Cevdet Sunay

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Cevdet Sunay
Commander of the Turkish Army
In office
3 June 1960 – 2 August 1960
Preceded byCemal Gürsel
Succeeded byMehmet Muzaffer Alankuş
Personal details
Born10 February 1899
General
Battles/warsWorld War I
  • Palestine Front
Turkish War of Independence

Ahmet Cevdet Sunay (Turkish: [ˈdʒevdet ˈsunaj]; 10 February 1899 – 22 May 1982) was a Turkish politician and army officer, who served as the fifth President of Turkey from 1966 to 1973.

Early life and career

Sunay was born in 1899 in the village of Ataköy near

Palestine front and became a prisoner of war of the British in Egypt in 1918. After his release, he fought first on the southern front, then on the western front during the Turkish War of Independence
.

Sunay completed his military education in 1927, and graduated from the

four-star general in 1959, he held important military posts. In 1960, he was appointed army chief and later joint chief of staff. On 14 March 1966, he was appointed to the senate by Cemal Gürsel under his presidential contingency.[2]

When Gürsel's presidency was terminated due to ill health in accordance with the constitution, Cevdet Sunay was elected 5th president by the Grand National Assembly of Turkey on 28 March 1966. He maintained his office despite increasing terrorist activity, student riots, and threatened coups. He served the constitutional term of seven years until 28 March 1973 and became then a permanent senator.

He was married to Atıfet in 1929.[3] They had three sons, Atilla, Aysel and Argun Sunay.[4]

Presidency

Chief of the General Staff Cevdet Sunay was elected as the fifth president of the Turkish Republic by the Grand National Assembly of Turkey on 28 March 1966.[5] His presidential service continued until 28 March 1973 where he had to go through troubled times. Between 1961 and 1965 Süleyman Demirel, Nihat Erim and Ferit Melen were the most prominent members in President Sunay’s administration. Cevdet Sunay resigned as president due to deteriorating health conditions.

Death

Cevdet Sunay died of a heart attack on 22 May 1982 in Istanbul. His body was moved in August 1988 to a permanent burial place in the newly built Turkish State Cemetery in Ankara.

Honours

National honours
  • Turkey Recipient of the Medal of Independence with Red Ribbon.
Foreign honours

See also

  • 1962 attempted coup in Turkey

References

  1. ^ "Cevdet Sunay Müzesi - Trabzon". Türkiye Kültür Portalı. 30 December 2022.
  2. ^ "SUNAY, Cevdet - TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi". TDV İslam Ansiklopedisi (in Turkish). Retrieved 19 March 2022.
  3. ^ "Çankaya'nın First Lady'leri". Hürriyet (in Turkish). 15 April 2007. Retrieved 16 February 2019.
  4. ^ "Sunay'ın eşi vefat etti". Radikal (in Turkish). 22 October 2002. Retrieved 16 February 2019.
  5. ^ "O gün bugün | 5. Cumhurbaşkanı Cevdet Sunay oldu". Milliyet (in Turkish). 28 March 2020. Retrieved 19 March 2022.
  6. ^ Badraie Archived March 5, 2016, at the Wayback Machine
  7. ^ "Suomen Valkoisen Ruusun ritarikunnan suurristin ketjuineen ulkomaalaiset saajat - Ritarikunnat". 9 October 2020.

External links

Military offices
Preceded by
Commander of the Turkish Army

1960
Succeeded by
Mehmet Muzaffer Alankuş
Preceded by
Chief of the General Staff of Turkey

1960–1966
Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by President of Turkey
1966–1973
Succeeded by