Atatürk ... turned ... decisively to the West and to the future.

 

As a man born in the West, Macedonia, with profoundly Western tastes, it would have been easy to expect that his support would have consisted in “European elites” and cosmopolites in general. It is true that Atatürk, like his great Ottoman predecessors, was ruthlessly meritocratic. He did not care where a person was from or who his parents were so long as they believed in him and his dream of a Turkish Republic. If the leaders of the Kemalists were cosmopolitan, its body and limbs, and therefore its strength
and its reason for being, was the peasantry. Thus the Macedonian understood the real basis of the new Turkey, the people of the Anatolian heartland. It was this unlikely combination that defeated the invaders, in no small measure because the invaders did not believe such a synthesis was possible. Not only was it possible, it was remarkably effective as a fighting force.

The Great Mustafa Kemal Atatürk

     The second great accomplishment of Atatürk is more controversial among scholars but in all interpretations remains wondrous. Having secured an impossible victory, by relying on a largely despised and ignored peasantry, Atatürk then turned his creation sternly and decisively to the West and to the future. Although he valued many of the virtues of traditional Ottoman
culture, he knew that they could not be brought to bear so long as they remained in their medieval context. Of its vices, especially its lack of realism and inadequate understanding of the great changes that had taken place in Europe, he had nothing but contempt. Whatever Atatürk’s personal faith, and this is controversial, it is beyond dispute that he believed that spiritual matters, when they left the private realm, could have only
negative effects on a modern government. Islam, like the state itself, if it were to serve the Turkish people, would have to find its place within a secular Turkey. To write a sentence like this gives one pause, as I am sure it causes many readers disquiet. Atatürk, of course, seldom paused. In this and in so many other matters he acted and acted decisively.

Again, the role of the peasantry was critical. If Turkey had to compete with European powers, she had to have a western style government. To survive in the 20th century a state would have to liberate the energies and the talents of the nation. Only a free people in a republic could compete with other modern nation-states. This had been the lesson of the 19th century and its climax in World War I. Only a free people could free Turkey from its medieval worldview. More important, the peasantry, especially at it strove for middle class standards of living, unlike cultural elites, could “Westernize” without becoming “Europeans”. Atatürk’s vision was that a new, true and durable Turkish identity would emerge from a modernizing peasantry, developing within a secular republic. It could not come from an elite who could only attain the status of ersatz Frenchmen or Germans. 

Furthermore, only this emerging middle class could inform the republic with the values necessary to sustain it: fundamental decency, candor, respect for property, and fair and honest dealing. A republic after all is the political expression of bourgeois values, not cultural refinement, spiritual
intensity, or intellectual achievement.

Atatürk in His Age and in Ours

 

Professor Andrew Mango

 

BY DR. ANDREW MANGO

 

 

GAZI MUSTAFA KEMAL ATATÜRK, THE GREATEST STATESMAN

I obtained information concerning Mustafa Kemal from someone who knows him very well. When talking with Foreign Minister Litvinov of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, he said that in his opinion, the most valuable and interesting statesman in all of Europe does not live in Europe today, but beyond the Bosphorus, he lives in Ankara, and that this was the President of the Turkish Republic, Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.

Franklin D. Roosevelt, President of the United States of America



THE GENIUS OF OUR CENTURY

The centuries rarely produce a genius. Look at this bad luck of ours, that great genius of our era was granted to the Turkish nation.

David Lloyd George, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom



"ATA'S DEATH IS A GREAT LOSS"

Atatürk's death is not only a loss for the country, but for Europe is the greatest loss, he who saved Turkey in the war and who revived anew the Turkish nation after the war. The sincere tears shed after him by all classes of people is nothing other than an appropriate manifestation to this great hero and modern Turkey's Ata.

Winston Churchill, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom



A LEADER WITH GREAT UNDERSTANDING

Mustafa Kemal was not a socialist. But it can be perceived that he is a good organizer, with great understanding, progressive, with good thoughts and an intelligent leader. He is carrying out a war of independence against those plunderers. I am believing that he will break the pride of the imperialists and that he will beat the Sultan together with his friends. ( 1921 )

Vladimir llyich Lenin, Leader of the Russian Revolution



"HOW CAN I NOT ADMIRE HIM?"

Pasha, how can I not admire you? I established a secular government in France. This government was overthrown by the priests with the help of the Pope's representatives in Paris. While you got rid of the Caliphate and established a secular state in the true sense of the word. Within this fanaticism, how did you make this society accept secularity? The great work of your genius was to create a secular Turkey. (1933)

Edouard Herriot, Former Prime Minister of France



"TURKEY CAN BE PROUD OF ITSELF"

In the life of a nation it is very seldom that changes to such a radical degree were carried out in such a short period of time... Without a doubt, those who have done these extraordinary activities have earned the attributes of a great man in the complete sense of the word. And because of this, Turkey can be proud of itself. (31 October 1933)

Eleutherios Venizelos, Prime Minister of Greece



ARCHITECT OF THE TURKISH UNITY

In connection with the permanent memorial facility for Kemal Atatürk, I take pride in presenting my congratulations to Turkey. Your great country that is advancing on the course that he demonstrated has obtained very significant successes. This ceremony that is being held to commemorate the memory of Atatürk, the architect of progress and Turkish unity, is a very appropriate respect to a person who became a source of inspiration to free peoples throughout the world.

Dwight D. Eisenhower, President of the United States of America



ATATÜRK WAS A SOURCE OF INSPIRATION

The Sakarya Battle, the Sakarya Victory became the strongest recollection when I was twenty. At that time I said to myself, I wonder whether or not I can mobilize my country like this? Can I not instill in his spirit this delivering attack, this unreined passion?

Habib ben Ali Bourguiba, President of Tunisia



FEELINGS OF LOYAL FRIENDSHIP

Because of the 25th year of Atatürk's death, I want to express the feelings of loyal friendship felt for the Turkish nation by the French nation. Today, Turkish history even more than ever is inseparable from Western and European history. Atatürk's efforts in this direction were not left without results. The friendship between our countries that has surpassed hundreds of years, has formed the foundation for this development.

Charles de Gaulle, President of France



THE LEADER OF ALL TIMES

Kemal Atatürk is not only one of the greatest leaders of this century. We in Pakistan see him as one of the greatest men of all times who has lived and died. He is not only the beloved leader of your country. All the Moslems in the world have turned their eyes to him with feelings of love and admiration.

Muhammed Ayub Khan, President of Pakistan



TURKEY UNDER ATATÜRK'S ADMINISTRATION

We are indebted to him for the birth of the first republic in the Near and Middle East. This Republic showed the way for the wars of national freedom for many nations. Under Atatürk's administration, Turkey's international authority advanced and his country started to play an important role in world politics.

Nikita S. Khrushchev, President of the Soviet Union



THE GREAT LEADER OF OUR CENTURY

The name of Atatürk reminds people of the historical successes of one of the great individuals of this century, the leadership that gave inspiration to the Turkish nation, farsightedness in the understanding of the modern world and courage and power as a military leader. It is without a doubt that another example can't be shown indicating greater successes than the birth of the Turkish Republic and ever since then Atatürk's and Turkey's broad and deep reforms undertaken as well as the confidence of a nation in itself.

John F. Kennedy, President of the United States of America



THE BUILDER OF A MODERN AGE

Kemal Atatürk or Kemal Pasha by which name we knew him in those times, was my hero during my youth. I was very moved when I read about his great reforms. I met with great praise the general efforts made by Atatürk on the course of modernizing Turkey. His dynamism, undauntedness and unawareness of fatigue created a great effect on people. He was one of the builders of the modern age in the orient. I continue to be among his greatest admirers.

Jawaharlal Nehru, Prime Minister of India



HIS WORKS ARE REMEMBERED WITH PRAISE

On 1O November, the entire world and we Germans as well, remember with praise the life and works of a person to whom we are attached with friendship and respect. Atatürk always tried to establish firm ties between Turkey and Europe.

Prof. Ludwig Erhard, Prime Minister of the Federal Republic of Germany



COURAGEOUS AND HEROIC SOLDIER

Fifty years before this we heard the name of Mustafa Kemal as a distinguished Turkish Commander. Later, with the establishment of peace, he got the opportunity to put forth his characteristics as a statesman and as one of the great national leaders, he gained one of the most eminent ranks in history. We remember that courageous and heroic soldier with respect and that statesman, the true father of modern Turkey with praise and gratitude.

Sir Alexander Douglas-Home, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom



ADMIRATION FELT FOR ATA

We feel a great admiration for Atatürk in his efforts towards ensuring the modernization of Turkish society by separating religion and politics from each other and by carrying out the Turkish Language Reforms.

Hayato Ikeda, Prime Minister of Japan



"HE DID NOT PUT HIS WORK INTO DANGER"

I am the child of a generation that knows closely Turkish-German friendship. At an early age I saw a man's heroism's, the services he carried out and the self-sacrifices he undertook for his country. This man was Mustafa Kemal. Today I comprehend even better that this person was a great statesman. He was great, because he used all his courage for his nation, his country to save his homeland at an unlucky moment. He was great, because he directed his nation towards the absolute necessity of adjusting them to the necessities of history. He was great, because he always knew how to defend suitable limits and he did not go beyond the limits that would put his work into danger. Courageousness and his own courageousness was intelligent enough as well to be able to draw the limits.

Kurt G. Kiesinger, Prime Minister of the Federal Republic of Germany



ATATÜRK'S GREATNESS

In our times, it is Atatürk who brought Turkey to its current status as a modern republic with his farsighted and courageous political, social and economic reforms. At the same time, it was also he that prepared the foundation of the modern economy that will ensure today Turkey's attaining the strength to be able to enter the European Economic Community.

Joseph Luns, Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Netherlands



"I AM PROUD OF ATATÜRK"

He was a military-statesman, one of the greatest leaders of our era. He ensured that Turkey got its rightful place among the most advanced nations. Also, he gave the feeling of support and self-confidence to the Turks, that forms the foundation stone of a nation's greatness. I take great pride in being one of Atatürk's loyal friends.

General Douglas MacArthur, Commander-in-Chief of the Far East Forces, U.S.A.





MUSTAFA KEMAL GOT RID OF ALL THE GREEKS

The West and the East came face to face at the second class coastal town of Mudanya on a crooked road covered with dust on the hot Marmara coast. Despite the English flag ship "Iron-Duke's" ash-colored deathly turrets that transported the Allied generals for negotiations with Ismet Pasha, the Westerners had come here to beg for peace, not to ask for peace or to dictate the conditions... These negotiations demonstrate the end of Europe's dominance over Asia, because as everyone knows, Mustafa Kemal got rid of all the Greeks.

Ernest Hemingway, American Journalist and Novelist



THE GREATEST STATESMAN

The most precise measure of a person's worth is to be able to make their friends and enemies accept their superiority in their own field. Thus, Atatürk is one of the geniuses who attained this eminence. As a revolutionary he was triumphant in his cause and created modern Turkey and joined together among the great statesman of our century.

W. Somerset Maugham, English Novelist and Author



LIVING TURKEY

I thought Turkey had died after Sevres. But Turkey is living. besides ever since Mustafa Kemal became the chief, it is living so very actively that all of Lloyd George's efforts, all of his possibilities, when confronted with this strong will to live that defies common sense, there is nothing he can do other than vanish gradually... ( I93O)

Claude Farrere, French (?)



"WE WERE ILLUMINATED WITH HIS LOOK"

When our essence was a spark from which the color was faded out, with his look, we took on the condition of a sun that illuminates and envelops the world.

Ikbal, National Poet of Pakistan



"HE WOULD SEE THE FUTURE"

Atatürk was one of the greatest statesman of everyone who has lived and died throughout history. At no time did he dwell on the period in which he lived, he would see the future and accordingly would carry out a task. Thus, this quality of Atatürk's is the point that separates him from administrators such as Hitler and Mussolini. They were acting in everything that they did by thinking of themselves. Atatürk would act beyond himself by seeing 20-30 years into the future.

Lord Kinross, English Statesman



TO LIVE WITH ATATÜRK

In history very few people have been as beneficial as Atatürk for their country and their people. Hand in hand, from heart to heart, let us live in Atatürk's objectives without deviating to right or left in our beautiful homeland in freedom from anxiety, peace and understanding.

Shnork Kalutsian, Patriarch of the Turkish Armenians



GENIUSES LIKE THESE DON'T DIE

Geniuses like these only appear to die, because in reality, they always live in the intellects of their countries with their works that leave deep and unerasable marks. These people, just as they are not born for one generation, are also not born for a specific period. People like these, by giving the nations the opportunity to benefit continuously from these sources of Godsend blessings, are people who will be sovereign in their nation's histories for hundreds of years.

Teheran Newspaper, Iran



THE GREATEST ATATÜRK

History has seen many great people. It has seen Alexander the Great's, Napoleon's, Washington's. However, in the twentieth century the record for greatness was broken by Atatürk, this Turkish son of a Turk.

L'IIIustration Newspaper, France



TURKEY'S FOUNDING

The world, by no means and at no time, has witnessed such an exciting event as the re-founding of Turkey with a Western point of view and belief.

Social Demokraten Newspaper, Sweden



AN UNIQUE EVENT IN HISTORY

In no other country have women advanced this rapidly. It is truly an unique event in history for a nation to change to this degree.

Daily Telegraph Newspaper, England

Greek attempt to assassinate Ataturk in 1919

 

During the tumultuous years of Ottoman disintegration, Greek governments sent undercover agents to Anatolia to organise rebel groups in order to disrupt order and massacre the local population. These gangs viciously murdered women, children, elderly indiscriminately in their own villages. Their attempt to assassinate Ataturk on his arrival to Samsun in 19 May 1919 is described by Greek author Hristos Samuelidis in his book "Black Sea":

"When Mustafa Kemal started preparing for the war of independence, Lieutenant Karaiskos, who was sent to Anatolia to organise Pontus youth to rebel against Turks, asked Greek authorities to send arms and munitions urgently to support their rebellion. Lieutenant Karaiskos, operating under the guise of Red Cross, received the generous load of arms and other supplies and stocked them."

" Meanwhile, the Axis countries including Ottoman Empire were defeated at the end of WW1 and Allies were preparing to carve up the Turkish homeland. Greeks had been ordered to take their share and start occupying Izmir. The news of Greek landing in Izmir had reached Samsun. Local Turks were waiting for the fatal blow while Greeks were jubilant. They were anticipating liberation within days. Local Greeks were waiting on the shores of the Black Sea looking for blue and white flags of the Greek Navy. But they were waiting in vain. Only one ugly steamship arrived at the port bringing a determined Turkish officer who would change history and organise a decisive end to Greek presence in Anatolia."

" This was the psychology of the local Greek population when Mustafa Kemal landed in Samsun on 19 May 1919. The voices of jubilation were echoing all around the town celebrating the arrival of famous Turkish leader. Local Greeks were busy with daily life, unaware of the implications of Kemal's arrival."

" Stathios Dimitriadis, son of tobacco merchant Pantzou Dimitriadis, was busy with his father's accounts when he heard the noises. He asked his father what the noises were. His father said "Looks like the Turks". As the noises increased, Stathios was compelled to go out and ask one of the locals what was happening. He was told that a Pasha called Mustafa Kemal was in town."

" Stathios returned to the shop, closed all windows and doors, went upstairs and started watching the proceedings. As a member of Samsun Greek Organisation, he contacted the leader of the organisation Captain Stilo Komidis the following night and told him when Mustafa Kemal was going to leave Samsun. Stilo immediately started to prepare an assassination attempt against the Turkish leader. On the third night, Stilo set up ambush on the road between Samsun and Kavak with the help of 20 hand-picked Greek youths. Stilo, Stathios and others started waiting for Mustafa Kemal's carriage to arrive."

" Three hours after sunrise, a carriage protected by five horsemen appeared. Stathios tried to spot Mustafa Kemal among the passengers. When the carriage was 50 metres away, he said: "Here he is! the one at the back with the cap". The assassins sprayed the carriage with bullets killing all three in it. Captain Stilo, believing that the assassination was carried out successfully, ordered his men to disengage and run."

" The jubilation of Stathios and other Greeks lasted until the next morning. Captain Stilo isolated himself, avoiding contact with people for days, unable to comprehend how he could not kill Mustafa Kemal. The reason was Mustafa Kemal was not in the carriage. They had killed his double and Kemal was in another carriage two miles behind. "

" Stathios returned home and found out about the repercussions of the unsuccessful assassination attempt. He had a very bad feeling about the whole incident. He was not wrong, the assassination attempt to eliminate the architect of Modern Turkey had failed and there were no barriers to stop the flow of events now."

This was not the only attempt on Ataturk's life. Another one failed as well... and it was an Armenian who made the difference.