Mustafa Kemal Atatürk

Mustafa Kemal Atatürk (c. 1881 – 10 November 1938) was a Turkish field marshal and statesperson who founded the Republic of Turkey and served as its first president from 1923 until his death in 1938. He led important changes that turned Turkey into a modern, secular nation. As a leader, he believed strongly in republican and nationalist ideas, and his policies are known as Kemalism.

Born in Salonica in the Ottoman Empire, Atatürk became famous for his role in the Defence of Gallipoli during World War I. After the war, he led the Turkish War of Independence to protect Turkey from being divided by other countries. He succeeded in creating a new government and later established the Republic of Turkey.

As president, Atatürk made many changes to build a modern country. He introduced new laws, opened many schools, and helped Turkish women gain equal civil and political rights. He also changed the writing system to use the Latin-based Turkish alphabet and encouraged people to adopt new customs. Atatürk worked to make Turkey stronger and more independent during a difficult time in history.

Early life

Further information: Personal life of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk

The house where Atatürk was born in the Ottoman city of Salonica, now a museum

Mustafa Kemal was born in Salonica, in what was then the Ottoman Empire. His parents were Ali Rıza Efendi, a military officer and lumber trader, and Zübeyde Hanım. He had one sister named Makbule who lived until 1956. Mustafa grew up in a family that was Muslim and Turkish-speaking.

Mustafa was given the name Mustafa at birth. His second name, Kemal, means “perfection” or “maturity.” Some believe a teacher gave him this name because of his skills, while others think he chose it himself. In 1934, he took the surname Atatürk, which means “Father of the Turks.” Before that, he used the name Kamâl from 1935 to 1937.

Mustafa’s family background has many different stories. Some say his father was from Albanian or Slavic origins, while others believe he came from Turkish ancestors in Anatolia. His mother is thought to have been of Turkish origin, but there are also stories of Albanian or Macedonian ancestry. Mustafa attended religious school briefly but later went to a more modern school. After his father passed away, he joined a military school and eventually graduated from the Ottoman Military Academy and College in Constantinople, now Istanbul.

Military career

Main article: Military career of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk

Early years

After finishing his studies, Mustafa Kemal was arrested for opposing the government led by Abdul Hamid II. He was later released and joined the army. He became part of a secret group of officers working for change. He took part in important military roles and helped suppress uprisings.

Mustafa Kemal on the day of graduation from the War Academy in 1905

In 1911, he volunteered to fight in Libya against Italian forces. Despite many challenges, his forces successfully defended the city of Derna. He was injured during a battle but recovered and continued to lead his troops.

Italo-Turkish War (1911–12)

Main article: Italo-Turkish War

Balkan Wars (1912–13)

Mustafa Kemal (front row, second from left) with the Ottoman Turkish observers at the Picardie army manoeuvres in France, 28 September 1910

Main article: Balkan Wars

See also: First Balkan War and Second Balkan War

In these wars, Mustafa Kemal helped Ottoman forces regain control of important cities like Edirne from Bulgarian troops. His efforts were crucial in defending Ottoman territories during this difficult time.

First World War (1914–18)

When World War I began, Mustafa Kemal was given command of a division during the Battle of Gallipoli. His strategic thinking helped defend against Allied forces. Later, he led troops in battles against Russian forces and faced many challenges during the war.

Mustafa Kemal (left) with an Ottoman military officer and Bedouin forces in Derna, Tripolitania Vilayet, 1912

He was later appointed to lead an army in Palestine but disagreed with his German superior’s plans. He expressed his concerns about the war’s outcome to German leaders while visiting their battle lines.

After the war began to end, Mustafa Kemal organized the return of Ottoman troops and prepared for what would come next as foreign forces occupied parts of the Ottoman Empire.

Turkish War of Independence (1919–1923)

Main article: Turkish War of Independence

Cevat Pasha and Mustafa Kemal on the daily Tasvîr-i Efkâr dated 29 October 1915

As foreign powers tried to control Turkey, Mustafa Kemal led a movement to protect the country’s independence. He gathered support from many Turks and set up a new government in Ankara.

The new government faced challenges from both foreign forces and internal opponents. Mustafa Kemal worked to build a strong army and gain support from other countries, like Russia, to help in the fight for independence.

Through many battles, including against Greek forces, Mustafa Kemal’s leadership helped Turkey defend itself. His victory in these battles was a key part of establishing the new Republic of Turkey.

Establishment of the Republic of Turkey

Presidency

For conceptual analysis, see Kemalism and Atatürk's reforms.

With the start of the Republic of Turkey, efforts began to modernize the country. The new government looked at the institutions and constitutions of Western countries such as France, Sweden, Italy, and Switzerland and used them to help shape the Turkish nation. Mustafa Kemal placed trusted leaders like Fevzi Çakmak, Kâzım Özalp, and İsmet İnönü in important positions to carry out his reforms. He used his strong reputation as a military leader and spent the years until his death in 1938 putting into place political, economic, and social changes. Through these changes, he helped Turkey shift from thinking of itself as a Muslim part of a large empire to becoming a modern, democratic, and secular nation. This change also helped improve education because schools now focused on science and learning, while religious practices were kept to mosques and religious places.

Mustafa Kemal at the opening ceremony of the Samsun-Çarşamba railroad (1928)

Mustafa Kemal's main goal was to make Turkey fully independent. He explained this meant full economic, financial, legal, military, and cultural freedom. He led many changes in social, cultural, and economic areas, building the basic structures of the new Republic. His ideas for reform were influenced by thinkers in the Ottoman Empire before him, especially after a major political change called the Young Turk Revolution.

Mustafa Kemal introduced important symbols to show the difference between the old Ottoman rule and the new Republic. He based his leadership on realism and pragmatism, focusing on nationalism, populism, and state control. These ideas were shaped specifically for Turkey's needs. For example, he worked to create a secular state, which was different from Christian countries at the time.

In the early years of the Republic, Mustafa Kemal believed in direct government by the people. He chose Ankara as the new capital, moving away from the old city of Constantinople. He wanted a representative democracy where the National Parliament had the most power. Later, as the country needed lots of rebuilding, he changed his approach. New ideas like communism and fascism appeared, and Mustafa Kemal did not support them. He took actions against communist leaders and worked to keep Turkey stable.

The heart of the new Republic was the Grand National Assembly, created during the Turkish War of Independence. Elections were fair and gave everyone an equal vote. The Assembly chose the government and the Prime Minister and had the power to make laws.

The government removed the old Islamic leadership called the caliphate, which caused strong opposition. Mustafa Kemal believed this was necessary to create a modern country based on national sovereignty. He also changed the education system, moving away from old religious schools to modern ones. He wanted schools to focus on science and modern ideas.

Mustafa Kemal encouraged people to adopt modern European clothing, like hats instead of traditional fez hats. He also spoke out against using religious symbols in public places. He faced opposition from some people who did not like these changes, including a rebellion led by Sheikh Said, which he put down.

In the later years of his leadership, Mustafa Kemal continued to push for modern changes. He supported women's rights, including the right to vote. He also worked to improve the economy, building factories and supporting new industries. He believed in bringing Turkey closer to Western countries through peace and friendship.

Personal life

Main article: Personal life of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk

Mustafa Kemal Atatürk had relationships with several women, including Eleni Karinte, Fikriye Hanım, Dimitrina Kovacheva, and Latife Uşşaki. He married Latife in 1923, but they divorced in 1925 after having many arguments.

Atatürk also adopted thirteen children during his life. The most well-known was Sabiha Gökçen, who became Turkey's first female pilot and the world's first female fighter pilot.

Atatürk's views on religion were complex. While he made some positive comments about Islam, researchers have debated whether he was agnostic, deist, atheist, or held a naturalistic view of religion. Some believe his positive statements about Islam were used for political reasons.

Illness and death

Mustafa Kemal Atatürk drank a lot and smoked cigarettes for most of his life. In 1937, his health began to get worse. In early 1938, while visiting Yalova, he became very ill and went to Istanbul for help. There, doctors found he had a serious problem with his liver. Though he tried to keep living as normal as possible, his health kept getting worse. He passed away on 10 November 1938 at age 57 in the Dolmabahçe Palace. After his death, İsmet İnönü became the new president of Turkey.

People in Turkey felt both sadness and pride when Atatürk passed away. Seventeen countries sent special people to honor him, and nine countries sent soldiers to walk in his funeral procession. At first, his body was placed in the Ethnography Museum of Ankara, but fifteen years later, it was moved to a grand building called Anıtkabir that looks over the city of Ankara.

In his will, Atatürk gave away everything he owned. He asked that the money help care for his sister Makbule and the children he had adopted, as well as support the education of İsmet İnönü’s children. What was left went to the Turkish Language Association and the Turkish Historical Society.

Legacy

Kemal Atatürk is remembered through many memorials across Turkey, including the Atatürk International Airport in Istanbul, the Atatürk Bridge over the Golden Horn, the Atatürk Dam, and Atatürk Stadium. His image appears in public buildings, schools, on Turkish lira banknotes, and in many homes. Every year on November 10th at 9:05 am, people and vehicles pause for a minute to honor him.

Atatürk is also honored worldwide. Monuments and streets named after him can be found in many countries, such as Mexico City, Baku, Almaty, Wellington, Canberra, Santiago, Rome, New Delhi, Dhaka, Chittagong, Islamabad, Larkana, Tunis, Santo Domingo, and Amsterdam. Leaders from different nations, including Winston Churchill and presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy, respected him for his leadership and efforts to create an independent nation.

Works

Mustafa Kemal Atatürk wrote several important books and speeches during his lifetime. Some of his notable works include:

Cumalı Camp - Cavalry: Company, Regiment, Brigade Training and Maneuvers, published in Thessaloniki in 1909.
Speech, published by the Turkish Aeronautical Association in Ankara in 1927.
Civic Information for Citizens, published in İstanbul in 1930.
Geometry, published in 1937.

He also translated books from German, such as Combat Training for the Squad and Combat Training for the Company. These works show his ideas about military training and education.