The reforms of the Ottoman military essentially.

The Ottoman Empire, 'the sick man of Europe' had been looking to reform and modernise for long time, especially through its institutions. The Ottomans had looked towards Europe as a source for these reforms, they assumed that emulating contemporary European powers could remedy their decline. In 1773 the Ottoman Imperial Naval College was founded and headed by a French officer, Baron de Tott. However, the Ottoman Navy was not a powerful or particularly important institution at the time, so reform was not problematic.

In 1826, similar efforts to modernize the army under first French, then German tutelage met with resistance from the ancient and politically powerful janissary corps, who mutinied but were defeated. This meant the army was politically united and was basically like a new institution; disconnected with it's imperial past.

Now it is important to understand that the modern Ottoman military was very European in mentality and in the context of the forces they replaced, this meant they were very western-looking, secular and didn't contain a religious dimension.

When the Ottoman Empire finally collapsed, political parties were defunct and the only institutions left which could be relied upon were military. During the Turkish war of independence, the secular, western-looking army were the only old institution which could carry on and fight, they proved formidable and effective and won. As such when the new Turkish republic was born, it took on the qualities of that Ottoman institution.

Both presidents Atatürk and Inonu, who ruled from the nation's birth in 1923 - 1950 were from a military background. Added to this military coups in 1960, 1971 and 1980 and you can see there has always been a strong link historically between Turkish government and the military.