Inönü, Ismet

Inönü, Ismet (ĭsmĕt` ēnönü`), 1884–1973, Turkish statesman and soldier, president of Turkey (1938–50). He served in the Balkan Wars and World War I and became (1920) chief of staff to Mustafa Kemal, later known as Kemal Atatürk. He played an important part in the establishment of the Turkish republic and in Kemal's victory over the Greeks, and he represented Turkey at the Conference of Lausanne (see Lausanne, Treaty of, 1922–23). As prime minister (1923–24, 1925–37) he ably seconded the reforms of Atatürk, whom he succeeded (1938) as president of the republic. Inönü instituted free general elections for the first time in 1950; his party was defeated, and he was succeeded by Celal Bayar. After a military coup (1960; see Turkey) and the promulgation of a new constitution, Inönü's Republican People's party won a parliamentary plurality in the elections of 1961. He again became premier, heading successive coalition cabinets until 1965, when his government fell.

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Inönü, Ismet

(born Sept. 24, 1884, Smyrna, Ottoman Empire—died Dec. 25, 1973, Ankara, Tur.) Turkish army officer and statesman. On the surrender of the Ottoman Empire in World War I (1918), he was undersecretary of war. He became prime minister in 1923, and president and permanent chairman of the Republican People's Party in 1938 on Mustafa Kemal Atatürk's death. In 1950 he was replaced as president by Celâl Bayar and led the opposition, assuming the role of defender of democracy. Following a 1960 coup d'état, he formed three coalition governments, but in the 1965 and 1969 elections his party suffered overwhelming defeats.

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İnönü, İsmet 

Born Sept. 24, 1884, in Izmir; died Dec. 25, 1973, in Ankara. Turkish politician and statesman. Son of a judge; military man by education and profession.

In 1920, İnönü joined the Kemal revolution and soon became one of the closest comrades-in-arms of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. He was chief of the general staff and commander of the Western Front. In January and March of 1921, Turkish troops under the command of İnönü (then İsmet Pașsa) won victories over Greek interventionists near the village of İnönü. In 1934, when surnames were introduced in Turkey, he received the name İnönü in honor of the victories.

After the Mudanya Armistice in 1922, he was appointed minister of foreign affairs and head of the Turkish delegation to the Lausanne Conference (1922–23). He was premier from Oct. 30, 1923, to Nov. 1,1937 (with a hiatus from Nov. 20, 1924, to Mar. 3, 1925). In 1932 he visited the USSR.

After the death of Atatiirk (Nov. 10, 1938), İnönü was chosen chairman of the ruling Republican People’s Party (RPP) and president of the republic. He remained in the post until May 1950, after which, as a result of the party’s defeat in parliamentary elections, he headed the opposition in the majlis. From October 1961 to February 1965 he was premier and then again leader of the opposition. On May 8, 1972, he left the post of chairman of the RPP.

WORKS

Siyasî ve içtimaî nutuklar. Ankara, 1933.
İnönü nun söylev ve demeçleri, vol. I. Istanbul, 1946.