As Commander

Despite Ataturk's success, the Ottoman Empire crumbled, and the allied forces continued the invasion. The empire's failure, however, would not stop Ataturk's fight for Turkey. Horrified by the submissive attitude of the Sultan and his government towards the allies occupying Turkey, Ataturk requested and received an assignment as inspector general of the Ninth Army in the Black Sea Region, a strategic area to put into effect a plan to save his home land.

Figure of great attack against Greek army to save home land from Turkish Stamps.

Instead of restoring order in the area and disarming the Anatolian people as he was ordered, Ataturk united all the remaining Turkish

Figure: (Baskomutanlik Meydan Muharebesi from Turkish Stamps)

forces in Anatolia and devised a military campaign that would successfully drive the British, Italian, French and Greek forces from Anatolia.

Figure symbolized the regaining of Izmir (from Turkish Stamps).

While conducting the seemingly impossible military task, Ataturk established a representative government Anatolia. He refused to take orders from the Sultan and resigned from the Ottoman Empire Army.

Ataturk established the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TGNA) in Ankara, and later, founded the Republic of Turkey on October 29,1923.

Eventually, the allied forces grew tired of the war and pulled out of Istanbul, leaving it to be reclaimed by Turkey. Although Istanbul remains one of the most important cities in Turkey today, Ataturk immediately moved the capital to Ankara, a decision that reflected his conviction to begin immediate reforms.

As Reformer

Convinced that the Turkish people could live in a world that would make a distinction between religious and government conduct, Ataturk eliminated Islam as an official of the Turkish state.

Quick to adopt Western attitudes, Ataturk banned the wearing of religious vestments or insignia by all not holding a recognized religious office.

Today Turkey remains the only Islamic country where secularism is one of the basic principals of both the government and legal system. Other reforms of Ataturk include changing the lunar calendar to the Gregorian calendar and abolishing use of the Arabic alphabet in favor of the Latin alphabet.

Also, before Ataturk's reforms, Turks used only first names. It was the TGNA who fondly gave Mustafa Kemal the last name, Ataturk, which means "Father Turk." Shortly after, all Turks chose their family names.

Determined to raise the status of women, Ataturk encouraged a change in women's dress. Before the reforms, women wore clothes that completely concealed their bodies, including their faces and limbs. Almost immediately and unanimously women adopted a Westernized manner of dress.

Gradually Turkish society accepted women into various professions. Women were given full rights to vote in the 1 93Os. And by 1935, 17 women were elected to the Turkish parliament.

Clearly it was not just the strength of Ataturk's ideas, but the respect his countrymen had for him as a leader that made his reforms so successful. Ataturk peacefully achieved the basis of democracy and kept true to his motto, "Peace at home, peace in the world."

Ataturk died at the age of 57, on November 10, 1938. He died a very rich man -not in a material sense- rich for all he had done for his fellow countrymen. His few possessions were left to his family, the Republic of Turkey.