Atatürk's Life

He was born in 1881 in Salonica, then an Ottoman city, now in Greece.His father Ali Riza Efendi, a customs official turned lumber merchant,died when Mustafa was a boy. His mother Zübeyde, a devout andstrong-willed woman, raised him and his sister. First enrolled in atraditional religious school, he soon switched to a modern school. In1893, he entered a military high school where his mathematics teachergave him the second name Kemal in recognition of young Mustafa'ssuperior achievement. He was thereafter known as Mustafa Kemal.
In 1905, Mustafa Kemal graduated from the War Academy in Istanbul withthe rank of Staff Captain. Posted in Damascus, he started with severalcolleagues, a clandestine society called "Homeland and Freedom" tofight against the Sultan's despotism. In 1908 he helped the group ofofficers who toppled the Sultan. Mustafa Kemal's career flourished ashe won his heroism in the far corners of the Ottoman Empire, includingAlbania and Tripoli. He also briefly served as a staff officer inSalonica and Istanbul and as a military attache in Sofia.
In 1915, when Dardanelles campaign was launched, Colonel Mustafa Kemalbecame a national hero by winning successive victories and finallyrepelling the invaders. Promoted to general in 1916, at age 35, heliberated two major provinces in eastern Turkey that year. In the nexttwo years, he served as commander of several Ottoman armies inPalestine, Aleppo, and elsewhere, achieving another major victory bystopping the enemy advance at Aleppo.
On May 19, 1919, Mustafa Kemal Pasha landed in the Black Sea port ofSamsun to start the War of Independence. In defiance of the Sultan'sgovernment, he rallied a liberation army in Anatolia and convened theCongress of Erzurum and Sivas which established the basis for the newnational effort under his leadership. On April 23, 1920, the GrandNational Assembly was inaugurated. Mustafa Kemal Pasha was elected toits Presidency.
Fighting on many fronts, he led his forces to victory against rebelsand invading armies. Following the Turkish triumph at the two majorbattles at ?nönü in Western Turkey, the Grand National Assemblyconferred on Mustafa Kemal Pasha the title of Commander-in-Chief withthe rank of Marshal. At the end of August 1922, the Turkish armies wontheir ultimate victory. Within a few weeks, the Turkish mainland wascompletely liberated, the armistice signed, and the rule of the Ottomandynasty abolished.
In July 1923, the national government signed the Lausanne Treaty withGreat Britain, France, Greece, Italy, and others. In mid-October,Ankara became the capital of the new Turkish State. On October 29, theRepublic was proclaimed and Mustafa Kemal Pasha was unanimously electedPresident of the Republic.
Atatürk married Latife Han?m in 1923. Then he divorced in 1925.
The account of Atatürk's fifteen year Presidency is a saga of dramaticmodernization. With indefatigable determination, he created a newpolitical and legal system, abolished the Caliphate and made bothgovernment and education secular, gave equal rights to women, changedthe alphabet and the attire, and advanced the arts and the sciences,agriculture and industry.
In 1934, when the surname law was adopted, the national parliament gave him the name "Atatürk".
On November 10, 1938, following an illness of a few months, the national liberator died.

In 1905, Mustafa Kemal graduated from the War Academy in Istanbul withthe rank of Staff Captain. Posted in Damascus, he started with severalcolleagues, a clandestine society called "Homeland and Freedom" tofight against the Sultan's despotism. In 1908 he helped the group ofofficers who toppled the Sultan. Mustafa Kemal's career flourished ashe won his heroism in the far corners of the Ottoman Empire, includingAlbania and Tripoli. He also briefly served as a staff officer inSalonica and Istanbul and as a military attache in Sofia.
In 1915, when Dardanelles campaign was launched, Colonel Mustafa Kemalbecame a national hero by winning successive victories and finallyrepelling the invaders. Promoted to general in 1916, at age 35, heliberated two major provinces in eastern Turkey that year. In the nexttwo years, he served as commander of several Ottoman armies inPalestine, Aleppo, and elsewhere, achieving another major victory bystopping the enemy advance at Aleppo.
On May 19, 1919, Mustafa Kemal Pasha landed in the Black Sea port ofSamsun to start the War of Independence. In defiance of the Sultan'sgovernment, he rallied a liberation army in Anatolia and convened theCongress of Erzurum and Sivas which established the basis for the newnational effort under his leadership. On April 23, 1920, the GrandNational Assembly was inaugurated. Mustafa Kemal Pasha was elected toits Presidency.
Fighting on many fronts, he led his forces to victory against rebelsand invading armies. Following the Turkish triumph at the two majorbattles at ?nönü in Western Turkey, the Grand National Assemblyconferred on Mustafa Kemal Pasha the title of Commander-in-Chief withthe rank of Marshal. At the end of August 1922, the Turkish armies wontheir ultimate victory. Within a few weeks, the Turkish mainland wascompletely liberated, the armistice signed, and the rule of the Ottomandynasty abolished.
In July 1923, the national government signed the Lausanne Treaty withGreat Britain, France, Greece, Italy, and others. In mid-October,Ankara became the capital of the new Turkish State. On October 29, theRepublic was proclaimed and Mustafa Kemal Pasha was unanimously electedPresident of the Republic.
Atatürk married Latife Han?m in 1923. Then he divorced in 1925.
The account of Atatürk's fifteen year Presidency is a saga of dramaticmodernization. With indefatigable determination, he created a newpolitical and legal system, abolished the Caliphate and made bothgovernment and education secular, gave equal rights to women, changedthe alphabet and the attire, and advanced the arts and the sciences,agriculture and industry.
In 1934, when the surname law was adopted, the national parliament gave him the name "Atatürk".
On November 10, 1938, following an illness of a few months, the national liberator died.











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