Turkey Celebrates 103rd Anniversary of Victory Day, Honoring the Great Offensive of 1922

Kokcha News Agency – Turkey celebrated the 103rd anniversary of Victory Day on August 30, 2024, with various ceremonies across the country. The day, which is one of the most important national holidays in Turkey, honors the final battle in Western Anatolia against Greek forces in 1922 and is dedicated to the Turkish Armed Forces.

The Great Offensive, led by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, began on August 26, 1922, and concluded on August 30 with the defeat of the invading Greek forces. This victory is recorded as one of the greatest examples of heroism in world history.

After the end of World War I in 1919, the Allied Powers, citing the terms of the Armistice of Mudros, sent their troops to Anatolia, threatening the future of the Turkish people. In response, the National Liberation Movement was initiated in Turkey.

Following the establishment of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (Parliament) in 1920, the invading powers increased pressure on Atatürk and his comrades. Significant activities were observed on the Western Front, where Greek forces advanced to Polatlı in 1921.

The Turkish people united to repel the Greek invaders. Bloody battles in the Sakarya region lasted for 22 days, ultimately halting the enemy. It took another year for the Greek forces to be completely expelled from Turkey.

On August 26, 1922, Mustafa Kemal Pasha announced the start of the Great Offensive. By the morning of August 30, 1922, he arrived at the headquarters in Çalköy, Kütahya, marking the beginning of the Battle of Dumlupınar, which changed the course of Turkish history.

The Greek forces were encircled and defeated, with the remaining scattered troops fleeing. After the victory at Dumlupınar, Mustafa Kemal Pasha issued a new order to the army: “Your first objective is the Mediterranean Sea. Forward!”

On August 27, Afyonkarahisar was liberated, followed by Kütahya on August 30, Gediz on September 1, Emet and Tavşanlı on September 3, and İzmir on September 9. Thus, the order of the Commander-in-Chief, Mustafa Kemal Pasha, was successfully executed.

Erdoğan: This Glorious Day Represents the Unprecedented Will, Steadfast Faith, and Heroism of the Turkish Nation for Independence and Future

Istanbul
Turkey celebrated the 103rd anniversary of Victory Day on August 30. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan described the day as a symbol of the Turkish nation’s determination for freedom, resistance, and eternal independence.

In a statement, Erdoğan said, “As a nation, we once again feel the joy and pride of Victory Day on August 30, a day that is one of the turning points and golden pages of our history.”

He added, “This glorious day is one of the strongest manifestations of the unprecedented will, steadfast faith, and heroism that the Turkish nation displayed for independence and the future.”

Erdoğan stated that the “Great Victory,” achieved through the patriotism of the army and the determination of the nation, “broke the chains of slavery,” laid the foundations of the Republic, and stood as a symbol of national revival, the struggle for “survival,” and “eternal independence.”

He further emphasized that the Turkish nation has once again proven that “it can never be subjugated, will never accept slavery, and will never compromise on its independence.”

Erdoğan noted that the Great Victory is not just a historical memory but “a guiding light that serves as a source of inspiration for the future of the nation.”

He said that today’s duty is to guide “the torch of independence lit on August 30” towards a stronger future with unity and solidarity. He stressed that in the Turkish Century, the most important task is to make the homeland, entrusted to us by the sacrifices of our ancestors, “stronger and more prosperous.”

Erdoğan paid tribute to the founder of the Republic of Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, his comrades, and all the martyrs, and thanked the veterans, congratulating the nation on Victory Day.

The President, along with senior government officials, visited Anıtkabir, Atatürk’s mausoleum, where he paid his respects, wrote a note in the memorial book, and emphasized Turkey’s determination to maintain its security, stability, and future in the face of new challenges.

In a message on the Turkish social media platform NSosyal, First Lady Emine Erdoğan said, “We celebrate the 103rd anniversary of Victory Day on August 30, which crowned our War of Independence with glory and honor. With mercy, I remember our martyrs, especially Ghazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, and I thank our veterans with gratitude.”

Victory Day is dedicated to the final battle in Western Anatolia against Greek forces in 1922 and is dedicated to the Turkish Armed Forces.

The Turkish forces fought from August 26 to 30 in the Battle of Dumlupınar in the region of Kütahya in central Turkey, where the invading Greek army was decisively defeated.

By the end of 1922, all foreign forces were expelled from the territories that would become the Republic of Turkey a year later.