The rebellions that took place in the region that surrounded the Straits in the basin of Marmara had resulted mostly from the English policy. Since England wanted to establish a long-term dominion in the Straits, it aimed to establish buffer zones in this region. To this effect, England wanted to repulse the National Forces from the region of Adapazari, Hendek and Düzce that would cover Istanbul Strait towards the east and to establish the dominion of Istanbul Government in this region. Therefore, it arranged some forces against the National Forces in these regions by means of Istanbul Government and it caused the outburst of some rebellions. As a matter of fact, Ahmet Anzavur who was an Emeritus Commander of Gendarmerie was assigned with such a duty and he caused the outburst of a rebellion in the region of Biga-Gönen-Manyas. This rebellion took place between the dates of 1st October- 25th November 1919. This rebellion was suppressed by the forces of the Lieutenant Colonel Rahmi Bey and Çerkes (Circassian) Ethem. The second rebellion of Anzavur in the same place continued for two months (16th February- 16th April). In the course of this rebellion, Köprülülü Hamdi Bey that had raided Akbaş ammunition store was killed as a martyr. In the course of this rebellion of Anzavur, an advisory board with the participation of Sehzade Cemaleddin Effendi went to negotiate with him in the village of Çalioba within the environs of Gönen. Anzavur replied the advice given to him with his statement that There is not any stream in which I have not performed an ablution and any shadow of a tree where I have not performed my ritual prayers in this region. You, the officers including the Şehzde are unbelievers. You are the Residual Forces. My community is Mohammed Forces. I keep my copy of Koran in my bosom.
This rebellion was suppressed by the forces of Çerkes Ethem. Anzavur ran away to Istanbul through Karabiga. It was obvious that the palace had a finger in this rebellion. The ruler entitled him with the rank of pasha on the date of 11th April.
On the other hand, 1st Düzce rebellion (13th April-31st May 1920) burst out in the region located in the east of Istanbul Strait. Actually, the 56th Division that was transferred from Izmir took up position in Bursa and 24th Division was positioned in Geyve. Pursuant to these events, there was not any other place left for the English propaganda of the Caliph that would came from Istanbul to Ankara apart from the route of Adapazari-Hendek-Bolu. The Ruler Mehmet IV Vahdettin had invited some of the celebrities of the region of Adapazari and Düzce to the palace and he had taken their oath of fidelity in the course of the closed session that he carried out with them. The Caucasian immigrants that were settled into this region had some material and spiritual interests since they had given several ladies to the palace for marriage. Therefore, they had shown resistance against all the movements that targeted the palace. Furthermore, the juridical decision of the Sheikh of Islam (Minister of Religious Affairs) had been so influential on these persons that were very faithful to their religion. The English people had abused the struggles of partisanship in this region and they had sent five officers to Düzce and Bolu in order to get into contact with the supporters of Freedom and Entente in February 1919. In the course of the rebellion, they had provided the demonstration of some of the warships on the coasts of the Black Sea near the region in order to give support and to reassure the renegades in this region.
The Lieutenant Colonel Mahmut Bey who was the Commander of the Division XXIV and the commander of the staff that had set in motion in order to suppress this rebellion were killed as martyrs and the troops that they had commanded were dispersed. Pursuant to these events, the rebellious renegades captured Hendek and Adapazari. The rebellion expanded towards Beypazari over Mudurnu and Nallihan and it posed a threat for Ankara. 1st Düzce Rebellion was suppressed by the forces under the commande of Refet Bey (Bele) that set in motion through Sapanca and Adapazari from the west. The gang-leaders that were caught by the forces of Çerkes Ethem in Adapazari, Hendek and Düzce were executed.
The second rebellion (2nd Düzce Rebellion) that burst out in the same region between the dates of 8th August-23rd September 1920 was prevented through the efforts of the National Forces and the support of the mediators that were sent by Ali Fuat Pasha.
The successful progress that the 1st Düzce Rebellion attained in the beginning led the English people and Istanbul Government to take further steps in this region. Pursuant to the partial domination of the rebellious renegades in this region, it was the turn for the annihilation of the National Forces that were settled in Geyve Strait and in the north of Adapazari. The arrangements in relation with this purpose were initiated in the first days of the 1st Düzce Rebellion. Istanbul Government had resolved the establishment of Military Police Forces upon the written decree dated 18th April 1920.
Furthermore, there was a chief of bandit called as Anzavur who sought notoriety. Since he had been the Chief Head of Izmir before, he knew the region well. Anzavur who had provided the support of finance, weapons and ammunition went to the region of Adapazari and started his propaganda. Then, he increased the number of his supporters around him within a short period. He went to Adapazari on the date of 10th May 1920 and invaded Kandira on the date of 13th May. Therefore, he had established his dominion and control over the highway of Istanbul-Ankara. Afterwards, Anzavur turned towards the Geyve Strait that had a strategic importance. If he could surpass this significant strait, the way to Ankara would be cleared for him. He attacked to the National Forces under the command of Ali Fuat Pasha that were settled in Geyve Strait on the date of 15th May. Since he did not want to share the honour of opening Geyve Strait with anybody else, he did not wait for the arrival of all Military Police forces and he was contented with a specific force that could arrive to Sapanca until that time. In the course of the fights, the news of victory was diffused in Istanbul. Moreover, the Grand Vizier Damat Ferit Pasha who had taken over the rank of War Ministry had come to Izmit. As a result of the fights that lasted for four days, Anzavur was defeated by the National Forces and he had to run away to Istanbul.
Pursuant to the failure of Anzavur, the Military Police Forces constituted their only chance that was left to defeat the National Forces in the region. These forces that were called as the Caliphate Army were arranged under the command of Suleyman Sefik Pasha and the members of these persons were paid high salaries. The salary of a captain that was the member of the National Forces was 40 liras. However, it was resolved that a salary of 90 liras would be paid to the captains together with the payment of 40 liras to the sergeant majors, and the payment of 30 liras to the soldiers pertaining to the Military Police Forces. Nevertheless, the participants of these forces were not highly qualified forces. The butchers and masonry masters were recruited as officers and the pickpockets and the thieves were recruited as soldiers in these forces. There were also some other people who joined the army due to poverty and miserable conditions. Most of the troops that had participated in the attack of the Military Police Forces towards Geyve Strait had surrendered in the further periods and they joined the National Forces. Continuous flights were observed in the troops of the Military Police Forces in Izmit. Similarly, various officers and soldiers had joined the National Forces together with their weapons and ammunition. Pursuant to Suleyman Sefik Pasha, Suphi Pasha was assigned as the Commander of the region and environs of Izmit. He got into contact with Ali Fuat Pasha on the date of 7th June 1920 and he declared that they would not resist in the case of any possible advance against them and they would join the National Forces together with the weapons, ammunition and equipment that they had. In the course of the advance of the National Forces towards Izmir, the members of the Military Police Forces perceived that the forces against them were the National Forces. Then, they claimed that These are not the enemies, lets not fire; instead, lets kill those who have directed the order of fire. As a matter of fact, 170 soldiers from the 2nd Troop that had joined in the National Forces on the date of 14th June opened fire on the Military Police Forces. In return to this action, the artilleryman of the Military Police Forces opened fire on the National Forces; however, he was obliged to take shelter in the entrance of Izmit. The other troops remaining from the National Police Forces were transported to Istanbul with ships and most of them were discharged. Therefore, the greatest armed forces that were arranged by Istanbul Government against the National Forces through the English support could not have any success, and they spontaneously dissolved.
In the days pursuant to the foundation of the TBMM, there were some rebellions that burst out in various regions of Anatolia. Some of these rebellions took place particularly in the regions that could pose a threat for Ankara. The provocation of Capanogullari, an influential family that supported the Freedom and Entente movement and their stance against the National Forces had been effective in these rebellions. Furthermore, the Postman Nazim played an effective role in these rebellions. The 1st Yozgat Rebellion that started on the date of 15th May 1920 was suppressed by the National Forces on the date of 27th August 1920. Similarly, the 2nd Yozgat Rebellion that started on the date of 5th September 1920 was suppressed by the National Forces on the date of 30th December 1920.
A person named as Çopur Musa instigated the people against the recruitment in the military service and tried to provide the flights from the military forces in the region of Afyonkarahisar. He had attacked Çivril with the forces that he had collected on the date of 21st November 1920. When some forces were sent against him, he joined the Greek Army.
Konya Rebellion was one of these rebellions that took place in the zone that nearly surrounded Ankara. A secret society was caught in Konya in May 1920 and its founders were arrested. This rebellion that burst out upon these events was suppressed within a short period. An extensive rebellion that was pioneered by Delibaş Mehmet took place in the month of October. The rebellious renegades captured Konya. This rebellion that lasted until the date of 22nd November 1920 was suppressed by the forces under the command of Refet Bey (Bele). Delibaş Mehmet took shelter in the side of the French people in Mersin.
Similarly, there were some rebellions oriented towards separation that resulted from the English and French provocation in the Southeastern regions in the same days. These kinds of actions had also taken place in this region since the middle of the year 1919. Ali Batı who was a tribal chief pioneered a rebellion in order to establish dominion within the environs of Savur and Mardin on the date of 11th May. This rebellion came to an end with the annihilation of Ali Bati on the date of 18th August. Cemil Çeto event that took place in and within the environs of Garzan came to an end on the date of 7th June 1920. The first rebellion of the same kind pioneered by Milli (National) Tribe within the environs of Viranşehir was suppressed on the date of 19th June 1920 and the second rebellion was suppressed on the date of 7th September 1920.
The most important movement among the defeatist actions that took place in the East was the Sheikh Esref Rebellion that burst out in the days pursuant to Amasya Negotiations. This rebellion that was called as Hart Incident had a quality of a typical movement of reaction and this rebellion started on the date of 26th October 1919. Sheikh Esref who resided in Hart sub-district in the southwest of Bayburt with the distance of nearly Bayburt had established a private order in the very early year of 1908. Then, he had diffused his influence towards the environs of Bayburt, Sürmene and Erzurum. Sheikh Esref opposed to the warnings of the head office and mufti of Bayburt. Then, he annihilated the military forces sent against him. Sheikh Esref who alleged that he was a Muslim Messiah and his body was bulletproof took courage from this success of him. Then, he started to advance towards Bayburt with his disciples. Together with his disciples, he severely resisted against the military forces that besieged Hart on the date of 24th December 1919. However, an artillery piece annihilated Sheikh Esref together with his two daughters, two sons and five disciples in his retinue. Upon this event, his disciples gave in.
After nearly one year pursuant to this rebellion (October 1920), a rebellion burst out that was pioneered by the Koçkiri tribe in the region of Sivas, Erzincan and Dersim. This rebellion that was provoked by the separatist groups was suppressed as a result of the operation of the Central Army that took place between the dates of 17th April and 17th June in 1921.
Çerkes Ethem and Demirci Mehmet Efe rebellions that coincided with the period in which the organised army was formed had much different characteristics than the other rebellions. Çerkes Ethem had joined in the Balkan Wars and he had been charged in the Secret Service (Teşkilat-ı Mahsusa) in the course of the 1st World War. While he was a deserter pursuant to the Mondros Armistice Agreement, he surrendered with his 61 fellows on the date of 8th November 1918 through the mediation of Rauf Bey (Orbay). He was set free upon the instruction of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Then, he joined in the National Forces. Çerkes Ethem and Demirci Mehmet Efe had had important services within the structure of the National Forces. However, pursuant to the formation of the organised army, they insisted upon the provision of service independently. They had been obstinate in this desire and caused rebellions despite all sorts of warnings. It can be stated that the lack of proper education level was an important factor in respect of the obligation that they had undertaken with these attitudes. Çerkes Ethem and his brothers had taken shelter in the side of Greek people. He surrendered upon the defeat of the forces of Demirci Mehmet Efe.
The Greek minority pioneered a rebellion within the environs of Samsun, Amasya and Tokat in order to establish a Pontus Greek State on the coasts of the Balck Sea. This rebellion resulted from the provocation of Greece and the Greek Church. The rebellion that burst out on the date of 6th December 1920 showed a progress in parallel to the land and naval operation of the Greek army in the summer of 1921. Therefore, it was aimed that the Turkish army would be besieged from two directions. The TBMM assembly has given much importance to this issue since its foundation. Therefore, the assembly tainted this trick through the formation of the Central Army and the direction of the suspect Christian men on the coastal regions towards the interior lands. Pontus Rebellion did not constitute a serious threat after the firm defeat of the Greek army in the Western Front. However, the operation that was initiated against the Pontus guerillas was maintained until the date of 6th February 1923.
In return for the juridical decision of the Sheikh of Islam in Istanbul, Anatolia presented a reply with another juridical decision. A juridical decision was published on the date of 16th April 1920 under the leadership of Ankara Mufti, Rıfat Effendi (Börekçi) and upon the approval of 152 religious leaders. This juridical decision invalidated the juridical decision of the Sheikh of Islam. The TBMM Assembly adopted the Law of High Treason against the Country on the date of 29th April 1920. It declared that Damat Ferit Pasha was a high treasonist and he was denationalised from Turkish citizenship. The transactions carried out by Istanbul Government were considered as null and void. Liberation Courts were founded. The TBMM Assembly had to direct most of the forces against the Greek Army in order to suppress these rebellions.
Despite all sorts of provocative propaganda, these rebellions were suppressed by the national forces upon the support of the majority of the people and as a result of the precautions taken. Therefore, the struggle of fratricide came to an end. The authority of the TBMM Assembly was reinforced. The real face of the government in Istanbul was revealed in an obvious manner. The Turkish nation found the opportunity to unite and mobilise all its forces and powers against the enemies.