Mustafa Kemal Atatürk was born in 1881 in the three-story pink house on Islâhhâne Street in Kocakasım Mahallesi, Selânik.
His father is Ali Rıza Efendi, and his mother is Zübeyde Hanım. On his father's side, his grandfather Hafız Ahmet Efendi is from the Kocacık Yörüks, who were resettled from Konya and Aydın in the 14th-15th centuries to Macedonia. His mother, Zübeyde Hanım, is the daughter of an old Turkish family that settled in the town of Langaza near Thessaloniki. Ali Rıza Efendi married Zübeyde Hanım in 1871. Of Atatürk's five siblings, four died at a young age, and only Makbule (Atadan) Hanım lived until 1956.
Little Mustafa began his primary education at the neighborhood school run by Hafız Mehmet Efendi, upon his mother's wish when he reached the age of learning. After a short period, following his father's request, he transferred to the Şemsi Efendi School, which provided modern education according to the conditions of the time. During this period, he lost his father. After staying with his uncle at the Rapla Farm for a while, he returned to Thessaloniki and completed his education. He enrolled in Selânik Mülkiye Rüştiyesi and, shortly after, in 1893, he entered the Thessaloniki Military Rüştiye. He took the name "Kemal" from his beloved math teacher, Captain Mustafa Efendi. Thus, his name became "Mustafa Kemal." After completing the Thessaloniki Military Rüştiye, in 1896, he started at the Manastır Military High School. His interest in literature laid the foundation for his future eloquence and writing skills. The history teacher at the Manastır Military High School, Kolağası Mehmet Tevfik Bey, played a significant role in Mustafa Kemal's interest in history, particularly Turkish history. In the years 1896-1899, he completed the Manastır Military High School and enrolled in the infantry class of the Military Academy in Istanbul. His interest in literature laid the foundation for his future eloquence and writing skills. The history teacher at the Manastır Military High School, Kolağası Mehmet Tevfik Bey, played a significant role in Mustafa Kemal's interest in history, particularly Turkish history. In the years 1896-1899, he completed the Manastır Military High School and enrolled in the infantry class of the Military Academy in Istanbul. During his time at this school, he and his friends secretly published a newspaper with the aim of spreading the ideas of freedom. In 1902, he graduated from the Military Academy with the rank of lieutenant and entered the War Academy.
In 1903, he advanced to the second grade and was promoted to the rank of first lieutenant. On January 11, 1905, he graduated from the War Academy with the rank of captain.
In 1903, he advanced to the second grade and was promoted to the rank of first lieutenant. On January 11, 1905, he graduated from the War Academy with the rank of captain.
In 1906, he secretly went to Thessaloniki and, after opening a branch of the same society, returned. The branch in Thessaloniki joined the Ottoman Freedom Society in the same year. This society, operating clandestinely in Thessaloniki, merged with the Ottoman Committee of Union and Progress in 1907. In 1907, he was promoted to the rank of Major (Senior Captain).
Later, he was assigned to the headquarters of the 3rd Army, which was located in Manastır. He began working in the staff branch of the headquarters in Thessaloniki. In addition to his duty in Thessaloniki, he was appointed as the Inspector of the Eastern Railway between Üsküp and Thessaloniki. Following the declaration of the Constitutional Monarchy, he was sent to Tripolitania by the Central Committee of the Committee of Union and Progress to prevent reactions that emerged. After resolving the unrest and establishing state authority, he returned to Thessaloniki in January 1909.
He was appointed as the Chief of Staff of the 2nd Reserve Division of the Thessaloniki 3rd Army. Upon the outbreak of the uprising known as the 31 March Incident, he, along with the Army of Movement under the command of Hüseyin Hüsnü Pasha, moved from Thessaloniki to Istanbul as the chief of staff of this army on April 15-16, 1909.
He personally drafted the first declaration issued to the people of Istanbul by the Army of Movement. In 1909, he attended the second major congress of the Committee of Union and Progress held in Thessaloniki as a delegate from Tripolitania. At this congress, he advocated for the military's withdrawal from politics and the transformation of the committee, by expanding its organization within the public, into a political party based on the people. Due to the lack of agreement on his views among the leading members of the committee, he distanced himself from the committee and focused on his military duties. Mustafa Kemal was reassigned from the Chief of Staff of the 2nd Reserve Division to the headquarters of the 3rd Army. In May 1910, during the operation to suppress the uprising in Albania, he served alongside Minister of War Mahmut Şevket Pasha. On September 6, 1910, Mustafa Kemal was appointed as the Commander of the 3rd Army Officer Training School. While in this position, he represented the army in the Picardie maneuvers in France with a committee that included Fethi Bey. In 1911, he began working at the General Staff Headquarters in Istanbul.
In 1911, he volunteered to participate in the Tripolitanian War. His rank was promoted to Major (Binbaşı). Mustafa Kemal served in the Tobruk and Derna regions with a group of his friends.
In the Tobruk region, he led a successful surprise attack with the local forces under his command, inflicting heavy losses on the Italians. In 1912, he continued his successful struggle against the Italians in Derna. When the Balkan War began in October 1912, Mustafa Kemal joined the conflict with the units in Gelibolu and Bolayır. On July 21, 1913, the Bolayır Corps, led by Mustafa Kemal as the Chief of Staff, recaptured Edirne from the Bulgarians. In the same year, he was appointed as the military attaché to Sofia. During this assignment, he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in 1914. His duty as a military attaché came to an end in January 1915.
With the onset of the First World War, Mustafa Kemal expressed his desire for an active role. As a result, in early 1915, he was appointed to the command of the 19th Division, which would be established in Tekirdağ, under the 3rd Corps commanded by Esat Pasha (Bülkat). In the First World War that began in 1914, he played a heroic role in Gallipoli, creating an epic of valor and making the Allied powers acknowledge the phrase "Çanakkale geçilmez!" ("Çanakkale is impassable!").
On March 18, 1915, when the British and French navy attempting to pass through the Dardanelles suffered heavy losses, the decision was made to land troops on the Gallipoli Peninsula. The enemy forces that landed at Arıburnu on April 25, 1915, were halted at Conkbayırı by the 19th Division commanded by Mustafa Kemal. Following this success, Mustafa Kemal was promoted to the rank of colonel. The British resumed their attack at Arıburnu on August 6-7, 1915. Mustafa Kemal, the commander of the Anafartalar Group, achieved the Victory of Anafartalar on August 9-10. This victory was followed by the victories at Kireçtepe on August 17 and the Second Anafartalar on August 21. Mustafa Kemal's command to his soldiers, "I am not ordering you to attack, I am ordering you to die!" changed the fate of the front.
After the Çanakkale Campaigns, Mustafa Kemal was appointed as the commander of the 16th Corps, which was transferred from Çanakkale to Edirne in 1916. When this corps, stationed in Edirne, was later transferred to Diyarbakır with the same name due to the increasing importance of the Caucasian Front, Mustafa Kemal served in Diyarbakır. On April 1, 1916, he was promoted to the rank of Major General.
He ensured the recapture of Muş and Bitlis by engaging in battles with Russian forces. After brief assignments in Damascus and Aleppo, he returned to Istanbul in 1917. He went to Germany with Crown Prince Vahdettin Efendi to conduct inspections on the front. After this trip, he fell ill and received treatment in Vienna and Karlsbad. On August 15, 1918, he returned to Aleppo as the Commander of the 7th Army. On this front, he led successful defensive battles against British forces. One day after the signing of the Armistice of Mudros on October 30, 1918, he was appointed as the Commander of the Yıldırım Army Group.
Upon the dissolution of this army, he returned to Istanbul on November 13, 1918, and started his duties at the Ministry of War.
After the Armistice of Mudros and the commencement of the Allied occupation of Ottoman territories, Mustafa Kemal landed in Samsun on May 19, 1919, as the Inspector of the 9th Army. On June 22, 1919, with a proclamation issued in Amasya, he declared that "the nation's independence would be saved by the determination and will of the nation" and called for the convening of the Sivas Congress. Holding the Erzurum Congress from July 23 to August 7, 1919, and the Sivas Congress from September 4 to September 11, 1919, he ensured the determination of the path to be followed for the liberation of the homeland.
He was enthusiastically welcomed in Ankara on December 27, 1919. A significant step towards the establishment of the Republic of Turkey was taken with the opening of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey on April 23, 1920. Mustafa Kemal was elected as the President of the Assembly and the Prime Minister. The Grand National Assembly of Turkey began to pass and implement the necessary laws for the successful conclusion of the War of Independence.
The Turkish War of Independence began on May 15, 1919, with the first shot fired at the Greek occupation of Izmir. On August 10, 1920, the war was waged against the victorious powers of the First World War who had partitioned the Ottoman Empire by signing the Treaty of Sèvres. Initially, the conflict was fought with militia forces called Kuvayı Milliye. The Grand National Assembly of Turkey established a regular army, integrating it with the Kuvayı Milliye, and successfully concluded the war.
Under the leadership of Mustafa Kemal, the important stages of the Turkish War of Independence include:
Liberation of Sarıkamış (September 20, 1920), Kars (October 30, 1920), and Gümrü (November 7, 1920)
Defense of Çukurova, Antep, Maraş, Urfa (1919-1921)
First Battle of İnönü (January 6-10, 1921)
Second Battle of İnönü (March 23-April 1, 1921)
Battle of Sakarya (August 23-September 13, 1921)
Great Offensive, Commander-in-Chief Battle, and Great Victory (August 26-September 9, 1922)
After the Battle of Sakarya, on September 19, 1921, the Grand National Assembly of Turkey awarded Mustafa Kemal the rank of Marshal and the title of Gazi. The War of Independence concluded with the signing of the Treaty of Lausanne on July 24, 1923. Thus, there were no obstacles to the establishment of the new Turkish state based on national unity on the Turkish territories, which were fragmented by the Treaty of Sèvres and left the Turks with a homeland about the size of 5-6 provinces.
The establishment of the Republic of Turkey was proclaimed with the opening of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey in Ankara on April 23, 1920. The successful management of the Turkish War of Independence by the Assembly expedited the establishment of the new Turkish state. On November 1, 1922, the caliphate and the sultanate were separated, and the sultanate was abolished. Thus, the ties of governance with the Ottoman Empire were severed. On October 30, 1923, the first government of the Republic was formed by İsmet İnönü. The Republic of Turkey began to rise on the foundations of "Sovereignty unconditionally belongs to the nation" and "Peace at home, peace in the world."
In accordance with the Surname Law, on November 24, 1934, the Grand National Assembly of Turkey granted Mustafa Kemal the surname "Atatürk."
Mustafa Kemal was elected as the President of the Grand National Assembly on April 24, 1920, and on August 13, 1923. This presidency was at the level of head of state and government. On October 29, 1923, the Republic was declared, and Atatürk was elected as the first president. According to the constitution, presidential elections were renewed every four years. In 1927, 1931, and 1935, the Grand National Assembly re-elected Atatürk as the president.
Atatürk frequently embarked on nationwide tours to personally inspect state activities. He issued orders to those responsible for any deficiencies. In his capacity as the President, he hosted foreign heads of state, prime ministers, ministers, and commanders who visited Turkey. On October 15-20, 1927, he delivered a significant speech narrating the War of Independence and the establishment of the Republic. On October 29, 1933, he also delivered the 10th Year Speech commemorating the anniversary of the Republic.
Atatürk lived a life of simplicity in his private life. He married Latife Hanım on January 29, 1923. They embarked on many national tours together. This marriage lasted until August 5, 1925. Fond of children, Atatürk adopted his daughters Afet (İnan), Sabiha (Gökçen), Fikriye, Ülkü, Nebile, Rukiye, Zehra, and his shepherd named Mustafa as his spiritual children. He also took Abdurrahim and İhsan under his protection.
In 1937, he donated his estates to the treasury and some immovables to the municipalities of Ankara and Bursa. He allocated shares from his inheritance to his sister, adopted children, and Turkish Language and History Institutions. He had a passion for reading books, listening to music, dancing, horseback riding, and swimming. He had an interest in Zeybek dances, wrestling, and folk songs from the Balkans. He took great pleasure in playing backgammon and billiards. He valued his horse named Sakarya and his dog Fox highly. Atatürk had a rich library. He would invite state officials, scientists, and artists to evening dinners, discussing the country's issues. He paid attention to dressing cleanly and orderly. He loved nature, frequently visiting the Atatürk Forest Farm and actively participating in its activities. He was fluent in French and German.
Atatürk, whose entire life was marked by struggle, saw his health deteriorate towards the end of 1937. Despite this, he worked fervently during that period, especially with an unwavering enthusiasm for the inclusion of Hatay into the motherland. His existing liver failure became more pronounced in January 1938. The Great Leader spent his final days in Istanbul under constant medical supervision. On November 10, 1938, Thursday, at five minutes past nine in the evening, he closed his eyes to life at Dolmabahçe Palace. His death resonated deeply worldwide, causing profound sorrow.
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk is not only the leader of the Turkish nation but also a figure who has earned the admiration of people worldwide. He is a great leader who shaped the Republic of Turkey with modern thoughts, leaving behind a legacy that transcends borders. Atatürk is not just a revolutionary leader; he is a source of love, respect, and hope. His exemplary leadership, visionary perspective, and profound love for his homeland continue to resonate in the hearts of millions today. Atatürk's name is not only associated with the leadership of a nation but also symbolizes the struggle for independence and modernization. His legacy will endure, serving as an inspiration for the pursuit of peace and freedom worldwide.
In this article, I attempted to narrate the life of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, recognizing the limitations of words in capturing the richness of his experiences. If there are any shortcomings, I apologize; my intention was to provide a brief summary, as the depth of his life and achievements cannot be fully encapsulated in words. Atatürk's life is a profound story of leadership, resilience, and dedication to the ideals of modernization and independence. The impact of his legacy extends far beyond the scope of this article, serving as a testament to the enduring spirit of a visionary leader who left an indelible mark on the history of Turkey.
