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How did the Chanak Crisis contribute to Canadian autonomy?
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The Chanak Crisis of 1922 marked a significant step toward Canadian autonomy in foreign affairs. When Britain requested military support against Turkish forces, Canadian Prime Minister Mackenzie King chose not to send troops, instead deferring the decision to the Canadian Parliament. This move demonstrated Canada's desire for independence in foreign policy decisions, ultimately leading to greater autonomy recognized by the Balfour Declaration of 1926 and the Statute of Westminster in 1931.
During the Chanak Crisis, also called the Chanak Incident, Turkish forces threatened British rule at Chanak, a seaport on the Dardanelles Strait in 1922. Britain, France, and Greece had occupied part of western Greece after World War I, and Turks wanted to restore the area to Turkish rule. The British government asked the Dominion countries, including Canada, New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa, to send troops to the region.
Canada, under Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King (commonly known as Mackenzie King), did not immediately send troops. He referred the question to the Canadian Parliament, but the crisis had passed before the Parliament had decided on the matter. King's behavior in the incident signified that Canada wanted greater independence from Britain in foreign affairs. King established the idea that the Canadian Parliament, not the British government, would determine Canadian foreign policy. The Balfour Declaration of 1926 and Statute of Westminster...
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of 1931 further clarified the autonomous nature of Dominions in the British Empire.
Why was the Chanak Crisis significant to Canada?
The Chanak Crisis of 1921-22 broke out when the forces of Turkish nationalist and soon-to-be president Mustafa Kemal (Ataturk) neared the cities of Constantinople and Chanak, both of which had been occupied by British forces (who replaced evacuated Greek forces) since the end of World War I and the collapse of the Ottoman Empire in 1918. After several tense months and some fighting, the crisis ended with negotiations between Turkey, Great Britain, France, and Greece that established modern-day Turkey under Ataturk's rule.
The conflict had major significance for Great Britain's relationship with Canada. The reason is that unlike previous wars, including the Boer War at the turn of the century in South Africa and World War I, Canada refused upon request to send troops to support the British. As a British dominion, Canada, like Australia and New Zealand, was expected to contribute troops to such conflicts. Indeed, many Canadian conservatives favored this approach. But the Prime Minister of Canada, Mackenzie King, refused the calls for troops from British Prime Minister Lloyd George. This event is viewed as an important step for Canadian autonomy. For the first time, the Canadian government had asserted its right to choose for itself which military conflicts to get involved in. Of course, this included World War II less than two decades later. But Canada had established that its government was not subservient to that of Great Britain in matters of foreign policy.
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