Cevdet Sunay

Ahmet Cevdet Sunay^[a] (10 February 1899 – 22 May 1982) was a Turkish politician and military officer who served as the fifth president of Turkey from 1966 to 1973.

Cevdet Sunay
Sunay in 1964
5th President 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	10 February 1899 Çaykara, Trabzon Vilayet, Ottoman Empire
Died	22 May 1982(1982-05-22) (aged 83) Istanbul, Turkey
Resting place	Turkish State Cemetery
Nationality	Turkish
Political party	Independent
Spouse	Atıfet Sunay
Children	Atilla Sunay Aysel Sunay Argun Sunay
Alma mater	Kuleli Military High School Turkish Military Academy Army War Institute
Signature
Military service
Allegiance	Ottoman Empire Turkey
Branch/service	Ottoman Army  Turkish Land Forces
Rank	General
Battles/wars	World War I Middle Eastern theatre Palestine Front Turkish War of Independence Greco-Turkish War

Early life and career

Sunay was born in 1899 in the village of Ataköy near Çaykara in Trabzon Vilayet, Ottoman Empire.^[1] 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.^[2]

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.^[3] They had three sons, Atilla, Aysel and Argun Sunay.^[4]

Presidency

Chief of the General Staff Cevdet Sunay was elected as the fifth president of the Turkish Republic by the Grand National Assembly of Turkey on 28 March 1966.^[5] His presidential service continued until 28 March 1973 where he had to go through troubled times. Between 1961 and 1965 Süleyman Demirel, Nihat Erim and Ferit Melen were the most prominent members in President Sunay’s administration. Cevdet Sunay resigned as president due to deteriorating health conditions.

Death

Cevdet Sunay died of a heart attack 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.

Honours

National honours

• Recipient of the Medal of Independence with Red Ribbon.

Foreign honours

• Commemorative Medal of the 2500th Anniversary of the founding of the Persian Empire (14/10/1971).^[6]
• Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of the White Rose of Finland (1971)^[7]
• Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath [KCB].

Notes

1. Turkish: [ˈdʒevdet ˈsunaj]