What was Atatürk's role in the Turkish War of Independence?

Following the Ottoman defeat in World War I, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk directed the Turkish National Movement in a nationalist resistance against the partition of the country by victorious Allied powers. He established the provisional Ankara government and achieved military victories against Greece, Armenia, France, and the United Kingdom. His leadership during this conflict ultimately paved the way for the abolition of the Ottoman sultanate and the founding of the Republic of Turkey.

What we know

• Atatürk directed the Turkish National Movement in a nationalist resistance against Turkey's partition among victorious Allied powers after World War I. [2]
• He established the provisional Ankara government during the conflict. [2]
• He achieved a Turkish victory against Greece, Armenia, France, and the United Kingdom, which was confirmed in the Treaty of Lausanne. [2]
• His military leadership continued through the Turkish War of Independence until the armistice on 11 October 1922. [4]

Where to go next

• what followedHow did Atatürk establish the Republic of Turkey?
• the bigger pictureWhat reforms did Atatürk introduce as president?
• whenWhat was Atatürk's military career before the war?
• how we knowHow did the Treaty of Lausanne shape modern Turkey?
• whoWho were Atatürk's key military associates and rivals?
• an unexpected connectionHow does a political personality cult endure for generations?Atatürk built a lasting personality cult to cement his political and social reforms, which remains one of the longest-running political personality cults in the modern world.

Sources

• [1]Mustafa Kemal Atatürk (Wikidata Q5152) · CC0 1.0
• [2]Mustafa Kemal Atatürk · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [3]Personal life of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [4]Military career of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [5]Mustafa Kemal Atatürk's cult of personality · CC BY-SA 4.0