biography
| name: |
Inönü, Ismet
|
| |
originally Mustafa Ismet
|
pronunciation:
[inoenü]
| sex:
| male
|
| lived:
| (1884–1973)
|
| biography:
| Turkish soldier, prime minister (1923–37, 1961–5), and president (1938–50), born in Izmir, W Turkey. He fought in World War 1, then became Atatürk's chief-of-staff in the war against the Greeks (1919–22), defeating them twice at Inönü. As the first premier of the new republic, he introduced many political reforms, and was elected president in 1938 on Atatürk's death. He maintained the neutrality of Turkey in World War 2, and after the war he aligned Turkey with the Western Allies. From 1950 he was leader of the Opposition, and became premier again in 1961, resigning in 1965. He failed to win re-election in 1969 and was discredited by his support of the military regime that seized power in 1971. He resigned as party chairman in 1972, but remained a senator until his death. |
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