Biography of Atatürk
ATATURK, FOUNDER OF THE TURKISH REPUBLIC AND THE
FIRST PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk (1881-1938)
ATATURK, FOUNDER OF THE TURKISH REPUBLIC AND THE FIRST PRESIDENT OF
THE REPUBLIC
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk was born in a three-storey pink house at Islahhane
Street, Kocakasim District, Salonika in 1881. His father was Ali Riza
Efendi and mother was Zübeyde Hanim. His paternal grand father Hafiz
Efendi is a member of Kocacik Nomads from Konya and Aydin region, which
was settled in Macedonia during 14th-15th centuries. His mother Zübeyde
Hanim, also a daughter of an old Turkish family, settled in the town of
Langasa near Salonika. Ali Riza Efendi who worked in various areas such
as; a military officer, a pious foundation clerk and for some time a
timber merchant and got married with Zübeyde Hanim in 1871. Four of
Atatürk's five siblings died at an early age, only his sister Makbule
Atadan survived and lived until 1956.
Little Mustafa commenced his education in Hafiz
Mehmet Efendi's neighbourhood school, later he was transferred to Semsi
Efendi School, because his father wished so (Comparatively modern
education at the time.) During his primary education, he lost his father
in 1888. For a while he stayed on his uncle's farm in Rapla, returned to
Salonika and completed his primary education. He enrolled to Salonika
Junior High School for Civil Servants. After a short time in 1893, he
transferred to Military Junior High School. It is at this school his
math teacher Mustafa Bey, added Kemal to his name in between 1896-1899,
Mustafa Kemal finished Monastir Military Senior High School and
commenced Military College in Istanbul. In 1902 he graduated with the
rank of lieutenant and continued his education in Military Academy. In
January 1905 he completed the Academy and graduated with the rank of a
captain. His first appointment was in 5 Army in Damascus in between
1905-1907. He was promoted to adjutant major in 1907 and appointed to 3
Army in Monastery. He was the Chief of Staff of the Army Corps which
entered Istanbul on 19 April 1909. He was sent to France in 1910 and
took part in Picardie Manoeuvres. In 1911 he was back in Istanbul and
started to work under the Command of General Staff.
Mustafa Kemal and a group of friends took part in Tobruk and Derna
Fronts during the war which started in 1911 against the Italians who
were attacking Tripoli (Libya). He won the Battle of Tobruk against the
Italian forces on 22 December 1911. He was then appointed to Derna Front
as the Commander-in-Chief on 6 March 1912.
When the Balkan War started in October 1912, Mustafa Kemal joined the
battle with units in Gelibolu (Gallipoli) and Bolayir. He greatly
contributed to the retrieval of Edirne and Dimetoka (Dhidhimotikhon). In
1913 he was appointed to Sofia as the military attache. During his
assignment in Sofia he was promoted to lieutenant-colonel. His duty as
the military attache ended in January 1915. During his stay in Sofia,
the First World War had started and the Ottoman Empire had become
obliged to enter in this war. Mustafa Kemal was appointed to Tekirdag to
organize the 19 Division.
It is in the First World War, which started in 1914, that Mustafa Kemal
wrote an heroic epic and made the legend of Dardanelles are Impassable
against Entente troops in Gallipoli. On 18 March 1915, when British and
French navies failed to break in through the Straits of Dardanelles with
heavy losses, the decision to land troops on the Gallipoli peninsula had
been given. Under the command of Mustafa Kemal, 19 Division halted the
enemy forces, which landed in Ariburnu -now called Anzak Koyu (Anzac
Cove)- on 25 April 1915 at Conkbayir. Mustafa Kemal was promoted to full
colonel after this great success. British forces started attacking again
from Ariburnu on 6-7 August 1915. Anafartalar Group Commander Mustafa
Kemal won the victory of Battle of Anafartalar on 9-10 August. Following
this, he also won the victories of Battle of Kirectepe on 17 August and
Second Battle of Anafartalar on 21 August. The Turkish nation defended
her honour in Gallipoli (Battle of Canakkale) against Entente States by
losing approximately 253,000 of her sons to martyrdom. Mustafa Kemal's
famous order to his soldiers "I do not order you to attack, I order you
to die", had changed the destiny of this Front.
In 1916 after Gallipoli, Mustafa Kemal took duties in Edirne and in
Diyarbakir. He was promoted to brigadier general in 1 April 1916. He
took part in the battles against Russian forces by which Mus and Bitlis
were liberated. After short duties in Damascus and Aleppo, he returned
to Istanbul in 1917. He went to Germany with Heir Apparent Prince
Vahdeddin Efendi for observations in the European Western Front. He
became sick after this trip and received treatment in Vienna and
Carlsbad. He returned to the Front on 15 August 1918 as the Commander-in-Chief
of the 7 Army in Aleppo. At this front he achieved the most successful
defensive battles in history against the British forces. He was
appointed as the Commander-in-Chief of the Lightning Army Group on 31
October 1918, just one day after the signing of the truce in Moudros.
After the abolishment of this Army Group he was appointed for a duty in
the Ministry of War in Istanbul on 13 November 1918.
After the beginning of the occupation of the country and demobilization
of the Ottoman armies according to the Moudros Truce, Mustafa Kemal
arrived in Samsun on 19 May 1919 as the Inspector General of the 9 Army.
On 22 June 1919, he issued the Amasya Circular, declaring that the
nation's determination and decision will restore the nation's
independence and called for the gathering of Congress in Erzurum and
Sivas. Between 23 July and 7 August 1919 delegates from all over the
country gathered in Erzurum and then between 4 September and 11
September 1919 in Sivas, determining the path to follow in order to gain
nation’s independence. On 27 December 1919 he was welcomed in Ankara
with great enthusiasm. 23 April 1920, the first day of the Turkish Grand
National Assembly, was one of the very important steps on the way to the
founding of the Turkish Republic. Mustafa Kemal was elected as the first
Speaker of the House and the Head of the Government. The Turkish Grand
National Assembly started preparing and passing the new laws necessary
for implementing the Independence War successfully.
The Turkish Independence War was started when the first bullet was fired
against the enemy during the occupation of Izmir by the Greek forces on
15 May 1919. Victors of the First World War, by signing of the Sevres
Agreement, started the occupation of their shares of the Ottoman Empire.
At the beginning, resistance against occupation forces started with
militia forces, namely Kuva-i Milliye (National Forces). The Turkish
Grand National Assembly established the regular army and successfully
led the Independence War to victory by integrating the militia forces
into the regular army.
The important stages of the Independence War under the leadership of
Mustafa Kemal were,
• Liberation of Sarikamis (20 September 1920), Kars (30 October 1920)
and Gümrü (7 November 1920).
• Defences of Cukurova, Gaziantep, Sanliurfa and Kahraman Maras
(1919-1920).
• Victory at the First Battle of Inönü (6-10 January 1920)
• Victory at the Second Battle of Inönü (23 March-1 April 1920).
• Victory at the Battle of Sakarya (23 August-13 September 1921).
• Great Offensive, Battle of Dumlupinar (Battle of Commander-in-Chief)
and the Great (Final) Victory (26 August-9 September 1922).
After the victory at the Battle of Sakarya, the Turkish Grand National
Assembly promoted Mustafa Kemal to the rank of Field Marshal and granted
him the title of Gazi-the Victorious Fighter. The Independence War was
ended by the Lausanne Peace Treaty on 24 July 1923. Thus, all the
impediments of the Sevres Agreement had been removed and integrity of
the Turkish land had been accomplished by the signing of the Lausanne
Agreement. There were no obstructions left on the way to establish the
new Turkish State based on national solidarity.
Founding of the Turkish Republic had been heralded by the opening of the
Turkish Grand National Assembly on 23 April 1920. National Assembly's
successful administration during the Independence War had secured the
founding of the new Turkish State. Caliphate and Sultanate (monarchy)
separated and Sultanate was abolished on 1 November 1922. Therefore, the
administrative ties with the Ottoman Empire were broken. The declaration
of Republic was made on 29 October 1923 and Mustafa Kemal was
unanimously elected as the first President of the Republic. Ismet Inönü
formed the first government of the Republic on 30 October 1923.
Sovereignty unconditionally belongs to Nation and Peace at home, peace
in the world are the raising fundamentals of the Turkish Republic.
Atatürk made many reforms in order to bring Turkey to the level of
contemporary civilizations. Those reforms can be put under five main
topics:
1. Political Reforms
- Abolishment of the Sultanate (1 November 1922)
- Declaration of the Republic (29 October 1923)
- Abolishment of Caliphate (3 March 1924)
2. Social Reforms
- Women were given equal rights with men (1926-1934)
- The Revolution of Headgear and Outfit (25 November 1925)
- Closing of dervish lodges and shrines (30 November 1925)
- The surname law (21 June 1934)
- Abolishment of nicknames, pious and royal titles (26 November 1934)
- Adoption of the International calendar, time and measurements
(1925-1931)
3. Juridical Reforms
- Abolishment of the Canon Law (1924-1937)
- Instating the new Turkish Civil Code and other legislation to suit
secular order (1924 - 1937)
4. Educational and Cultural Reforms
- Integration of education (3 March 1924)
- Adoption of the new Turkish alphabet (1 November 1928)
- Establishment of the Turkish Language and Historical Societies
(1931-1932)
- Organization of the university education (31 May 1933).
- Innovations in fine arts
5. Economical Reforms
- Abolishment of old taxation laws.
- Encouragement of the farmers.
- Establishment of model farms.
- Legislation of the Encouragement of the Industry Law and establishment
of Industrial Corporations.
- Implementing First and Second Development Plans (1933-1937),
construction of new highways to reach every corner of the country.
In accordance with the new surname law, Turkish Grand National Assembly
granted Mustafa Kemal with the surname Atatürk on 24 November 1934.
Atatürk had been elected twice as the Speaker of the House (National
Assembly), on 24 April 1920 and 13 Augustus 1923. His chairmanship at
that time, was equal to the Head of State and the Government combined.
On 29 October 1923 Republic was declared and Atatürk was elected as the
first President of the Republic. According to the Constitution
Presidential elections held for every four years. Atatürk had been re-elected
as the President of the Republic in 1927, 1931 and 1935 by the Turkish
Grand National Assembly.
Atatürk very frequently used to go for fact-finding trips in the country.
He kept in contact with local authorities and directed them personally
in every occasion. In the capacity of the President of the Republic, he
received the visiting foreign presidents, premiers, ministers and
commanders with great respect and authority.
Atatürk gave his Great Speech on 15-20 October 1927 in which he
described the Independence War and Founding of Republic, he then made
his 10th Year Speech on 29 October 1933.
Atatürk was very modest in his private life. He married with Latife
Hanim on 29 January 1923. Together they had many trips around the
country. Their marriage lasted until 5 August 1925. As a great lover of
children, Atatürk adopted his daughters Afet (Inan), Sabiha (Gökcen),
Fikriye, Ülkü, Nebile, Rukiye, Zehra and his son Mustafa, a young
shepherd boy. He also had two children under his protection, Abdurrahim
and Ihsan. He secured a good life and future for these children who
survived.
In 1937, he donated his farms to the State Treasury and some of his real
estate to Ankara and Bursa Municipality Councils. He divided his
inheritance among his sister, his adopted children and the Turkish
Language and Historical Societies. He enjoyed reading, listening music,
dancing, horse riding and swimming. He was very much interested in the
Western Anatolian folk dance Zeybek, wrestling and listening to Rumelia
songs. He had great pleasure in playing black-gammon and billiards. He
valued very much his horse Sakarya and his dog Fox. He had made up a
very rich library of his own. He used to invite statesmen, scholars and
scientists to dinners and discuss state affairs with them. He was very
particular about his appearance and was smartly dressed all the times.
He was also a nature lover. He very often used to visit his farm Atatürk
Orman Ciftligi-Atatürk Forest Farm and took part at works in person.
Atatürk was proficient in French and German.
On 10 November 1938 at 9.05 in the morning, in Istanbul, Dolmabahce
Palace, he died of the liver ailment he was suffering from. He was
buried with a ceremonial funeral in a temporary place of rest at the
Ethnographical Museum in Ankara on 21 November 1938. After the building
of Anitkabir (Atatürk Mausoleum) he was taken to his permanent place of
rest with a grand ceremony on 10 November 1953.
Culture is the foundation of Turkish Republic.
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, 1936
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