ATATURK
Ataturk
and Modern Turkey
Ataturk
is the national hero of Turkey. He has founded the modern Turkish
Republic out of the ashes of the Ottoman Empire; an empire that
is seen as the sick man of Europe at the turn of the century.
His modern perspective created a new nation and a country, and
a secular state understanding different from most other Islamic
countries was introduced by him. Once you step in Turkey, you
will see his statues and the busts all over. One of the best
books written about Ataturk from a foreigner's point of view
is the book titled " The Rebirth of a Nation" by Lord Kinross.
He
was born in the year 1881 in Thessaloniki, within the Ottoman
Empire's borders at that time, in Greece at present . His full
name was Mustafa Kemal and the Ataturk surname, meaning the
father of Turks, was given to him by the Turkish people (1934
November 24th.) in accordance with his reforms he has introduced
to create a modern Turkish country.
His
background is of military, and he served at various posts in
the Ottoman army. In the First World War , he was the colonel
in charge of Infantry at Gallipoli in 1915 and it is his genious
defense tactics that did not give way to the allied forces (
British, French, Anzacs - Australians and New Zealenders and
Senegalese) for the capture of Dardanelles and eventually Bosphorus.
His
success and fastly growing reputation disturbed the capital
and to keep him under control he was promoted to the Pasha (
General ) position. When the War ended the armies of the allied
forces occupied nearly all corners of the country including
Istanbul. Sultan and not a very small number of the public saw
the hopeful future in the acceptance of either the British or
American mandate. Ataturk, however, had a very different vision
from the many. He left Istanbul with a small boat, namely Bandirma
( a nice model of the boat to be seen at the Ataturk Museum
in Ataturk's Mausoleum, Ankara), and stepping foot on Samsun,
a coastal town in the Black Sea, on the 19th. of May 1919 (
later to be presented by Ataturk to the Turkish Youth as the
Turkish Youth Day), the War of Independence started. He wanted
Independence.
First
with skirmishes , in time with proper army troops, Ataturk and
his armfriends' armies started fighting the enemy. Ankara was
chosen to be Ataturk's headquarter for its central location
and the seeds of a new country were planted there. He and his
friends wanted to establish a Republic as opposed to the Monarchy.
The War of Independence took some three years and by the end
of the year 1922, all of the invaders had left the country.
The Ottoman Sultan fled with a British boat. A new nation was
starting to be born.
Ataturk's
Revolutions
Political
Revolutions
The
Sultanete was abolished in 1922, November 1st.
The
Republic was declared in 1923, October 23rd.
The Caliphship was abolished in 1924, March 3rd.
Social
Reformations
Hat
was introduced. Fez was abolished. (1925)
The activities of religious sects were banned by law. ( 1925)
Western calender was introduced. ( 1925)
International numeric system was introduced. ( 1928)
The Metric system was introduced. ( 1931)
The nicknames and personal titles were abolished. ( 1934)
Religious attire was prohibited in public ( 1934). According
to this law, religious personalities, irrespective of the religious
groups they belong were not to wear religious attire in public
but only in their sanctuaries.
The surname law.( 1934)
The modern secular system of jurisprudence is instead of religious
law is integrated.( 1926)
The liberation of the women of Turkey by giving them political
and social rights.
a) Rights brought with medeni kanun ( 1926)
b) Rights for women to be elected for the parliment Educational
and Cultural Reformations Unity in Education ( 1924 )
Introduction and the acceptance of the Roman alphabeth. ( 1928
)
The foundation of Turkish History Institution
The foundation of Turkish Language Institution
The
Principles of Ataturk ( Kemalism)
This
is a system of thought based on the facts of Turkey. It is shaped
with the will of the Turkish nation through a long historical
background. Above all, Kemalism is the introduction and the
rendering of the rights to the nation. It is the expression
of the national sovereignity.It is an attempt to reach the level
of the modern civilizations, it is westernization, modernization.
It requires to experience a modern social life, to establish
a secular state, and to govern with a positive science mentality.
The principles of Kemalism can be viewed in two groups: "The
Basic Principles" and "The Complementary Principles". The definition
of the principles as Ataturk has expressed them: The Basic Principles
Republicanism Nationalism Popularism Etatism Secularism Revolutionism
The Complementary Principles National Sovereignity National
Independance National Unitiy and Togetherness Peace at home
Peace abroad Modernization Scientificism and Rationalism Humanitarianism
Address
to the Turkish Youth
Turkish
youth! Your first duty is to project and preserve the Turkish
independence and the Turkish Republic forever . This is the
very foundation of your existence and your future. This foundation
is your most precious treasure. In the future, too, there may
be malovelent people at home and abroad, who wish to deprive
you of this treasure.
If some day you are compelled to defend your independence and
your republic, you must not tarry to weigh the possibilities
and circumstances of the situation before taking up your duty.
These possibilities and circumstances may turn out to be extremely
unfavorable. The enemies conspiring against your independence
and your Republic may have behind them a victory unprecedented
in the annals of the world. By violence and ruse, all the fortresses
of your beloved fatherland may be captured, all its shipyards
occupied, all its armies dispersed and every part of the country
invaved. And sadder and graver than all these circumstances,
those who hold power within the country may be in error, misguided
and may even be traitors. Furthermore, they may identify their
personal interests with the political designs of the invaders.
The country may be impoverished, ruined and exhausted.
You,
the youth of Turkey's future, even in such circumstances, it
is your duty to save the Turkish independence and Republic.
The strength you need is in your noble blood within your veins
