[1968-69 BOYCOTTS AGAINST THE AMERICAN SIXTH FLEET IN TURKEY] A photograph collection including a Turkish anti-imperialist hero Deniz Gezmis and his friends' rare images, meetings against the American Sixth Fleet, and boycotts in 1969

[EARLY ANTI-AMERICAN MOVEMENTS IN TURKEY]., Newspaper and Photograph Collection, [Istanbul], 1969.

Original rare eight press photos and one newspaper; a collection including the rare and unusual images of Turkish anti-imperialist hero Deniz Gezmis (1947-1972) and his friends' meetings against the American Sixth Fleet, and boycotts in 1968-69.

Six photos: 18x24 cm.; two photos: 10x25 cm.; and one "Hürriyet" [i.e., Freedom] Newspaper dated March 17, 1971, Wednesday, with the banner headline "Deniz Gezmis and Yusuf Aslan were caught and arrested!". B/w press photos show TMTF's Meeting [i.e. Turkish National Student Federation] (A Turkish student union, founded in 1916, adopted oppositional, conservative, and leftist views), Direnis Komitesi's Meeting [i.e. Resistance Committee], and other meetings against the American Sixth Fleet in Beyazit and Taksim squares, student actions, Vedat Demircioglu’s (1943-1968) funeral, and Deniz Gezmis with his friends are in the boycott and the last one shows the crowd led by Deniz Gezmis, who gives a speech.

The anti-imperialist left-wing in Turkey opposed the convergence policy between America and Turkey since World War II. Turkish Marxist-Leninist revolutionary, political activist, and one of the founding members of the People's Liberation Army of Turkey (THKO) Deniz Gezmis (1947-1972) became increasingly politically active on the way to the 68’. On June 12, 1968, he led the student-organized occupation of Istanbul University. After the occupation was brought to an end by the use of force, he spearheaded major protests against the arrival of the United States Sixth Fleet in Istanbul during which on July 17, 1968, several US soldiers were harmed.

Deniz Gezmis was arrested for these actions on July 30 and released in the same year. The unrest and the protests against the Sixth Fleet peaked on February 16, 1969, when 30,000 people marched on Taksim Square. The leftist slogan of the protests (as seen in one of the present photos) was “6. Filo Defol” which literally meant “The 6th Fleet, Get Out”. Thus, a clash that turned the streets into a battlefield and called “the Bloody Sunday” of Turkey has happened. As a result of this confrontation that some historians refer to as "an example of organized, fascist violence” between revolutionary and counter-revolutionary wings, two protesters were killed and numerous injured. Left/right political tensions ran high for most of the 1960s and 1970s, and Gezmis and his companions are considered by some as "Turkey's Che Guevara and companeros". Gezmis was executed by hanging on 6 May 1972 in Ankara Central Prison.

A fine photographic collection documenting very early anti-American movements in Turkey, and the events of '68-'69 led by Deniz Gezmis.

COMPLETE TITLE:

 [1968-69 BOYCOTTS AGAINST THE AMERICAN SIXTH FLEET IN TURKEY] A photograph collection including a Turkish anti-imperialist hero Deniz Gezmis and his friends' rare images, meetings against the American Sixth Fleet, and boycotts in 1969.