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Atatürk’s notes on the Great Victory: ‘This work is the immortal monument of the Turkish nation’s idea of freedom and independence’

In his message for the August 30 Victory Day, historian Sinan Meydan explained how the Great Victory laid the foundations of the Republic of Turkey, recalling how Commander-in-Chief Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk described the victory.

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Historian Sinan Meydan, in a message published for the August 30 Victory Day, included the words of Commander-in-Chief Mustafa Kemal Atatürk describing the Great Victory. 

Meydan recounted the events before and after the Great Offensive through Atatürk’s own expressions, which emphasize the importance of the victory.

Recalling Atatürk’s words, “On August 26/27, within two days, we brought down the fortified enemy fronts 50 km to the south and 20-30 km to the east of Afyonkarahisar. We surrounded the large forces of the defeated enemy army in the Aslıhanlar region by August 30. At the end of the battle we fought on August 30, we destroyed and captured the main forces of the enemy. General Trikoupis, who served as the commander-in-chief of the enemy army, was also among the prisoners,” Meydan explained the great strategy with which Atatürk achieved the victory.

'A TREMENDOUS WORK THAT WENT DOWN IN HISTORY'

Sinan Meydan included the following words from the Nutuk (The Speech), in which Atatürk did not claim the success for himself after the victory and emphasized that this victory was the work of the Turkish nation and its army: “This movement, which was thought out, prepared, and managed in every phase, is a tremendous work that once again records the high power and heroism of the Turkish army, Turkish officers, and the command staff in history. This work is the immortal monument of the Turkish nation’s idea of freedom and independence.”

In his message, Meydan stated that the victory had a critical importance in the establishment of the Republic of Turkey as a fully independent, secular, and unitary nation-state, and used the following expressions.

 "I commemorate everyone who contributed to the achievement of the GREAT VICTORY, which ensured that these lands remained the Turkish homeland and prepared a solid foundation for the establishment of the Republic of Turkey, a fully independent, secular, and unitary nation-state in this land, with respect, gratitude, and mercy, especially Gazi Marshal Commander-in-Chief Mustafa Kemal Atatürk".

Here is that message: 

Happy August 30 Victory Day. 

Atatürk describes the Great Victory as follows:

“On August 26/27, within two days, we brought down the fortified enemy fronts 50 km to the south and 20-30 km to the east of Afyonkarahisar. We surrounded the large forces of the defeated enemy army in the Aslıhanlar region by August 30. At the end of the battle we fought on August 30 (this has been given the title of the Battle of the Commander-in-Chief), we destroyed and captured the main forces of the enemy. General Trikoupis, who served as the commander-in-chief of the enemy army, was also among the prisoners. So, the final result we planned was achieved in 5 days...”

Before leaving Ankara for the Great Offensive, Atatürk had told those with him, “Calculate when you receive the news of the offensive. We will be in İzmir on the 15th day.” Upon his return from İzmir to Ankara, he would say, “I was off by one day! But the fault is not mine, it is the enemy’s.” He had entered İzmir on the 14th day of the offensive.

On the night of August 17, while going to Akşehir, Atatürk had told Salih Bozok: “If I have the time to implement what I am thinking, a military scene will emerge that will dazzle the eyes of the world.” And so it did.

The chief architect of the Great Victory was 

Commander-in-Chief Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. However, he never claimed the success for himself.

In the Nutuk, Atatürk speaks of the Great Victory as the work of the army and the nation as follows: 

“This movement, which was thought out, prepared, and managed in every phase, is a tremendous work that once again records the high power and heroism of the Turkish army, Turkish officers, and the command staff in history. This work is the immortal monument of the Turkish nation’s idea of freedom and independence. My joy and happiness are infinite because I am the child of a nation that created this work and the commander-in-chief of such an army.”

I commemorate everyone who contributed to the achievement of the GREAT VICTORY, which ensured that these lands remained the Turkish homeland and prepared a solid foundation for the establishment of the Republic of Turkey, a fully independent, secular, and unitary nation-state in this land, with respect, gratitude, and mercy, especially Gazi Marshal Commander-in-Chief Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. 

Long live the fully independent and secular Republic of Turkey

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