Following the signing of the Mudros armistice on 30 October 1918, Allied warships sailed triumphantly through the Dardanelles. Istanbul and most of the other larger cities were occupied without resistance. The glory of Gallipoli, Kut al-Amara and other victories were all forgotten, the shame of ultimate defeat prevailed. Half-starved population of the empire eagerly greeted the peace. The war was regarded as a dark chapter that many sought to forget as quick as possible. Similar to the attitude of the population majority of the Ottoman political and military leaders were ready embrace the defeat and harsh reality of losing all Arab provinces but they were expecting to retain independence and integrity of Anatolia and eastern Thrace. Against the high expectations of others, a small group of nationalists, from the very beginning, refused to accept the future designed for Turkey and decided to fight at all costs. Most works about the Turkish War of Independence glorify the efforts and victory of the nationalists and condemned the so-called collaborators. This paper is an effort to the postwar Ottoman Empire into context and compare the Ottoman reactions to defeat to other contemporary and historical examples. Understanding the decisions and actions for confrontation, appeasement, reconciliation and collaboration is very important. The trauma of the war and the shadow of Sévres continue to affect Turkey to this day in the lingering fear that foreign enemies and their collaborators inside Turkey may again try to divide and destroy the republic.