Özet:

Eastern and Southeastern Anatolia has been a living space for mankind since antiquity. After almost four hundred years of Ottoman rule, the region in the 19th century turned into an area of struggles of the Great Powers. Bitlis which became province in 1879 had an important geographical location in the region, but the province could not avoid the economic and administrative chaos of the Ottoman State. The defeat of the Ottoman State in the First World War brought about new expectations for both the external powers and indigenous people in the region. The idea of living under the Ottoman rule or of establishing an independent state under the auspices of the Great Powers began to be discussed in the region. During the First World War, Mustafa Kemal Pasha encouraged the people of the region to fight against Russians in the Bitlis front. During the War of Independence, Mustafa Kemal Pasha again got in touch with the tribes of the region and they fought against the occupying armies. Telegrams toOttoman Government and The Grand National Assembly of Turkey clearly show the determination of local community to fight against the enemies in this struggle.

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