Greco-Turkish War

The occupying forces, who shared the rich lands of the Ottoman Empire,would unwittingly become entrenched and powerful again, and at the beginning of the modern century they would witness the birth of a new baby.

May 19, 1919: The Beginning of the Turkish National Liberation War.

The defeated Ottoman had signed the Mondros agreement with the Allied forces, relinquishing almost all of its territories, except for a small Anatolian heartland, to Britain, Italy, France and Greece.

Photo: The delegation that signed the agreement on behalf of the Ottoman

Mondros agreement, designed to decimate Ottoman, was being implemented step-by-step with the final insult to Ottomans coming with the invasion of Izmir and a violent advance into Anatolia by Greeks. 

A 1927 version of map of the Treaty of Sèvres used by the GNAT (later restored)

Civilian resistance began building up against the occupation.(Not effectual)

Kemal, whose public and military standing was solidified as the military commander who won the Ottoman victory in Gallipoli, was assigned the post of Inspector General of the Ottoman Armies to Anatolia

He immediately left Istanbul aboard an old steamer, arriving in Samsun on May 19, 1919.

And Other hand, The Turks never accept captivity. And In history, the Turks have always had a state 

Encyclopedia, Istiklal Harbi Newspaper dated May 17, 1919. 

The man, who would later be known to the world as Ataturk, stepped ashore on this Black Sea coast town of Samsun to embark on a journey that would ultimately create the Republic of Turkey and a new nation state.

Photo: Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.

Mustafa Kemal dispatched his first report to the Ottoman Sultan on May 22, underlining that Turks would not accept foreign subjugation and longed for national sovereignty. This signaled the beginning of the national liberation struggle. 

Realizing that Samsun, already under British occupation and surrounded by Greek irregular forces, was no longer safe, Mustafa Kemal moved his staff to Havza, about 85 km inland, on May 25. 

In Havza,Ataturk’s historic mission unfolded. He dispatched telegrams to local resistance organizations all over Anatolia to organize mass demonstrations protesting the occupation and to inform the public about the gravity of the situation. Demonstrations followed across  country

Several leading Ottoman army generals and their troops joined M Kemal and signed the Declaration of Amasya on June 22, 1919, declaring that the unity of the country and the liberty of the people were in danger, that the Istanbul government was inept to save the nation.

and  They said that “.. the liberty of the nation was to be saved by the nation’s own perseverance and will...” This declaration included the first signs of Ataturk’s vision of national sovereignty and democratic rule for the Turkish people

Mustafa Kemal took the leadership in convening two national congresses with representatives from all over the Empire in Erzurum and Sivas, followed by the forming of a national parliament in Ankara on April 23, 1920

Republic of Turkey, The Grand National Assembly of Turkey. National parliament in Ankara on April 23, 1920.

(The photo is assumed to be taken early 1930s.)

Mustafa Kemal was elected as Commander in Chief and organized the remaining Ottoman forces, as well as irregular forces under the Ankara government’s central command, creating a new army that eventually defeated the occupying forces.