Cevdet Sunay | |
---|---|
5th President of the Republic of Turkey | |
In office 28 March 1966 – 28 March 1973 | |
Prime Minister | Süleyman Demirel Nihat Erim Ferit Melen |
Preceded by | Cemal Gürsel |
Succeeded by | Fahri Korutürk |
Chief of the General Staff of Turkey | |
In office 4 August 1960 – 16 March 1966 | |
Preceded by | Ragıp Gümüşpala |
Succeeded by | Cemal Tural |
Commander of the Turkish Army | |
In office 3 June 1960 – 2 August 1960 | |
Preceded by | Cemal Gürsel |
Succeeded by | Mehmet Muzaffer Alankuş |
Personal details | |
Born | Çaykara, Ottoman Empire |
Died | May 22, 1982 Istanbul, Turkey | (aged 83)
Nationality | Turkish |
Spouse(s) | Atıfet Sunay |
Children | 3 |
Religion | Atheist |
Cevdet Sunay (Turkish: [ˈdʒevdet ˈsunaj]; 10 February 1899 – 22 May 1982) was a Turkish army officer, political leader and the fifth President of Turkey.
He was born in 1899 in Trabzon, in the Ottoman Empire. 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.
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. They had three children.
Cevdet Sunay died 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.
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The original article can be found at Cevdet Sunay and the edit history here.