30.08.2025 09:22
The Great Offensive, led by Commander-in-Chief Mustafa Kemal Pasha, culminated in victory in the War of Independence and resulted in the establishment of the Republic of Turkey. Today, 103 years ago, it declared the Turkish nation's will for independence to the world. On the anniversary of the Great Offensive, the Turkish nation once again experiences the pride of its struggle for independence.
Starting on August 26, 1922, and resulting in victory on August 30 under the command of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk at Dumlupınar, the Great Offensive declared to the whole world that the Turkish nation would not bow to captivity. This epic victory, won through the faith of the nation, the courage of the army, and the strategic genius of Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, paved the way for the establishment of the Republic of Turkey.
THE SPIRIT OF UNITY AND RESISTANCE OF THE TURKISH NATION
The Great Offensive was not only a military victory but also a symbol of the nation's will for independence. With women and men, young and old, the Turkish people united as one against the occupying forces; the Mehmetçik fighting on the front wrote an epic with the support of the people behind him.
THE GREATEST BATTLE OF THE WAR OF INDEPENDENCE
The Great Offensive was a secret operation planned to deliver the final and decisive blow to the occupying forces and to drive them out of Anatolia. Atatürk, who was granted the authority of Commander-in-Chief for the fourth time in the session of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey on July 20, 1922, made the decision for the offensive in June and carried out the preparations secretly. The Great Offensive, one of the largest battles of the War of Independence, began on the night of August 26-27 in Afyonkarahisar and resulted in the victory of the Turkish army with the destruction of the enemy units encircled near Aslıhan in the Battle of Dumlupınar, personally commanded by Mustafa Kemal Pasha.
THE FOUNDATION OF THE REPUBLIC
The victory of August 30 meant not only the winning of a war but also the laying of the foundations of a free and independent state. This victory prepared the birth of the Republic of Turkey and declared that the nation had gained the right to determine its future by its own will.
Following the Great Victory, a diplomatic process began. The Treaty of Lausanne was signed on July 24, 1923, and the Republic was declared on October 29, 1923. Mustafa Kemal Atatürk became the first President of Turkey. From 1924 onwards, August 30 began to be celebrated as Victory Day and became an official holiday throughout the country after 1926.
THE DAY OF NATIONAL PRIDE
Today, August 30 Victory Day is celebrated not only as a military success but also as a symbol of the endless commitment to independence and freedom. The Turkish nation, while commemorating the heroism of its ancestors, emphasizes once again its will to protect the Republic with the same faith and determination.