Cevdet Sunay

Ahmet Cevdet Sunay KCB (Turkish: [ˈdʒevdet ˈsunaj]; 10 February 1899 – 22 May 1982) was a Turkish politician and army officer, who served as the fifth President of Turkey from 1966 to 1973.

Cevdet Sunay
KCB
Sunay in 1964
5th President of Turkey
In office
28 March 1966 – 28 March 1973
Prime MinisterSüleyman Demirel
Nihat Erim
Ferit Melen
Preceded byCemal Gürsel
Succeeded byFahri Korutürk
Chief of the General Staff of Turkey
In office
4 August 1960 – 16 March 1966
Preceded byRagıp Gümüşpala
Succeeded byCemal Tural
Commander of the Turkish Army
In office
3 June 1960 – 2 August 1960
Preceded byCemal Gürsel
Succeeded byMehmet Muzaffer Alankuş
Personal details
Born10 February 1899
Çaykara, Trabzon Vilayet, Ottoman Empire
Died22 May 1982(1982-05-22) (aged 83)
Istanbul, Turkey
Resting placeTurkish State Cemetery
NationalityTurkish
Political partyIndependent
SpouseAtıfet Sunay
ChildrenAtilla Sunay
Aysel Sunay
Argun Sunay
Signature
Military service
Allegiance Ottoman Empire
 Turkey
Branch/service Ottoman Army
 Turkish Land Forces
RankGeneral
Battles/warsWorld War I Turkish War of Independence

Early life and career

Sunay was born in 1899 in the village of Ataköy near Çaykara in Trabzon Vilayet, Ottoman Empire.[1] After attending elementary school and middle school in Erzurum and Edirne, he graduated from Kuleli Military High School in Istanbul. During World War I, he fought in 1917 at the Palestine front and became a prisoner of war of the British in Egypt in 1918. After his release, he fought first on the southern front, then on the western front during the Turkish War of Independence.

Sunay completed his military education in 1927, and graduated from the staff college in 1930 as a staff officer. Rising through the ranks to become a general in 1949 and then a four-star general in 1959, he held important military posts. In 1960, he was appointed army chief and later joint chief of staff. On 14 March 1966, he was appointed to the senate by Cemal Gürsel under his presidential contingency.[2]

When Gürsel's presidency was terminated due to ill health in accordance with the constitution, Cevdet Sunay was elected 5th president by the Grand National Assembly of Turkey on 28 March 1966. He maintained his office despite increasing terrorist activity, student riots, and threatened coups. He served the constitutional term of seven years until 28 March 1973 and became then a permanent senator.

He was married to Atıfet in 1929.[3] They had three sons, Atilla, Aysel and Argun Sunay.[4]

Presidency
Cevdet Sunay

Chief of the General Staff Cevdet Sunay was elected as the fifth president of the Turkish Republic by the Grand National Assembly of Turkey on 28 March 1966.[5] His presidential service continued until 28 March 1973 where he had to go through troubled times. Between 1961 and 1965 Süleyman Demirel, Nihat Erim and Ferit Melen were the most prominent members in President Sunay’s administration. Cevdet Sunay resigned as president due to deteriorating health conditions.

Death

Cevdet Sunay died of a heart attack on 22 May 1982 in Istanbul. His body was moved in August 1988 to a permanent burial place in the newly built Turkish State Cemetery in Ankara.

Honours
National honours
  • Turkey : Recipient of the Medal of Independence with Red Ribbon.
Foreign honours

See also

References
  1. "Cevdet Sunay Müzesi - Trabzon". Türkiye Kültür Portalı. 30 December 2022.
  2. "SUNAY, Cevdet - TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi". TDV İslam Ansiklopedisi (in Turkish). Retrieved 19 March 2022.
  3. "Çankaya'nın First Lady'leri". Hürriyet (in Turkish). 15 April 2007. Retrieved 16 February 2019.
  4. "Sunay'ın eşi vefat etti". Radikal (in Turkish). 22 October 2002. Retrieved 16 February 2019.
  5. "O gün bugün | 5. Cumhurbaşkanı Cevdet Sunay oldu". Milliyet (in Turkish). 28 March 2020. Retrieved 19 March 2022.
  6. Badraie Archived March 5, 2016, at the Wayback Machine
  7. "Suomen Valkoisen Ruusun ritarikunnan suurristin ketjuineen ulkomaalaiset saajat - Ritarikunnat". 9 October 2020.
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