PUBLIC ORDER IN BODRUM, MUGLA AND ITS SURROUNDING (1918-1922)

Generally, there was no public order in the last year of First World War and during the process of the Montrose Armistice. The disarrangement caused by the war, the authority gap resulted from the armistice and the fact that the Allied Powers provoked gangs and members of minority groups to pave the way for invasion are regarded as the primary causes of this disorder. This study discussed about the public order in Bodrum and the other districts of Mugla Province between 1918 and 1920. Three factors affecting the public order were emphasized in this paper, which was prepared based on the documents of the Prime Minister’s Ottoman Archives. These three factors were Istanbul Government, the Allied Powers and Kuva-y？ Milliye (Turkish National Forces). Common public order incidents occurred because of the authority gap that appeared after the armistice, the provocations of the Allied Powers and the opportunists who showed themselves as if they were the members of Kuva-y？ Milliye. Afterwards, the invasion took place. In spite of everything, Bodrum and its surrounding area were generally quiet in those years