Everything Everywhere Daily: History, Science, Geography, & More · Gary Arndt

The Young Turks

March 2, 2026·16 min·1 clip

In 1908, the Young Turks overthrew the sultan to secularize Turkey—what drove their bold vision for a modern state?

This episode explores the Young Turk movement, which emerged in the late 19th century to modernize the declining Ottoman Empire through Western-inspired reforms. It traces their rise from exiles in Paris to seizing power in 1908, their shift toward Turkish nationalism, and the tragic consequences for Armenian populations, ending with the movement's collapse after World War I and its legacy in the Republic of Turkey.

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