Istanbul and the Straits at the Treaty of Lausanne
How the Treaty of Lausanne determined the fate of Istanbul and the Bosphorus and Dardanelles straits.
Istanbul and the Straits at the Treaty of Lausanne
An examination of how the Treaty of Lausanne determined the fate of Istanbul and the strategically vital Bosphorus and Dardanelles straits—marking the end of the Ottoman Empire and birth of the Turkish Republic.
Historical Context
At the end of World War I, Western countries aimed at a complete and harsh state of captivity for the Ottoman Empire. Based on that, they started the preparations for a so-called peaceful order within and surrounding the country.
Having decided that this could only be possible if the Ottoman Empire was to be separated and split up among the parties, they put the Treaty of Sèvres on the table. But lacking success, the peaceful order they at least hoped for was postponed till the Treaty of Lausanne.
The Treaty of Lausanne
The actual end of World War I for Turkey was the Treaty of Lausanne, which was also the cause of the juridical and fiscal elimination of the 600-year-old Ottoman Empire and made way for the change of style of administration in Turkish lands, thus transformation into the Turkish Republic.
This article focuses specifically on Istanbul and the Straits (Bosphorus & Dardanelles) within the context of the Lausanne negotiations—examining how control of these strategically vital waterways was negotiated and what it meant for the emerging Turkish state.
Strategic Importance
The status of Istanbul and the Turkish Straits was one of the most contentious issues at Lausanne. Control of these waterways meant control over access between the Black Sea and the Mediterranean—a matter of vital strategic and economic importance to both Turkey and the great powers.
Publication Details
Journal: History and Civilization : İstanbul Academic Journal (Tarih ve Uygarlık - İstanbul)
Publisher: Doğu Kitabevi (Eastern Publishing House)
Publication Date: December 2012
Issue: Numbers 1-2 (Combined)
Pages: 270
Format: Academic Journal (Unbound)
Academic Contribution
This research contributes to understanding the diplomatic and strategic calculations that shaped modern Turkey's borders and sovereignty. It examines how the failed Treaty of Sèvres gave way to Lausanne, and how Turkish negotiators secured more favorable terms regarding Istanbul and the Straits.