Cevdet Sunay

Cevdet Sunay
5th President of the Republic of Turkey
In office 28 March 1966 – 28 March 1973
Preceded by	Cemal Gürsel
Succeeded by	Fahri Korutürk
Personal details
Born	February 10, 1899 Çaykara
Died	May 22, 1982(1982-05-22) (aged 83) Istanbul
Nationality	Turkish
Spouse(s)	Atıfet Sunay

Cevdet Sunay (Turkish: [dʒevdet 'sunaj]; 1899–1982) was a Turkish army officer, political leader and the fifth President of Turkey.

He was born in 1899 in Çaykara, Trabzon Province, in the Ottoman Empire. After attending elementary school and middle school in Erzurum and Edirne, he graduated from Kuleli Military High School in Istanbul. During World War I, he fought in 1917 at the Palestine front and became a prisoner of war of the British in Egypt in 1918. After his release, he fought first on the southern front, then on the western front during the Turkish War of Independence.

Sunay completed his military education in 1927, and graduated from the staff college in 1930 as a staff officer. Rising through the ranks to become a general in 1949 and then a four-star general in 1959, he held important military posts. In 1960, he was appointed army chief and later joint chief of staff. On 14 March 1966, he was appointed to the senate by Cemal Gürsel under his presidential contingency.

When Gürsel's presidency was terminated due to ill health in accordance with the constitution, Cevdet Sunay was elected 5th president by the Grand National Assembly of Turkey on 28 March 1966. He maintained his office despite increasing terrorist activity, student riots, and threatened coups. He served the constitutional term of seven years until 28 March 1973 and became then a permanent senator.

He was married to Atıfet in 1929. They had three children.

Cevdet Sunay died on 22 May 1982 in Istanbul. His body was moved in August 1988 to a permanent burial place in the newly built Turkish State Cemetery in Ankara.

Military offices
Preceded by Cemal Gürsel	Commander of the Turkish Army June 3, 1960–August 2, 1960	Succeeded by Mehmet Muzaffer Alankuş
Preceded by Ragıp Gümüşpala	Chief of the General Staff of Turkey August 4, 1960–March 16, 1966	Succeeded by Cemal Tural
Political offices
Preceded by Cemal Gürsel	President of Turkey March 28, 1966–March 28, 1973	Succeeded by Fahri Korutürk

Persondata
Name	Sunay, Cevdet
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	February 10, 1899
Place of birth	Çaykara
Date of death	May 22, 1982
Place of death	Istanbul