Demiryolunun Stratejik Önemi ve Erken Cumhuriyet Döneminde Demiryolu Siyaseti
Strategic Importance of the Railroads and Politics of the Railroads in the Early Republican Period

Summary/Abstract: The study examines the strategic importance of the railroads and the phases that railroads went through in the Late Ottoman - Early Republican periods. This process, beginning with the invention of the wheel, went on with the horse carts and the invention of steam engines after 17th century extended it into the vehicles going on the rails. Although the Ottoman Empire was late to build railroads because of its financial and technical problems, she started to construct railways after giving privileges to foreign companies. The drawbacks of the policy adopted by giving privileges were seen clearly in the period after the Armistice of Mudros. The main focuses of this study are on the geopolitical importance of the railroads, the strategic military purposes of the railroads (such as deployment of soldiers and transportation of supplies and armored trains) and the railroads in the Ottoman Empire and in the Early Republican period. Besides, the phases of railroads are included in this analysis.

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