a and a number of Anatolian nationalists responded to European Forces’ intention to partition the Ottoman Empire by establishing the Grand National Assembly and army in present-day Ankara. After local elections, the first meeting was held on April 23, 1920 with Mustafa Kemal as the body’s speaker.
After the Sultan signed the Treaty of Sevres in August 1920, a treaty which proceeded to split up the Turkish land, Kemal led the GNA to safeguard the interest of Turks against the occupying forces.
Fought bravely during the Turkish War of Independence
To the east, the GNA engaged in a fierce battle against the Armenians. With support from the Bolsheviks in Russia, Kemal’s nationalists were able to drive out the Armenians from the eastern provinces*.
Shortly after, the Treaty of Alexandropol was signed between the Armenians and the Turks on December 3, 1920. Kemal then turned his attention to the western part of the country, where he faced off the Greeks, who were closing in on Ankara.
After assuming the powers of the Grand National Assembly, Kemal was able to defeat the Greeks at the Battle of Sakarya in September 1921. His gallant efforts during the battle earned him the rank of marshal of the army (Maresal). The following September saw the GNA secure vital win at the Battle of Dumlupinar, forcing the Greeks out of Izmir.
Founded the Republic of Turkey
The win over the Greeks was followed by the abolishing of the Sultanate on November 1, 1922. Sultan Mehmed VI then committed himself to exile on November 17. Realizing that the Sultan had fled, the Allies and the GNA signed the Treaty of Lausanne on July 24, 1923.
After majority of the Allies and their forces were completely driven out of Turkey, the Republic of Turkey was proclaimed on October 29. Kemal went on to serve as the country’s first president from 1923 up until his death in 1938.
A remnant of the vanquished Ottoman Empire, Turkey carved a new path for itself and its people. At the heart of the country’s journey was none other than Mustafa Kemal.
Introduced a series of sweeping reforms
Kemal Atatürk set for himself a daunting goal to reform the entire political, social and economic system of the Turks. His ideology came to be known as Kemalism – a blend of republicanism, populism, nationalism, and secularism.
He desired nothing than to make Turkey a modernized economy with similar ideals as that of the West. During the dying years of the Ottoman Empire, technological advancements and political reforms had sharply stagnated. Kemal hoped to roll back the glory days of the defeated Empire. Instead of look for solutions in religion, he underpinned those sweeping reforms with strong democratic systems, religious tolerance and love for the nation.
Protected the rights of Turkish women
Post the independence of Turkey, Mustafa Kemal looked to the West to incorporate their values into the Turkish society. He even married Latife Hanim – a western-educated woman – in 1923. The couple became a model of the environment they were trying to create in Turkey. They also advocated the protection of women and the end of violence against women and children.
Starting in the early 1930s, Turkish women were given enormous political and civil rights. For example, the GNA Act # 1580 of April 1930 granted voting rights to women in local elections. By 1934, the country could boast of being one of the first few nations in the world to grant universal suffrage.
Kemal Mustafa’s strong advocacy for women resulted in the opening of the Turkish Parliament to women. In the 1935 general election, a whopping 18 women won seats in the Turkish parliament. It was a truly remarkable accomplishment of President Kemal Mustafa.
He basically drew on legal codes from a number of European countries such as Italy, Germany and Switzerland. The codes were adopted to offer more protection to women, something that was a bit lacking during the Ottoman era under Islamic law. For example, he outlawed polygamy. Divorce came to be recognized in the courts. And marriage in Turkey had greater recognition under the law.
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