Victory Day

One remarkable man was responsible for creating modern Turkey. In 1923, Mustafa Kemal (known as Atatürk, “the Father of the Turks”) took control and transformed the country from an absolute monarchy to a secular, democratic Muslim state. Tales of this one-man revolution abound, and he is genuinely universally revered, while at home this is particularly the case with those who are more pro-Western in lifestyle and philosophy. His image is still everywhere, although it seems more recently it is not as prevalent in the Southeast of Turkey.
Since the founding of the Republic of Turkey, Atatürk's legacy has been a source of national pride for millions of Turks. Truly, patriotism is a Turkish virtue. The army has been regarded as the defender of Atatürk's secular democracy. There is concern that the separation of religion and state that has taken place in Turkey since the founding of the republic is changing
It is worth pausing to consider the continuing impact of the events of the early days of the republic on the present day. As a visitor to Turkey, you will soon recognize the face of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, from pictures on the walls of shops, workplaces and government buildings, and from his statue in every public square. But you will not see cartoons of him, or hear a joke about him. Atatürk (1881-1938) is universally venerated as a visionary whose ideas changed the nation, who broke the power of the sultan and who created the modern republic. Defamation of his person or character by any means is against the law.
Victory Day, which is Aug. 30, is a day that became recognized under the new republic. Mustafa Kemal (the family name Atatürk was later conferred on him by the National Assembly) was a brilliant soldier. He served as a commander in World War I, rising to fame by repulsing the Allied assault at Gallipoli in 1915-16. This forced the Allies to retreat from European Turkey and led to the political ostracism of Winston Churchill, who had planned the campaign.
In the period between the end of the war and the announcing of the terms of the Treaty of Sèvres, Sultan Mehmed VI was losing control -- both to the victorious powers who were planning to carve up the Ottoman Empire and to nationalist rejection of his rule.
In 1919 he sent Mustafa Kemal to crush a rebellion that had broken out in the Black Sea area around Samsun. Instead of doing this, Mustafa Kemal renounced his rank and titles and joined the insurgents. Along with a number of other military officers, he established a national government at a conference in the eastern city of Erzurum, in opposition to the sultan in İstanbul.
On April 23, 1920, Mustafa Kemal convened a National Assembly in Ankara that drew up a manifesto demanding the independence and unity of all parts of the Ottoman Empire. This manifesto effectively repudiated the Treaty of Sèvres signed by the İstanbul government. Mustafa Kemal inspired the nation to reject the postwar division of Turkey and defy the occupying British, French and Italian forces.
In 1921, the provisional government in Ankara transferred political power to the people. It formally abolished the Ottoman Sultanate, and in 1922 the sultan was deposed and went into exile in Europe.
The War of Independence was a turning point. In 1921 Greece ordered 100,000 troops into Anatolia, ostensibly to support the Greeks of İzmir. For the new Turkish nation there was no turning back, and Atatürk launched a counteroffensive. The Greek army was defeated at Dumlupınar on Aug. 26, and at İzmir on Sept. 9, 1922. İzmir was destroyed. The Turkish struggle for national sovereignty lasted three years, and by its end the Turks had driven all foreign forces from their land. These victories united the nation and restored the Turks' belief in themselves.
The reconquest of Anatolia undid the Treaty of Sèvres. Mustafa Kemal made a separate treaty with the USSR and forced the Allies to negotiate a new settlement. The Treaty of Lausanne, signed in 1923, confirmed Turkey's lands in Anatolia and removed the obligation to pay reparations.
Don't be worried if you see a large buildup of military and hear airplanes and helicopters in the skies. It's not a takeover! It's preparation for celebrations for Victory Day (Zafer Bayram) held on Aug. 30. The celebration commemorates the day of victory in the War of Independence, when the foreign powers were expelled from Turkish soil. A major military parade is held in Ankara, and in İstanbul naval and helicopter fleets are displayed along the Bosporus. Ceremonies are held at the statue of Atatürk in each city, and dignitaries visit Anıtkabir. Civic parades are held in the evening, often by torchlight, along main streets.
“I offer you the choice: death or the sea.” --Atatürk

CHARLOTTE MCPHERSON (Cihan/Today's Zaman)