Articles by Katrina Cason

The modern republic of Turkey was founded in 1923 from a portion of the Ottoman Empire, following the empire's collapse after World War I. Turkey had been under the control of the Ottoman Empire for many centuries and, once it broke free and became independent, it was faced with many problems, both inside the republic and with foreign nations. Turkey has devoted much of the past century towards leaving behind remnants of the Ottoman Empire and creating a country with a Western orientation.

Now, even with freedom, the Turks have much left to fight for. They have had difficulties with the other ethnic groups living in Turkey; the Christians, Muslims, and Kurds. Many ethnic uprisings have been the result of the unique blend of people who live in this area. Perhaps someday, these things will be able to work themselves out and there will no longer be ethnic problems. However, for the meantime, it can result in serious problems which bring war and devastation to a country like Turkey.