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Lloyd George and the Turkish question : an examination of Lloyd George’s Turkish policy, 1918-1922

University of British Columbia

The events in Turkey in the years 1918 to 1922 are covered by a variety of works. Lloyd George's, part in these events has received some attention, but most writers either refer to his role only briefly as part of a general study of the post-war Middle East or focus on a small part of the four year period. No comprehensive study of Lloyd George's Turkish policy has yet been written. This thesis examines the motivations behind and the execution of Lloyd George's post-First World War Turkish policy. The main sources for this study have been the private papers of government ministers and functionaries, published government documents and various books and articles. A chronological structure has been employed. By the end of the First World War, the Ottoman Empire and Imperial Russia no longer existed. This required a revision of traditional British policies for the Eastern Mediterranean. The modification in British policy and the course of the war are outlined in Chapter Two, as is Lloyd. George's part in forming that policy. The origins of his attitude towards Greece and Turkey are also examined here. The course of events in post-war Turkey may be divided into four distinct periods. The first period, from the signing of the Mudros Armistice on 30 October 1918 to the Greek landings at Smyrna on 19 May 1919, is covered in Chapter III. The negotiations which led to the Treaty of Sèvres--negotiations in which Lloyd George played so important a role—are examined in the fourth chapter. Chapter Five explores the period from August 1920 to September 1922. During this time, Lloyd George's Turkish policy was to pass from the peak of success at Sèvres to total ruin with the defeat of the Greeks by the Turkish Nationalists. The final debacle--the confrontation between the Turkish Nationalists and the British garrison at Chanak and its effects on Lloyd George's career are examined in Chapter VI. In the final chapter an attempt is made to determine the foundations and manner of executing Lloyd George's Turkish policy.

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2010-02-25

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http://hdl.handle.net/2429/20953

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