The undying longing of the Turkish nation for 85 years

Ata's early departure from life was one of the most painful pages in Turkish history. Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, who raised the Turkish nation from where it had fallen, gave it independence and sovereignty, presented it with the Republic, and laid the foundations of its economic prosperity, passed away 85 years ago. But he continued to live with an increasing sense of ownership and longing in the hearts of his nation. We bow respectfully and gratefully before his great memory. The founder and leader of the Republic of Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, crowned every struggle he entered for the independence of his nation and homeland with victory with his military and political genius during his 57-year life, and wrote his name in golden letters in Turkish and world history. The Great Leader Atatürk was born in Thessaloniki in 1881. Atatürk, who started his primary education at Hafız Mehmet Efendi's neighborhood school in accordance with the wishes of his mother Zübeyde Hanım, later completed primary school at Şemsi Efendi School, which he transferred to upon the wishes of his father Ali Rıza Efendi. Atatürk, who left the Selanik Mülkiye Rüştiyesi of his own volition, continued his education at the Selanik Military Rüştiyesi. Captain Mustafa Efendi, who taught mathematics at this school, gave his highly talented student the middle name "Kemal" to distinguish him from the other "Mustafas" in the class. After graduating from the Selanik Military Rüştiyesi, Mustafa Kemal graduated second in his class from the Monastir Military Preparatory School. In addition to his military education, Atatürk also received foreign language training and took French lessons in Selanik, where he returned on summer leave. Later, he came to Istanbul and entered the Military Academy in 1899, graduating with the rank of lieutenant in 1902, and graduated from the War Academy in 1905 with the rank of staff captain. Atatürk was assigned to the 5th Army command in Damascus in 1905 for his staff internship. For his outstanding services in the Syrian region, Atatürk, who was awarded the Fifth Rank Medjidie Order, was appointed to the 3rd Army Headquarters in Monastir, Macedonia in 1907. Atatürk was assigned to the staff branch of the 3rd Army Headquarters in Thessaloniki. While Mustafa Kemal Atatürk was on duty in Monastir and Thessaloniki, he served in the Action Army that suppressed the 31 March Incident in Istanbul in 1909. Atatürk, who was also assigned to the operation organized to suppress the rebellion in Albania in 1910, was sent to Tobruk when Italy landed troops in Tripoli in 1911. After successfully commanding Turkish forces in Tobruk and Derna, Atatürk participated in the Balkan War in 1912-1913 with the rank of major, and served in the corps that recaptured Edirne from Bulgaria. Hero of Anafartalar Atatürk was appointed as an attaché in Sofia in 1913. While he was serving as an attaché, upon the start of World War I, Atatürk applied to the Office of the Commander-in-Chief to take on a duty at the front. Upon receiving the answer, "There is always a duty for you in the army. However, since we see the Sofia Military Attaché as more important, we are leaving you there," the Great Leader wrote the following letter to the Acting Commander-in-Chief Enver Pasha: "There can be no duty more important and noble than active duties in the defense of the homeland. While my friends are on the battlefronts, in the firing lines, I cannot serve as a military attaché in Sofia. If I lack the qualifications to be a first class officer, please state this clearly if you believe so." Thereupon, Atatürk was appointed to the 19th Division Commandership to be established in Tekirdağ under the 3rd Corps under the command of Esat Pasha in 1915. The enemy troops that landed troops on the Gallipoli Peninsula and advanced to Conkbayırı were withdrawn by the attack of the 19th Division forces under the command of Atatürk. Atatürk gained fame as the "Hero of Anafartalar". Atatürk escaped certain death when a piece of shrapnel hit his chest during the Conkbayırı attack and returned, shattering the watch in his breast pocket. Atatürk, who was appointed to the 16th Corps Commandership on the Eastern Front, stopped the Russian attacks in 1916, took Bitlis and Muş back from the enemy and was promoted to general on this front. In 1917, Atatürk was appointed to the 7th Army Commandership in Palestine and Syria. The same year, he went to Germany with Crown Prince Vahdettin and conducted inspections of the German General Headquarters and the German war fronts. He was reassigned to the Syrian front in 1918, while he was the 7th Army Commander, and he returned to Istanbul after the Armistice of Mudros was signed at the end of World War I. Keeping his aim to save the country from enemy occupation secret, he left Istanbul with the post of Army Inspector. First Step Towards Full Independence Mustafa Kemal, who arrived in Samsun via the Black Sea on May 19, 1919, issued the Amasya Circular on June 22, 1919. He informed the Turkish nation that, "The integrity of the homeland and the independence of the nation are in danger, and that a congress will be held in Sivas to save the homeland with determination and resolve." He resigned from the duty given by the Ottoman Government and from military service, and became the president of the congresses held in Erzurum on July 23, 1919, and in Sivas on September 4, 1919. In these congresses, decisions were made and announced that "the nation will defend the homeland against enemy occupation, a temporary government will be established for this purpose and a national assembly will be convened, and mandate and protection will not be accepted." With his efforts, the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM) began its historic duty in Ankara on April 23, 1920. Mustafa Kemal Atatürk was elected as the President of the Assembly and Government. 17 days before the TBMM was opened, on April 6, 1920, the Anadolu Agency (AA) was established upon Mustafa Kemal Atatürk's instructions. Founded with the aim of "making Turkey's voice heard to the world," AA announced the first laws enacted by the TBMM and witnessed every stage of the National Struggle and the War of Independence. Despite the opening of the Turkish Grand National Assembly and the establishment of a national government, the Treaty of Sevres was signed between the Ottoman Government and the Allied Powers on August 10, 1920. In his statement to the United Telegraph newspaper correspondent, the Great Leader Atatürk emphasized that they did not recognize the Treaty of Sevres and said, "The Treaty of Sevres, which aims to destroy our political, judicial, economic and financial independence and ultimately to deny and abolish our right to live, does not exist in our opinion." It was announced to the world that the Treaty of Sevres signed between the Ottoman Government and the Allied Powers by the Turkish Grand National Assembly was not accepted. The advance of the Greek forces, who occupied İzmir with the help of the Allied Powers, the architects of liberation, was stopped in 1921 with the First and Second İnönü battles. The Battle of Sakarya began when the Greek army attacked again on August 23, 1921. Atatürk gave the order to the troops, "There is no defense line, there is a defense surface. That surface is the entire homeland. It cannot be abandoned unless every inch of the homeland is soaked with the blood of the citizens." The Greek army was defeated and the Turkish army led by Commander-in-Chief Mustafa Kemal Pasha won the Battle of Sakarya. The Greek army suffered heavy losses in this 22-day war. Due to this victory, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk was given the rank of "Marshal" and the title of "Gazi" by the Turkish Grand National Assembly. Following the Sakarya Victory, the Treaty of Kars was signed with the Caucasian Republics on October 13, 1921, and the Treaty of Ankara was signed with the French on October 20, 1921, which drew the current border of Turkey except for Hatay. Under Atatürk's command, the Turkish army launched a counter-attack on August 26, 1922 to save the homeland from enemy occupation and launched the Great Offensive. In the Battle of Dumlupınar (Commander-in-Chief) on August 30, 1922, led by Mustafa Kemal Pasha, the Turkish army destroyed a large portion of the Greek army. The Turkish army, pursuing the defeated and fleeing enemy forces, entered İzmir on September 9, 1922. Following the great military victories that saved Anatolia from enemy invasion, the Mudanya Armistice was signed on October 11, 1922, and the Allied Powers withdrew from the Turkish lands they occupied. Treaty of Lausanne The Treaty of Lausanne was signed on July 24, 1923, between the Turkish delegation headed by İsmet İnönü and England, France, Italy, Japan, Greece, Romania and Yugoslavia. The Great Leader made the following assessment regarding the Treaty of Lausanne: "This treaty is a document that expresses the collapse of a great assassination attempt against the Turkish nation that had been prepared for centuries and was thought to have been completed with the Treaty of Sevres." He gifted the Republic When the Republic was declared by the Turkish Grand National Assembly on October 29, 1923 following the War of Independence, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk was elected president. Elected president 4 times in a row until his death in 1938, Atatürk became the president who held this office for the longest time. The assassination attempt planned for June 14, 1926 in İzmir against President Mustafa Kemal Atatürk was prevented. The ringleaders of the assassination attempt were arrested in İzmir. In his statement to Anadolu Agency regarding the assassination attempt, the Great Leader said, "There is no doubt that the vile attempt was directed at our sacred Republic and the high principles it is based on, rather than at me personally. My humble body will one day turn to dust, but the Republic of Turkey will endure forever." Gazi Mustafa Kemal was given the surname "Atatürk" with Law No. 2587 on November 24, 1934, and the use of this surname by others was prohibited. Mustafa Kemal Atatürk launched the Five-Year Industrial Plan in 1933 in order to alleviate the effects of the 1929 World Economic Crisis and accelerate the country's development. During the same period, important steps were taken in foreign policy. Initiatives such as joining the League of Nations, signing the Balkan Pact, the Montreux Straits Convention and the Sadabat Pact contributed to Turkey's emergence as an influential actor in its region and the world. Atatürk made intense diplomatic efforts for Hatay to be incorporated into the homeland, and this goal was realized in 1939 after his death. Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, who went down in history not only as a commander who successfully led the Turkish nation's War of Independence, but also as a statesman with the revolutions he carried out, worked tirelessly for the independence of his nation and country during his 57-year life and emerged victorious from every struggle he entered. A sorrowful day for the Turkish nation Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, who had his name written in Turkish and world history with his military and political genius, passed away at 5 minutes past 09:00 on November 10, 1938, at the age of 57, in Dolmabahçe Palace. While Atatürk’s death was met with great sadness not only in Turkey but also around the world, foreign statesmen made many statements and published messages. Atatürk’s coffin, draped in the Turkish flag, was placed on a catafalque in the grand ceremonial hall of Dolmabahçe Palace and left to be visited by the nation for 3 days. The body was later brought to Ankara on November 20, 1938, and was laid to rest in its temporary tomb in the Ethnography Museum with a great ceremony on November 21, 1938. All the states of the world sent special representatives to the funeral ceremony. Foreign generals who had fought against Atatürk in Çanakkale and other battles also attended the ceremony. Atatürk's body was transferred to Anıtkabir on 10 November 1953, the 15th anniversary of his death.