Cevdet Sunay

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

Early life and career

Sunay was born in 1899 in the village of Ataköy near Çaykara in Trabzon Vilayet, Ottoman Empire. 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 the Chief of the General Staff. On 14 March 1966, he was appointed to the senate by Cemal Gürsel under his presidential contingency.

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. They had three sons, Atilla, Aysel and Argun Sunay.

Presidency

Sunay was elected as the fifth president of the Turkish Republic by the Grand National Assembly of Turkey on 28 March 1966. 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

•  Turkey: Medal of Independence with Red Ribbon

Foreign honours

•  Imperial State of Iran: Commemorative Medal of the 2,500th anniversary of the Persian Empire (1971)
•  Finland: Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of the White Rose of Finland (1971)
•  United Kingdom: Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB)