A Lifetime Between Two CoupsAn Officer’s Journey Through Faith, Loyalty, and the Trials of a Nation
When the 1980 military coup shook Turkey, a fourteen-year-old boy named Mustafa Yılmaz left his rural hometown of Çanakkale to enter Kuleli Military High School, unaware that the echoes of that day would shape the rest of his life.
Thirty-six years later, on July 15, 2016, now a colonel and academic at the Turkish Military Academy, he once again found himself in the heart of a coup — this time accused of aiding the very crime he had unknowingly become part of by following lawful military orders.
In A Lifetime Between Two Coups, Yılmaz chronicles this extraordinary arc of destiny: from an idealistic cadet shaped by discipline and patriotism to a seasoned officer confronting the devastating consequences of blind obedience in a time of chaos.
The book takes readers deep inside two of the most turbulent chapters in modern Turkish history — the 1980 and 2016 coups — through the eyes of a man who lived both not as a politician or commentator, but as a soldier and witness. His story exposes how institutions built on hierarchy and loyalty can be weaponized, turning duty into accusation and service into betrayal.
Through vivid recollections, Yılmaz reconstructs the suffocating atmosphere of Kuleli’s military drills, the psychological tests that hardened young cadets, and the years of professional service that followed. The narrative culminates in his trial after the 2016 coup attempt, where he stands as the most senior non-detained officer, guiding his younger colleagues through fear and injustice while uncovering inconsistencies in the prosecution’s case — from falsified timestamps to manipulated orders.
Yet, beyond politics and tragedy, A Lifetime Between Two Coups is also a profoundly human story. It reflects on family, faith, friendship, and endurance — the unseen bonds that sustain those who lose everything but their dignity. From prison reflections in the “Medrese-i Yusufiye” (School of Joseph) to moments of spiritual awakening amid despair, Yılmaz invites readers to witness not only a nation’s fracture but also an individual’s quest for moral clarity.
Combining historical depth with emotional honesty, this memoir stands as both a personal testimony and a moral inquiry. It asks: What does loyalty mean when truth itself becomes a crime?
Readers will discover:First-hand insights into life at Kuleli Military High School during the 1980 coup
A gripping account of the 2016 coup attempt from inside the Turkish Military Academy
The personal cost of mass purges, show trials, and moral courage under pressure
A deeply introspective narrative on faith, justice, and survival
For readers of:A Lifetime Between Two Coups is a rare work of conscience and endurance — the story of a soldier who lived through two revolutions, and of a man who refused to let history define his soul.
