Abstract:

As the Anarchist incidents were not stopped, the soldiers interfered indirectly with the civil administration on 12 March 1971. On March 12th, Solomon Demirel's government was resigned and the Nihat Erim government was established. What was expected from the new government was that the reforms provided by the 1961 Constitution would be carried out with an Ataturcist view and then bring the country to the elections. But despite the beginning of the reform work, the continued acceleration of the anarchist events has pushed the rebels and the Erim government to tend on the anarchist events by leaving the reforms off. The government has called for the proclamation of the rigorous government to succeed in the fight against the anarchists and the constitutional amendments that give them extensive powers. In this context, the statement of Prime Minister Nihat Erim on April 23, 1971, "the measures to be taken will immediately fall to their heads like a balyoz," to give anthem to the anarchists, has led to the perception that the left light and the left press will be engaged in an action against themselves rather than illegal left. Among those arrested in May, the discovery of innocent, moderate left lights also led to the allegations that the operation was actually done against moderate left. The study will reveal how the right, left and central press appear in the face of these operations, which are called the "Balyoz Movement" by a wide section of the left, which initiated essentially in April and showed its original face in May.

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Abstract:

As the anarchy events could not be stopped, the soldiers intervened indirectly in the civil administration on 12 March 1971. With the 12 March Memorandum, the Süleyman Demirel Government was resigned and the Nihat Erim Government was established instead. It was expected from the new government to carry out the reforms envisaged by the 1961 Constitution with a Kemalist view and then led the country to elections. However, despite the initiation of reform efforts, the unabated acceleration of anarchy events pushed the coup plotters and the Erim Government to lean on the events of anarchy, leaving the reforms aside. The government demanded the declaration of martial law and constitutional amendments that gave them broad powers to succeed in fighting anarchists. In this context, the statement of Prime Minister Nihat Erim on April 23, 1971, to intimidate the anarchists, "the measures to be taken will land on their heads immediately like a sledgehammer" caused the perception by the left intellectuals and the left press that an operation would be undertaken against them rather than the illegal left groups. The presence of innocent, moderate left intellectuals among those detained in May led to allegations that the operation was also carried out against the moderate left groups. In this study, the attitude of the right, left and central press towards these operations, which are described as the "Sledgehammer Operation" by a large section of the left and which started in April and showed its true face in May, will be revealed.