The September 12 Military Coup from the British perspective

The military coup of 12th September 1980 constitutes one of the most significant turning points in Türkiye's recent political history. The coup left profound marks on the country's politics, society, and economy. This event, which led to such intricate and comprehensive consequences, inevitably had its repercussions on the international stage. This thesis aims to explore these repercussions and seeks to understand how the coup of 12th September was perceived from a foreign perspective. Within this framework, to conduct a more focused and in- depth analysis, the study specifically examines how the Military Coup of 12th September was regarded by the British. The determination of this perception and point of view has mainly been conducted through an analysis of British diplomatic documents, numbering in the tens of thousands. Moreover, with respect to its relevance to the subject, the British national printed press has also been one of the sources consulted in the efforts to capture this perspective. The observations, evaluations and comments made by the British before and after the coup were traced in all these sources. The structure of the research has been shaped around the periods before and after the coup. In this study, which spans approximately 10 years, a chronological approach (within each topic) has largely been adopted. It has been questioned whether the British had any knowledge of, or played a role in, the process leading to the September 12th Military Coup or the following intervention that took place. Alongside the primary focus on how the British interpreted the coup in its immediate aftermath, this study also seeks to answer whether the British anticipated the coup and whether their initial reaction to the coup evolved over time. Finally, an attempt was also made to determine their evaluations of the post-coup military government. Key words September 12, Military Coup, England, Turkish Armed Forces, Kenan Evren, Turkish Army Commands, National Security Council.