War and revolution

In today's article, I would like to focus on the words of my dear professor Barış Doster, who brought me to 12punto, in his article titled Atatürk, the War of Independence and the Laws of Revolution, where he states: “In the War of Independence, war and revolution are intertwined. The revolution was not carried out after the war ended. War and revolution were implemented simultaneously, at the same time.”

As my professor Barış Doster also pointed out, the revolutionary program in Mustafa Kemal Atatürk's mind had taken shape even before the War of Independence began, and he had started to put his ideas into practice while the War of Independence was still ongoing.

According to rumors, Atatürk had declared his long-term plans even before the Erzurum Congress. However, since these plans included the abolition of the sultanate and the caliphate, the accuracy of this information is questionable.

On the other hand, Atatürk managed to pass the new constitution, called the Law of Fundamental Organization (Teşkilat-ı Esâsîye Kanunu), which did not include the sultanate and the caliphate, through the parliament on January 20, 1921. The first article of the new constitution, which stated, “Sovereignty belongs unconditionally to the nation. The form of government is based on the principle of the people managing their own destiny directly and practically,” stood in contrast to the 1908 Constitution (Kânûn-ı Esâsî), which was a constitutional monarchy document. With the 1921 constitution, Atatürk clearly set forth the form of government for the newly established Turkish state. There would be no place for a sultan in the administration of the new Turkey. At a time when the abolition of the sultanate was not yet on the agenda, this development was merely a preparatory step for the revolution to come, but the approval of Atatürk's ideas by the parliament was a very significant step.

Atatürk would not limit his ideas to the parliament; he would explain the qualities of the republic to be established to the public through the speeches he gave and the congresses he organized. The fact that he did not refrain from putting forward his revolutionary ideas even during the most intense periods of the war demonstrates his determination in this regard and that the revolutionary movement had effectively begun. Indeed, the Education Congress (Maarif Kongresi), which the Union of Teachers' Associations planned to organize between July 16-21, 1921, coincided with a new Greek offensive (the Kütahya-Eskişehir Battles) that began on July 10.

Atatürk refused to postpone the congress and delivered the opening speech. In the meeting, which he defined as a “congress of science and wisdom,” he would address the education policy of the republic to be established. In his speech, he emphasized that they were currently in two types of wars; one against the enemy, the other against ignorance. Until that day, he had defined the duties of the army to be used against the enemy; on July 16, he would define the duties of the army that would fight against ignorance. With the congress he organized, Atatürk was preparing teachers for their future roles. Modern education would be at the center of the new republic to be established, and teachers would be the officers of this war.

The Education Congress clearly expresses that war and revolution are intertwined, and that winning the country's independence by defeating the enemy had no meaning on its own in the eyes of Atatürk. Likewise, by not postponing the congress, Atatürk showed that he attached as much importance to the revolution as he did to the war.

The Greeks, who were advancing rapidly on the day the congress began, would capture Kütahya on July 17 and Eskişehir on July 18. As soon as Atatürk finished his speech, he left the congress and set off for the front. Due to the war, the rest of the congress would be somber and would be cut short before it was completed.

Although the congress was cut short, Atatürk conveyed all the messages he intended to give. The Education Congress would be one of the most important signals of the steps Atatürk would take in the future.