"THE GREAT LEADER" a Turkey Travel Page by buket

"This nation has never lived without independence. We cannot and shall not live without it. Either independence or death." M. Kemal Atatürk.

Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of the Turkish Republic and its first President, stands as a towering figure of the 20th Century. Among the great leadersof history, few have achieved so much in so short period, transformed the life of a nationas decisively, and given such profound inspiration to the world at large.

Emerging as a military hero at the Dardanelles in 1915, he became the charismatic leader of the Turkish national liberation struggle in 1919. He blazed across the worldscene in the early 1920s as a triumphant commander who crushed the invaders of his country. Following a series of impressive victories against all odds, he led his nation tofull independence. He put an end to the antiquated Ottoman dynasty whose tale had lasted more than six centuries - and created the Republic of Turkey in 1923, establishing a newgovernment truly representative of the nation's will.

As President for 15 years, until his death in 1938, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk introduced abroad range of swift and sweeping reforms - in the political, social, legal, economic, andcultural spheres - virtually unparalleled in any other country.

His achievements in Turkey are an enduring monument to Atatürk. Emerging nationsadmire him as a pioneer of national liberation. The world honors his memory as a foremostpeacemaker who upheld the principles of humanism and the vision of a united humanity.Tributes have been offered to him through the decades by such world statesmen as LloydGeorge, Churchill, Roosevelt, Nehru, de Gaulle, Adenauer, Bourguiba, Nasser, Kennedy, andcountless others. A White House statement, issued on the occasion of "The AtatürkCentennial" in 1981, pays homage to him as "a great leader in times ofwar and peace". It is fitting that there should be high praise for Atatürk, anextraordinary leader of modern times, who said in 1933: "I look to the world withan open heart full of pure feelings and friendship".

Unfortunately, he died in 10 October 1938 but he still lives in our hearts.

" Mankind is a single body and each nation is a part of that body. We must never say 'What does it matter to me if some part of the world is aliasing?'. If there is such an illness, we must concern ourselves with it as though we were having that illness." M. Kemal Atatürk.

For ANZAC soldiers who died in Turkey during our independence war:

"Those heroes that shed their blood and lost their lives...
You are now lying in the soil of a friendly country,
therefore ret in peace.
There is no difference between the Jonnies
and the Mehmets to us where they lie side by side.
Here in this country of ours...
You, the mothers,
who sent their sons from far away countries
wipe away your tears.
Your sons are now lying in our bossom and are in peace.
After having lost their lives on this land they have
become our sons as well."

Mustafa Kemal ATATURK

ANZAC Memorial, 1934.

Bridging the East and the West, Turkey is the crossroads where Asia meets Europe.
Turkey became a republic under the leadership of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk in 1923. Today the Turkish State is a parliamentary democratic country employing a self-governing system. The capital is Ankara, in the heart of the country. The legislative power is vested in the TBMM (Turkish Grand National Assembly) and the executive power is used by the President as the Head of the State, together with the Council of Ministers and the Prime Minister.
The country is surrounded by the Black Sea to the north, the Aegean to the west and the Mediterranean to the south. Two straits (the Bosphorus and the Dardanelle) form gates to the inner Marmara Sea, dividing Thrace - the European part, and Anatolia - the Asian part of the country.

Turkish Flag