Ataturk biography founder modern turkey

His policy of state secularism was particularly controversial, and he was accused of decimating important cultural traditions. Mustafa Kemal was married briefly from toand although he never fathered off-spring, it is said he adopted 12 daughters and one son. Other sources say he had up to 8 children. Inhe introduced surnames in Turkey, and he took the last name Ataturk, which means "Father of the Turks.

We strive for accuracy and fairness. If you see something that doesn't look right, contact us! The First Family on Inauguration Day. Donald Trump. JD Vance. Jimmy Carter. No other entity in the twentieth century, constructed purely of ideology and history, has so effectively preserved its political power. He is both the historical founder of the Republic and its actual and present foundation as well.

Originally from Macedonia, one of the richest and most strategically important Ottoman provinces, the young Mustafa Kemal entered the military school at Salonica. He quickly stood out and his military career advanced rapidly because of both his aptitude for command and his personal abilities, but also because he fought in diverse campaigns at a time when the Ottoman Empire was forced to fight on numerous fronts.

At the same time he became involved in the Young Turk movement, which was active precisely among those functionaries and officers of the European provinces concerned with reforming the empire in order to avoid its dismantlement, particularly in the Balkans. The liberal constitution of was restored and general elections were planned. However, as a series of military and diplomatic reversals mounted, a Muslim-dominated conservative counterrevolution sought to regain power in Constantinople.

The Young Turksthough, ultimately succeeded in reversing the situation and consolidating their revolution by having the sultan deposed. During this period, Mustafa Kemal was earning his stripes he was promoted to lieutenant-colonel after commanding an infantry division during the Balkan Conflict in and did not take part directly in these political events.

The Young Turk Triumvirate that came to power ended the liberal era launched in and installed a military dictatorship. Its new rulers wanted not only to preserve its unity but also to realize a project of pan-Turkish expansion into the Caucasus region. The army, even with Germany's powerful support, proved incapable of repelling the Russian onslaughts, however.

The humiliation of these defeats, at Sarikamish in particular, and the nationalist propaganda denouncing the presence of minorities in the empire, drove the Unionist leadership to unleash the twentieth century's first genocide, perpetrated against the Armenians. At the same time, near the end of Aprilthe Ottoman Empire faced an offensive in the Straits of the Dardanelles when French and English forces landed on Gallipoli.

Stiff resistance by the Ottoman army and the heroism of certain of its leaders, including Mustafa Kemal, thwarted the operation; Kemal was then sent to fight the Russians on the Caucasus front, where he was promoted to the rank of general. Following this, Kemal assumed various commands in Syria as part of the prestigious Yildirim Army Corps and then in Palestine, where victories on the front line prevented, during two years of conflict, the empire's total collapse.

At the beginning of Octoberthe Allies were threatening Constantinople; the Triumvirate withdrew from power, and a new government signed an armistice whose conditions were hard on the empire—in particular Article 7, which authorized the Allies to proceed with the occupation of any territory they deemed necessary. The sole concession made to the empire in the armistice was the right to reassemble troops scattered across its territories in the region of Anatolia and allowing them to retain their light weaponry.

The Germans evacuated the Unionist ministers, and the Young Turk movement was effectively scuttled. An Allied fleet entered the Dardanelles and Constantinople was occupied. British, French, Russians, Greeks, Armenians, and even Italians assumed control over almost the entire empire based on secret accords. Simultaneously, the Liberal Entente government eliminated the last vestiges of Young Turk power, hoping this reaction would avoid the empire's complete dismantlement, and thereby ataturk biography founder modern turkey the movement's political death warrant.

Anatolia was the only region to avoid Allied occupation. However, this large central province, whose Turkish population had become wholly homogenous following the destruction of the Christian communities formerly residing there, was largely destabilized due to its exposure to pillage by demobilized soldiers, the destruction of its infrastructure, and the destitution of its population.

A national resistance movement found refuge there, but it was divided between outlaw Young Turks, stragglers devoted to the dream of pan-Turanianism, and Ottoman dissidents. Lauded for his military successes and reputation for authority, at just thirty-nine years of age Kemal was sent to Anatolia in by the Entente government and entrusted with the mission to reorganize the remaining military troops there, as part of an effort to reassert Constantinople's sovereignty.

He landed at Samsum, birthplace of the great Kemalist era, and entered Anatolia where he encountered a fierce but fragmented nationalism based on a hatred aimed equally at both the imperial government and the European powers. Kemal immediately understood the opportunity laid out before him to head up the nationalist movement by offering it a plan for a nation-state founded on three primary values: military strength, Turkishness, and modernity.

This program was deeply Young Turk in inspiration, although it also contained a strong nationalist component. From the outset, numerous and prestigious groups supported Kemal in the great design he set out to accomplish under cover of his official mission. On 22 June in Amasya, he proclaimed the Turkish nation in danger, launched a call to arms to all patriots, and convoked a national congress.

Ataturk biography founder modern turkey

The British then demanded his immediate recall; he chose secession instead. There is a dispute and uncertainty about whether Ataturk himself was a devout Muslim or agnostic in his own faith. From his public speeches, it is more likely he was agnostic. But, his popularity was strong amongst the population and his vision of a modern secular Turkey was implemented.

The modern state faced many challenges both at home and abroad. In particular, the great depression of led to widespread economic upheaval. However, from a mixture of state planning and intervention helped the economy recover. Turkey was able to survive without becoming either a Fascist or Communist dictatorship. Ataturk died in from a cirrhosis of the liver.

He was a bright, intelligent and vivacious man. He had a profusion of interests from chess to dancing, literature and music. He launched a programme of revolutionary social and political reform to modernise Turkey. These reforms included the emancipation of women, the abolition of all Islamic institutions and the introduction of Western legal codes, dress, calendar and alphabet, replacing the Arabic script with a Latin one.

Abroad he pursued a policy of neutrality, establishing friendly relations with Turkey's neighbours. He died on 10 November Search term:.