Word: ankara
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...coup was a total surprise. Despite four weeks of sporadic anti-Menderes demonstrations by students and cadets in Ankara and Istanbul, few had suspected that the ebullient Premier was really in jeopardy. His party commanded an almost 3-to-1 majority in the Assembly, and outside the sophisticated urban centers, his popularity among the peasant population remained high. Until the radio blared its stunning news, many Turks had never even heard of General Cemal Gursel, the longtime professional soldier who led the revolt...
...operation was a masterwork of organization. By 3:30 a.m., army, navy and air units, backed by tanks, held all key points. In all Turkey only one man was killed-an army lieutenant who was shot when an excited cop pulled a gun as the officer entered an Ankara post office. Officers found President Celal Bayar (who recently told a Western diplomat: "We are going to crush opposition") at his palace. Bayar flourished a pistol and his daughter threw a kitchen knife at the officers before they could hustle him off to "protective custody" in the War College barracks...
Last month, when Menderes proclaimed martial law and ordered troops to put down student demonstrations in Istanbul and Ankara, the army found itself forced to act against its own people. Police had killed at least a dozen students who were protesting the Premier's appointment of an all-Democratic committee with starchamber powers to investigate the "subversive" activities of the opposition Republicans. Officers of the middle rank-colonels, majors, captains-began planning active revolt. They first asked Inonu to be their leader. The old soldier refused...
Throughout the third straight week of martial law in Istanbul and Ankara, demonstrations burst out almost daily against Premier Adnan Menderes' government. They were not particularly large and nobody got killed, but their persistence argued that the ruling Democrats, triumphant in three elections since 1950, were slipping in popular esteem. Even President Celal Bayar was worried enough to urge Menderes to consider seeking peace with the opposition Republicans. But the Premier was still tough. Cried Menderes, in a speech at Izmir: "These street demonstrations of children will not make me resign." This week, to get the children...
Fundamental in Turkey's present test of strength is the attitude of the army, which has been notably restrained in enforcing martial law against the demonstrators. When the Premier returned to Ankara at week's end to welcome India's touring Nehru, police used tear gas to disperse 6,000 anti-Menderes demonstrators shouting: "Freedom!" On hand was an honor guard of military cadets. They began singing Ataturk's favorite old marching song, which demonstrators have been singing since the first riots flared in Istanbul last month. "Long live the Turkish army!" shouted the crowd. "Long...