How did the Turkish War of Independence shape modern Turkey?

The Turkish War of Independence was a series of military campaigns and a revolution waged by the Turkish National Movement from 1919 to 1923. It arose after the Ottoman Empire was partitioned following World War I, leading to the collapse of the Ottoman sultanate and the establishment of the Republic of Turkey. Led by figures like Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and İsmet Pasha, Turkish nationalist forces successfully pushed back occupying Greek, French, and Armenian forces before negotiating the favorable Treaty of Lausanne.

What we know

• The Turkish War of Independence lasted from 15 May 1919 to 24 July 1923. [3]
• The conflict resulted from the occupation and partitioning of the Ottoman Empire following its defeat in World War I, which established the armed forces under Turkey. [2, 3]
• Turkish forces under İsmet Pasha fought the Greeks to a standstill at the Battles of İnönü, and later the Great Offensive expelled Greek forces. [3]
• The war concluded with the abolition of the Ottoman monarchy, the signing of the Treaty of Lausanne, and the declaration of the Republic of Turkey. [3]

Where to go next

• what caused itWhat caused the partition of the Ottoman Empire?
• how we knowHow did the Treaty of Lausanne replace the Treaty of Sèvres?
• whoWhat role did Mustafa Kemal Atatürk play in the revolution?
• a case in pointHow did the Greco-Turkish War unfold on the Western Front?
• the bigger pictureWhat is the broader military history of Turkey?
• an unexpected connectionHow did the centuries-long Russo-Turkish wars end with World War I?Both the Russian Empire and the Ottoman Empire fought twelve long conflicts against each other over centuries, only for both of their respective states to dissolve completely as a consequence of World War I.

Sources

• [1]military history of Turkey (Wikidata Q6857673) · CC0 1.0
• [2]Military history of Turkey · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [3]Turkish War of Independence · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [4]Russo-Turkish wars · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [5]Russo-Turkish War (1877–1878) · CC BY-SA 4.0