![Karakol society](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ee/Karakol_society.jpg)
The Karakol society ( tr, Karakol Cemiyeti), was a Turkish clandestine intelligence organization that fought on the side of the
Turkish National Movement
The Turkish National Movement ( tr, Türk Ulusal Hareketi) encompasses the political and military activities of the Turkish revolutionaries that resulted in the creation and shaping of the modern Republic of Turkey, as a consequence of the defe ...
during the
Turkish War of Independence
The Turkish War of Independence "War of Liberation", also known figuratively as ''İstiklâl Harbi'' "Independence War" or ''Millî Mücadele'' "National Struggle" (19 May 1919 – 24 July 1923) was a series of military campaigns waged by th ...
. Formed in November 1918, it refused to merge itself with
under
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, or Mustafa Kemal Pasha until 1921, and Ghazi Mustafa Kemal from 1921 Surname Law (Turkey), until 1934 ( 1881 – 10 November 1938) was a Turkish Mareşal (Turkey), field marshal, Turkish National Movement, re ...
. Its leadership was decapitated in the aftermath of the
1920 Turkish Grand National Assembly election, leading to its eventual dissolution in 1926.
Operation
The Karakol Society, also known as the Black Arm, Sentinel Association
or Guard Society, was founded in November 1918, as the first clandestine organization fighting against the
Allied
An alliance is a relationship among people, groups, or states that have joined together for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not explicit agreement has been worked out among them. Members of an alliance are called ...
Occupation of Constantinople
The occupation of Istanbul ( tr, İstanbul'un İşgali; 12 November 1918 – 4 October 1923), the capital of the Ottoman Empire, by United Kingdom, British, France, French, Italy, Italian, and Greece, Greek forces, took place in accordance with ...
. It served as a continuation of the
Committee of Union and Progress
The Committee of Union and Progress (CUP) ( ota, اتحاد و ترقى جمعيتی, translit=İttihad ve Terakki Cemiyeti, script=Arab), later the Union and Progress Party ( ota, اتحاد و ترقى فرقهسی, translit=İttihad ve Tera ...
' intelligence agency, the
Special Organization, with the majority of its members coming from the latter. It was founded by
Kara Vâsıf Bey and Kara Kemal on
Talaat Pasha
Mehmed Talaat (1 September 187415 March 1921), commonly known as Talaat Pasha or Talat Pasha,; tr, Talat Paşa, links=no was an Ottoman politician and convicted war criminal of the late Ottoman Empire who served as its leader from 1913 t ...
's orders, soon after he fled the country. The name was chosen on the grounds that it was the amalgamation of the founder's names; a secret password (K.G.) was also adopted. Karakol's central committee consisted of Kara Vâsıf Bey, Baha Said Bey, Refik Ismail Bey, Ali Riza Bey (Bebe), Edip Servet Bey (Tör), Kemalletin Sami Bey, and Galatali Sevket Bey. The aims of the organization were outlined as protecting and, where non existent, establishing national unity through legitimate means behind the scenes. Revolutionary action was to be taken in the case of oppressors of freedom and justice. The third article of the declaration of establishment highlighted Karakol's socialist nature.
During his stay in Constantinople between November 1918 and May 1919
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, or Mustafa Kemal Pasha until 1921, and Ghazi Mustafa Kemal from 1921 Surname Law (Turkey), until 1934 ( 1881 – 10 November 1938) was a Turkish Mareşal (Turkey), field marshal, Turkish National Movement, re ...
met with Ali Fethi Bey, Kara Kemal, Ismail Canbulat, and an unknown fourth person, whereupon a revolutionary committee was established. The committee was to assassinate the sultan and overthrow the government, applying pressure on the government that was to succeed it. Canbulat's hesitation temporarily halted the committee's plans, which were later abandoned after its members agreed that the sultan's removal would not be enough to save the crumbling
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...
. Mustafa Kemal departed for
Anatolia
Anatolia, tr, Anadolu Yarımadası), and the Anatolian plateau, also known as Asia Minor, is a large peninsula in Western Asia and the westernmost protrusion of the Asian continent. It constitutes the major part of modern-day Turkey. The re ...
, which was to become the center of the
Turkish resistance movement. Karakol created a line of communication and transportation between Constantinople and Anatolia, smuggling volunteers, weapons, and armaments into the latter. Karakol representatives took part in the
Erzurum
Erzurum (; ) is a city in eastern Anatolia, Turkey. It is the largest city and capital of Erzurum Province and is 1,900 meters (6,233 feet) above sea level. Erzurum had a population of 367,250 in 2010.
The city uses the double-headed eagle as ...
and
Sivas Congress
The Sivas Congress ( tr, Sivas Kongresi) was an assembly of the Turkish National Movement held for one week from 4 to 11 September 1919 in the city of Sivas, in central-eastern Turkey, which united delegates from all Anatolian provinces of the Ot ...
es, where they supported the unification of various resistance organizations under the banner of the
(ADRAR), and Karakol went on to publish the
Amasya Protocol
Amasya Protocol (''Amasya Görüşmeleri'') was a memorandum of understanding signed on 22 October 1919 in Amasya, Turkey between the Ottoman imperial government in Istanbul and the Turkish revolutionaries (the Turkish National Movement) aimed at ...
. However a rift soon emerged between the Karakol leadership and Kemal; Karakol refused to accept
Ankara
Ankara ( , ; ), historically known as Ancyra and Angora, is the capital of Turkey. Located in the central part of Anatolia, the city has a population of 5.1 million in its urban center and over 5.7 million in Ankara Province, maki ...
as the center of national resistance and continued to act independently from ADRAR, seeing itself as the real core of the resistance. Kemal became suspicious of Karakol's intentions, ordering it to terminate its activities.
Downfall
On 11 January 1920, Baha Said Bey traveled to
Baku
Baku (, ; az, Bakı ) is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and of the Caucasus region. Baku is located below sea level, which makes it the lowest lying national capital in the world a ...
where he signed an alliance with the
Bolsheviks
The Bolsheviks (russian: Большевики́, from большинство́ ''bol'shinstvó'', 'majority'),; derived from ''bol'shinstvó'' (большинство́), "majority", literally meaning "one of the majority". also known in English ...
, presenting himself as an envoy of the Turkish resistance. On 26 February, Kara Vâsıf Bey informed Kemal of the agreement, which Kemal rebuffed as illegitimate since it was concluded without ADRAR's knowledge or consent. Kemal once more requested Karakol to incorporate itself into ADRAR. Karakol remained defiant, operating until the
1920 Turkish Grand National Assembly election, which was disrupted when British troops entered the parliament and arrested several deputies on 16 March. A part of Karakol's leadership was subsequently
exiled to Malta, others either joined Kemal in Ankara or
Enver Pasha
İsmail Enver, better known as Enver Pasha ( ota, اسماعیل انور پاشا; tr, İsmail Enver Paşa; 22 November 1881 – 4 August 1922) was an Ottoman military officer, revolutionary, and convicted war criminal who formed one-third ...
in the Caucasus. Insignificant remnants of Karakol continued to exist until 1926, however Kemal had already solidified his position at the head of the
Turkish National Movement
The Turkish National Movement ( tr, Türk Ulusal Hareketi) encompasses the political and military activities of the Turkish revolutionaries that resulted in the creation and shaping of the modern Republic of Turkey, as a consequence of the defe ...
. Karakol's function as an intelligence agency was substituted by a number of other organizations including Yavuz Group, Zabitan Group, Hamza Group. They continued to operate until the end of the independence war. Karakol is considered one of the precursor organizations to the modern day National Intelligence Organization,
MİT.
Notes
References
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Karakol society
Non-governmental organizations involved in the Turkish War of Independence
1918 establishments in the Ottoman Empire
1926 disestablishments in Turkey
Secret societies
Turkish intelligence agencies
Defunct intelligence agencies
Defunct organizations based in Turkey