Welcome to a history of Europe, the interwar years.

This is the Turkish national struggle of 1919 to 1920, Part 4 of 4.

In the previous podcast in this series, I have described the events in Turkey during the First World War and in the immediate aftermath.

The Western Allies, Britain, France and Italy imposed extremely harsh terms in the Treaty of Severes on the Ottoman Empire, which was split up into several new regions, some of which such as

Syria and Iraq, became parts of the French and British empires. Even much of the Turkish heartland of Anatolia was divided up

with various parts given over to control by the Western powers. This, together with a Greek

occupation of parts of Anatolia, especially the port city of Smyrna triggered a strong reaction among Turkish nationalists

who gathered under the leadership of Mustafa Kamal in determination to restore Turkish sovereignty in Anatolia, Constantinople and Thrace.

Based in Ankara, in central Anatolia, they were in opposition to the official government,

and the Sultanople, who due to their weak acquiescence to virtually all allied demands,

lost legitimacy in the eyes of the Turkish people.

A significant change leading up to spring 1921 was that the French and Italians lost enthusiasm in Anatolia, and both came to agreement with the Turkish nationalists to leave Anatolia.

Meanwhile, Kamau also came to an agreement with the new Soviet regime in Russia.

Even the British were becoming lukewarm in their support of the Greeks.

The Greeks now had two options.

The first was to hold on to the gains they had made by attempting to establish and to set mines along a fortified frontier between themselves and the Turks.

The second option was to penetrate far inland in order to hunt down and annihilate the Turkish

Nationalist Forces. The Greeks decided on the second option and to take a fight to the enemy.

On the 23rd of March 1921, the Greek general Anastasios Papulas resumed the offensive.

In the south, they made rapid progress, capturing the city of Afyon on the 27th of March.

However, in central Anatolia, the Turks held a line and even managed to push the Greeks back of the first battle of Innu.

Further success came to the nationalist's way

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