Biography of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk

The contradictions of a revolution

19 May 1880 10 November 1938 Kemal Ataturk (also known by the names of Gazi Mustafa Kemal, Mustafa Kemal Pasha and Mustafa Kemal) was born in Thessaloniki (important Jewish Centre) on 19 July 1880, when the city is still part of the Ottoman possessions. The Ottoman Empire at that time is quite cosmopolitan, with two million Greeks, 12 million Muslims, more than a million Armenians, 200,000 Jews and a million Bulgarians: own riding on an extreme nationalism, far from the religious sentiment, Ataturk will create a new State. As a child, Kamal must deal with the clashes between the mother, woman who lives on the basis of outdated traditions, and the father, much more open to the world. From father introjects the idea of an authority lacking character, while the mother the idea of an old Turkey, which must be exceeded, although beloved. Mustafa's family, however, is often hit by severe bereavements: of his five brothers, Fatma (born in 1872), Ahmet (born in 1874) and Omer (born 1875) die at an early age because of diphtheria, and even Naciye (born in 1889) disappears just twelve years due to tuberculosis. In 1899 he enrolled at Istanbul's Ataturk war School, Western outpost in Ottoman territory, where intermediate officers and young students show great admiration for France and for the cutting edge technology of Germany, country from which they intend to take the cue to reorganize the army. Afterwards, he became staff officer, Ataturk in 1904 is shipped in Damascus, Syria, where it is appreciated for the tenacity fielded to bring to order the Arab peoples in revolt, and for creating "Fatherland and freedom", a small secret society which soon comes into contact with the Central Committee of Union and progress, who openly opposes to the Sultanate in Thessaloniki. In those years, in any case, Ataturk is not an authority on the Committee. In 1909, the young Turks revolution leads to the dismissal of the old Sultan and appointing a new one, Muhammad V: Kemal, however, it is still one of the leaders of the movement. At that time, however, begins to mature personally the main characters of his political views, between the estrangement of the army in politics and State secularism. However his intentions may not yet be put into practice, partly because he is away from the Turkey: in 1911 is part of a body of volunteers who fought the Italians in Libya; later moves to Thrace, to face in the Balkan wars the Bulgarians. His final consecration, therefore, occurs only at the time of the first world war. In fact, he turns out to be a victorious military leader in the defence of Gallipoli, attacked by British troops for almost a year, between April 1915 and February 1916. Ataturk therefore becomes the hero of the Dardanelles, the one who initiates, Turkish national hero, redemption. Kemal, promoted to Brigadier General, prepares to take power. After obtaining cheap Armistice conditions, emanating Amaysa circular on the night of 21 June 1919. Through this circular he, counting on the support of the different souls of nationalism, declares that the Government of Istanbul is not able to deal with the crisis affecting the country, and consequently gives rise to a counter that is activated in Central Anatolia. So while the capital was occupied by Allied troops, nationalist leaders were arrested, and Ataturk's with Russia to try to make more stable the eastern borders: the Georgia was sold to the Russians, while Armenia remains Turkish possession. Deletes the left opposition in the Government, Ataturk beats the Greek army on the occasion of the victory of Sakarya; This does not imply, however, the end of the war. Ataturk until 1922 he was appointed dictator of Turkey, as well as Commander in Chief, and so has obstructed any attempt to dissent, whether inspired by the conservative positions of landowners and notables, be it arising from Communist internationalism. While the Greeks leave the outpost of Smyrna and the Turkish territory, between the two countries-Greece and Turkey-you get to a deal to bring 500,000 Muslims and Turks from Greece in Turkey, and one and a half million Orthodox and Greeks from Anatolia to Greece. The Turkish leader, so after virtually dismantled a multi-ethnic Empire, think finally free their nation. This is the main moment of his idea of cultural and social reform, which forces an absorption of Western spiritual values and the destruction of Turkey today, to return to the values that the Islamic civilization has lost. The Republic of Turkey was officially founded on 29 October 1923, Ataturk is elected President (former President of the people's Party). Its first decisions concerning the establishment of a centralized system of public education, the closure of religious schools, the closing of religious courts and the lifting of the ban to consume and sell alcohol. Islam, in any case, even for not to alarm State remains excessively confession the nation's strong religious component-pur-. From an economic standpoint, however, he works to rejuvenate the campaigns and facilitating the creation and development of an entrepreneurial Manor bourgeoisie; It also laid the groundwork for an industrial model of first floor, but without foreign investment. Therefore, economic development shows many signs of weakness, though-thanks to the waiver of public works spending and borrowing-the economic crisis Turkey does not live. Ataturk continues the work of Westernization on horseback between the 1920s and 1930s, despite the worsening of the situation of the rising of his influence over the military dictatorial, and progressive closure to multiparty system. After having prevented from exploiting religion with political purposes, launches a campaign aimed to civilize the costumes and clothing, approving a law that prevents you from using the turban, and forbidding civil servants to bring the beard. It also introduces the Gregorian calendar, abolishes the obligation of teaching Arabic, introduces the Sunday holidays, replaces with an alphabet in Latin characters the old Arabic alphabet and proposes a penal code based on the code Zack. In short, Ataturk becomes a symbol of a contradiction: on the one hand trying to Westernize the country which governs; on the other hand makes use of typical methods of Asian despotism. the result? The opposition is cleared at first and restored later Ataturk but claims to choose even exponents. Cannot also forget the harassment towards the Kurdish people. Kemal Ataturk dies in Istanbul for a liver cirrhosis on 10 November 1938: his was a life characterized by excesses but also from depression. Considered by some historians the De Gaulle Turkish for the contradiction of a revolutionary order, he took upon himself the responsibility for their own country when it was in crisis, to lead him to a revival. Socially conservative, failed at the same time to be determined modernizer. Ismet Inonu, Ataturk's successor is his right arm, with which to more recently, relations were rather deteriorated. Ataturk, in any event, even while preparing to die does not express a definite decision about his legacy, which is granted by the party in Inonu: he continues the path started by Mustafa Kemal, also focusing on the aspects most authoritarian, encouraging anyway the move to multiparty system after the second world war. Still object to a civil religion in Turkey (think that it is an offence to insult him), Mustafa Kemal left behind a legacy as controversial as paradigmatic of deep, difficult relationship between universalism typical of Western civilization and oriental cultures. Among the many titles that have been attributed to it, it is worth remembering that a Knight of the order of the star of Murassa, Gallipoli, Imtiaz medal in silver, the Turkish Independence Medal, the military merit cross, 1st class, the title of Knight of the Iron Cross, the Gold Medal of military merit and the title of Commander of the order of St Alexander. Far from Marxist ideology, Kemal during his life, while considering the question of nonexistent class, has always shown respect for Lenin, as demonstrated by the good neighbourly relations with the USSR, even pivot of Ataturk's foreign policy. It was not, of course, political affinity, how much of the economic support that the Soviets could grant to Turkey at the time of the war of liberation by the allies. His body rests in the mausoleum of Anitkabir, built specially for him in Ankara, capital of Turkey in the Republican party that he created. The surname Ataturk, meaning father of the Turks, he was assigned in 1934 by special Decree of the Parliament of the Republic, in consequence of the obligation (established by himself) to adopt-as in the Western world-last names of regular family. To him, today, are titled the main airport of Istanbul and the city's Olympic Stadium.
Article contributed by the team of collaborators.