1. Today in 1920s Turkey: 2 August 1923 (Peace Cannons)

(Kelebek or "Butterfly," 2 August 1923, front cover)

Text below the cartoon:

Turkish:
— Paşam, yüz bir pare sulh topunu attık. Artık ıstrahat edelim mi?
— Evet fakat her ihtimale karşı topları tekrar doldurduktan sonra!

English:
— General, we have shot one hundred peace (cannon) rounds. Shall we rest now?
— Yes, but after you load the cannon once more, just in case!

This cartoon was published in Istanbul ninety-three years ago today on the cover of the seventeenth issue of the literary journal, Kelebek (“Butterfly”). Kelebek was published every Thursday between 1923 and 1925. This cartoon commemorates the signing of the Treaty of Lausanne on July 24 of the previous week. Signed by the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TGNA or TBMM for Türkiye Büyük Millet Meclisi) Government and Allies, this peace treaty marked the official end of the Turkish War of Independence. The nationalist war was led by Mustafa Kemal (later, Atatürk) against invading Allied forces who had partitioned the waning Ottoman Empire’s remaining territories in the aftermath of the Axis loss in World War I.

The imagery and language of this cartoon concur that the signing of international agreements is no guarantor of peace. The cartoon stresses national security and adopts a cautiously defensive opinion about this development. Here, Mustafa Kemal (referred to in the text as General or Paşam) is featured on the right in a stand-offish pose as he gives the directive to the soldier to load the cannon once more. The message could be a literal response to national defense. This cartoon may also present a broader claim regarding the challenges that lay ahead in the aftermath of peace (i.e. nation-building). Messages of “this is no time for rest” proliferated at this period in an attempt to keep the fighting masses motivated.