in black veils. This was not acceptable by Ataturk who made great reforms in Turkish live. He got angry. His blue eyes flashed. he turned and asked the governer of Adana "Who are those women in black veils?
The governor replied "They are our mothers and sisters from Hatay who suffer under French rule"
The flash in his blue eyes returned to a mild sea and he slowly get down from the desk and walked towards the women in veils. He uncovered the black veil and throw it away and said his famous quattaion that confused our friend from Bulgaria Nikolay.
"Lands that have been Turkish for 40 centuries will not remain in the hands of the enemy."
The next day he went to Dörtyol just at the border. While he was holding his speech he saw again some women dressed all in black veils. He asked again. The reply was "They are our mothers and sister from Syria" He looked sadly to those women and said " The nations deserve the administration that they are suitable for" and left the area.

He remembered how the wounded and sick Turkish soldiers in Military Hospitals in Damascus murdered by Syrian riots after the retead of Tukish Army.

Nikolay no missquote or false printing. Thats what exactly what he said.

some pictures of Turkish soldiers entering Hatay
http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic. ... ight=hatay

[Tosun Saral]

Peter H
Hatay is not Turkey's Danzig.

You quoted a political head line as stating "Antioch Turkey's Danzig?" There is no place in this earth called Antioch But Antakya.
Now my Turn? Can I open a chapter as:

Batı Trakya(West Trace) Greece's Danzig?
or
"Bulgarian Danzig Corridor ?"

[Peter H]

Thats why I put in a ?

The Haya situation meant much to Turkey and its return to the homeland was seen as the righting of a wrong.Turkish diplomatic skills achieved this but it took a long time.

[Tosun Saral]

Thank You Peter

[Nikolay]

Nikolay no missquote or false printing. Thats what exactly what he said.

Well, then is OK with me. Just the number of centuries sounded strange to me.

[Tosun Saral]

Dear Nikolay Komschu, As you know Although the founders and main population of Ottoman Empire was Turcic many different nations inhabited the empire. To keep the empire in a unity the governing elite used the slogan " we are all Ottomans" After nationalistic ideas Greece, Bulgaria, Serbia was gone only Arap land were in the Unity. The new slogan was "We are all muslims" It didnt worked also. The empire lost Arab lands. Many muslims refuged to Turkish mainland such as Turkish or non-Turkish Muslims of Macedonia, Bosnia.Albania. They all knew themselves as Ottoman Muslims. Ataturk planned a new Turkish State not a muslim Turkish state. He ordered to search the roots of Turks. He founded a society to search the roots the Turkish Historical Society. He also founded another society to clean Turkish languge from Arabic and persian words. which entered to Turkish language with the religion. The Turkish languistic Society.
The Historical society found out that ancient nations like Sumer, Hithite, Troy were all Turkish origin.
After learnin the history of Turkic people he ordered to name the new indrustry which he founded Sumer bank and Eti bank. Sumer bank was a bank to invest on texitle, Eti (the Hithite) Bank was a bank to invest natural sources.
In 1933 he on the 10th Anniversary of the Republic he annaunced to the world his famous quatation "I am proud to be a Turk"
Thats why he said for Hatay "40 centuaries".

[Nikolay]

The Historical society found out that ancient nations like Sumer, Hithite, Troy were all Turkish origin.

I have a profound respect towards Turkish people and their history. But the theory you mentioned lacks any substantial evidence. It is science fiction, not history. I could also, following the same pattern, insist that Mayas, Incas, Ancient Greeks or Romans were all Bulgarians.
I repeat, I do respect the history and traditions of Turkey. But I don't accept science fiction presented as history. And I have the same feelings towards the "theories" that Bulgarians founded China, that are right now popular in Bulgaria.

[Peter H]

I don't think Ataturk was pushing a racial link but more the Anatolian connection shared between the Central Asian steppe peoples that arrived there at different times.A sense of its history was needed by the new Turkish Republic.

The Anatolian Civilisations Museum:

http://www.transanatolie.com/English/Tu ... museum.htm

[Tosun Saral]

"A sense of its history was needed by the new Turkish Republic."
Thats axactly what I meaned to say.
Thank you again.