# Canonical recap data for Turkish War of Independence Begins (1919)
# Source: https://recap.at/1919/turkish-war-independence
# Format: YAML 1.2 (UTF-8). Generated at request time.
slug: turkish-war-independence
canonicalUrl: "https://recap.at/1919/turkish-war-independence"
title: Turkish War of Independence Begins
aliases:
- Turkish National Movement
- Greco-Turkish War (1919–1923)
- War of Turkish Independence
- Kurtuluş Savaşı
subtitle: Kemal's nationalists torched the Ottoman order and built a modern state from the ashes.
recapType: global_event
eventStatus: concluded
startDate: 1919-01-01
datePrecision: year
year: 1919
decade: 1910
country:
name: Turkey
slug: turkey
summaryShort: Turkish nationalists led by Mustafa Kemal launched an armed struggle in 1919 to resist Allied occupation and establish an independent Turkish state, ultimately dismantling the Ottoman Empire.
summaryLong: |-
  The Turkish War of Independence began in 1919 as a nationalist uprising against the Ottoman Empire's collapse and subsequent Allied occupation. Mustafa Kemal, an Ottoman military officer, emerged as the dominant figure, organizing resistance forces and establishing a provisional government in Ankara that rejected the Sultan's authority in Istanbul. The war pitted Turkish nationalists against Greek forces (backed by Western powers), Armenian militias, and other regional actors, with fighting concentrated in Anatolia and eastern territories.

  Kemal's Grand National Assembly, established in April 1920, functioned as both a legislative and military command structure. The nationalist forces gradually gained ground through 1920 and 1921, with Turkish victory at the Battle of Sakarya in August 1921 marking a decisive turning point. The conflict devastated the region-estimates place the death toll at 300,000 to over 1 million, including combat casualties, disease, and massacres.

  The war concluded with the Treaty of Lausanne in July 1923, which recognized Turkish independence and established modern borders. This treaty superseded the earlier Treaty of Sèvres (1920), which the nationalists had rejected as punitive. The conflict formally ended Ottoman imperial rule, which had persisted for over 600 years, and established the Turkish Republic under Kemal's leadership.

  The war's outcome reshaped the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East. Greece withdrew from Anatolia, and Turkey's Christian minorities were largely displaced through violence and forced population exchanges. Kemal consolidated power and implemented radical secularization and Westernization reforms, transforming Turkish society and governance in the decades that followed.
lede: After World War I, Turkish nationalists led by military officer Mustafa Kemal fought to resist Allied occupation and the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. From 1919 to 1923, Turkish forces battled Greek armies, Armenian militias, and other opponents across Anatolia in a brutal conflict that killed hundreds of thousands. The Turkish victory ended centuries of Ottoman rule and established a new, secular Turkish state.
heroImageUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1f/T%C3%BCrk_Kurtulu%C5%9F_Sava%C5%9F%C4%B1_-_kolaj.jpg/1280px-T%C3%BCrk_Kurtulu%C5%9F_Sava%C5%9F%C4%B1_-_kolaj.jpg"
heroImageCredit: Wikipedia · "Turkish War of Independence"
importance: 50
sourceConfidence: 50
keyFacts:
- label: Start date
  value: May 19, 1919 (Mustafa Kemal lands in Samsun)
- label: End date
  value: July 24, 1923 (Treaty of Lausanne signed)
- label: Key leader
  value: Mustafa Kemal (later Atatürk)
- label: Main adversaries
  value: Greece, Armenia, France, Italy, British-backed forces
- label: Estimated deaths
  value: 300,000 to over 1 million
- label: Decisive battle
  value: Battle of Sakarya (August 23–September 16, 1921)
- label: Provisional government established
  value: April 23, 1920 (Grand National Assembly in Ankara)
- label: Treaty recognizing independence
  value: Treaty of Lausanne (July 24, 1923)
timeline:
- date: 1919-05-19
  title: Mustafa Kemal lands in Samsun
  description: Mustafa Kemal arrives in the Black Sea port city to begin organizing nationalist resistance against Allied occupation and Ottoman authority.
- date: 1919-07-23
  title: Erzurum Congress convenes
  description: Nationalist leaders gather in eastern Anatolia to coordinate resistance and establish organizational structure for the independence movement.
- date: 1920-04-23
  title: Grand National Assembly established in Ankara
  description: Mustafa Kemal's nationalist government convenes in Ankara, rejecting Ottoman Sultan's authority in Istanbul and claiming legitimate Turkish sovereignty.
- date: 1920-08-10
  title: Treaty of Sèvres signed
  description: Ottoman government signs punitive treaty with Allies that nationalists reject as unacceptable; territorial losses fuel continued resistance.
- date: 1921-01-28
  title: First battle of İnönü
  description: Turkish nationalist forces defeat Greek army in western Anatolia, providing early military success and boosting nationalist morale.
- date: 1921-08-23
  title: Battle of Sakarya begins
  description: Turkish forces under Kemal engage Greek army in decisive battle lasting nearly a month; Turkish victory marks major turning point in war.
- date: 1922-09-09
  title: Great Offensive succeeds
  description: Turkish nationalist forces capture Smyrna (İzmir) from Greek occupation, effectively ending Greek military presence in Anatolia.
- date: 1923-07-24
  title: Treaty of Lausanne signed
  description: International treaty recognizes Turkish independence, establishes modern Turkish borders, and supersedes Treaty of Sèvres; war formally concludes.
- date: 1923-10-29
  title: Turkish Republic proclaimed
  description: Mustafa Kemal's Grand National Assembly formally abolishes Ottoman sultanate and declares Turkey a republic with Kemal as president.
sources: []
related: []
relationships:
- targetSlug: treaty-of-versailles
  type: responded_to
  confidence: 85
  evidence: The Treaty of Versailles (June 1919) imposed harsh terms on Ottoman Empire; Turkish nationalists rejected the sultanate's acceptance and launched war in May 1919 to prevent implementation of partition clauses that dismembered Anatolia.
  source: ai
- targetSlug: october-revolution-1917
  type: happened_during
  confidence: 75
  evidence: Soviet Russia's seizure of power and withdrawal from WWI created a power vacuum in the Caucasus and eastern Anatolia; Kemal exploited this by securing Soviet military support and avoiding simultaneous conflict on the eastern frontier during 1919–1923.
  source: ai
- targetSlug: league-of-nations-established
  type: responded_to
  confidence: 70
  evidence: The League of Nations (established 1920) initially sanctioned Ottoman partition and Allied occupation; Turkish nationalist war effectively repudiated League authority over Anatolia and forced renegotiation at Lausanne outside League framework.
  source: ai
gallery:
- url: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1f/T%C3%BCrk_Kurtulu%C5%9F_Sava%C5%9F%C4%B1_-_kolaj.jpg/1280px-T%C3%BCrk_Kurtulu%C5%9F_Sava%C5%9F%C4%B1_-_kolaj.jpg"
  thumbnailUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1f/T%C3%BCrk_Kurtulu%C5%9F_Sava%C5%9F%C4%B1_-_kolaj.jpg/800px-T%C3%BCrk_Kurtulu%C5%9F_Sava%C5%9F%C4%B1_-_kolaj.jpg"
  caption: Turkish War of Independence
  credit: Wikipedia · "Turkish War of Independence"
  width: 330
  height: 313
- url: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f2/In_Greek_waters%3B_a_story_of_the_Grecian_war_of_independence_%281821-1827%29_%28IA_ingreekwaterssto00hent_0%29.pdf/page1-960px-In_Greek_waters%3B_a_story_of_the_Grecian_war_of_independence_%281821-1827%29_%28IA_ingreekwaterssto00hent_0%29.pdf.jpg"
  thumbnailUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f2/In_Greek_waters%3B_a_story_of_the_Grecian_war_of_independence_%281821-1827%29_%28IA_ingreekwaterssto00hent_0%29.pdf/page1-960px-In_Greek_waters%3B_a_story_of_the_Grecian_war_of_independence_%281821-1827%29_%28IA_ingreekwaterssto00hent_0%29.pdf.jpg"
  caption: In Greek waters; a story of the Grecian war of independence (1821-1827) (IA ingreekwaterssto00hent 0)
  credit: Henty, G. A. (George Alfred), 1832-1902
  width: 1002
  height: 1658
culturalContext:
topMusic:
- title: Ey Türk Uyan (Wake Up Turk)
  artist: Turkish nationalist folk tradition
  year: 1919
  note: Rallying cry of the nationalist movement; echoed in coffeehouses and military camps during the war.
  referenceCard:
  status: not_found
  checkedAt: "2026-05-27T07:36:16.067Z"
topFilms: []
topTVShows: []
zeitgeistNote: "1919 Turkey was dominated by existential struggle: nationalist resistance newspapers like Hakimiyeti Milliye (National Sovereignty) mobilized intellectual and popular support; Ottoman intellectuals debated the sultanate's legitimacy; European and Soviet observers watched closely as an allegedly defunct empire reasserted itself. The war represented the first successful anti-colonial nationalist movement in the Muslim world and preceded similar wars in China, Indochina, and Algeria by years."
comparisonThenNow:
- metric: Ottoman Territory
  thenValue: Anatolia occupied by Greeks, Italians, French, British; Armenian territories claimed by Soviet Union
  thenYear: 1919
  nowValue: Turkish Republic controls core Anatolia and Eastern Thrace; borders recognized internationally
  nowYear: 2024
  note: War reclaimed roughly 750,000 km² of Turkish-majority land and ejected occupiers within four years.
- metric: Political System
  thenValue: Ottoman sultanate and caliphate; religious law alongside secular codes
  thenYear: 1919
  nowValue: Secular republic with constitution; caliphate abolished since 1924
  nowYear: 2024
  note: Kemal's victories enabled institutional secularization that persists in Turkish governance frameworks.
- metric: Capital City
  thenValue: Istanbul (Constantinople), seat of Ottoman power for nearly 500 years
  thenYear: 1919
  nowValue: Ankara, founded 1923 as symbol of national rebirth
  nowYear: 2024
  note: The relocation signified complete ideological rupture with the Ottoman past.
- metric: Military Strength
  thenValue: Ottoman army defeated and dissolved; Allied occupation forces present across Anatolia
  thenYear: 1919
  nowValue: Turkish military ranks among NATO's largest; 2nd-largest army in alliance
  nowYear: 2024
  note: Nationalist forces rebuilt military capability from near-zero within three years of war's start.
impactStatement: On May 19, 1919, Mustafa Kemal launched armed resistance against Allied occupation and the Ottoman sultanate's capitulation, setting in motion a three-year conflict that would birth the modern Turkish state and redraw the map of the eastern Mediterranean. The war shattered the 600-year Ottoman Empire, established secular nationalism as the organizing principle for Turkey, and demonstrated that a defeated power could negotiate its way back to sovereignty through organized military resistance.
consequences:
- title: Treaty of Lausanne Signed
  year: 1923
  description: Replaced the punitive Treaty of Sèvres; recognized Turkish independence and established borders that remain largely unchanged today. Kemal secured international legitimacy and the evacuation of Allied forces.
- title: Turkish Republic Proclaimed
  year: 1923
  description: Mustafa Kemal abolished the Ottoman sultanate on November 1, 1922, and declared the republic on October 29, 1923. Ankara became the new capital, symbolizing a break with Ottoman Constantinople.
- title: Kemalist Reforms Begin
  year: 1924
  description: "Kemal implemented sweeping secularization: abolition of the caliphate, adoption of European legal codes, and replacement of Arabic script with Latin alphabet by 1928. These reforms transformed Turkey's institutional and cultural foundation."
- title: Population Exchange with Greece
  year: 1923
  description: The Treaty of Lausanne mandated compulsory exchange of Turkish Muslims from Greece and Greek Orthodox Christians from Turkey. Over 1.2 million people were displaced, reshaping demographics across both nations.
- title: Kurdish Nationalist Movements Suppressed
  year: 1925
  description: Sheikh Said Rebellion in southeastern Turkey was crushed by Ankara. Kemal's centralist vision eliminated regional autonomy, setting a precedent for decades of Kurdish-Turkish tensions.
archiveSnapshots: []
categories:
- war
- revolution
metaDescription: Ottoman Empire crumbles as Turkish nationalists launch armed resistance against occupying forces. Mustafa Kemal leads the charge to reclaim a nation from the ashes of imperial collapse.
originSignals:
- "wikipedia:turkish-war-independence"
translations:
es:
lede: Después de la Primera Guerra Mundial, nacionalistas turcos liderados por el oficial militar Mustafa Kemal lucharon para resistir la ocupación aliada y el colapso del Imperio Otomano. De 1919 a 1923, las fuerzas turcas combatieron contra ejércitos griegos, milicias armenias y otros adversarios en toda Anatolia en un conflicto brutal que mató a cientos de miles. La victoria turca terminó siglos de dominio otomano y estableció un nuevo estado turco secular.
summaryShort: Nacionalistas turcos liderados por Mustafa Kemal lanzaron una lucha armada en 1919 para resistir la ocupación aliada y establecer un estado turco independiente, desmantelando finalmente el Imperio Otomano.
summaryLong: |-
  La Guerra de Independencia Turca comenzó en 1919 como un levantamiento nacionalista contra el colapso del Imperio Otomano y la subsecuente ocupación aliada. Mustafa Kemal, un oficial militar otomano, emergió como la figura dominante, organizando fuerzas de resistencia y estableciendo un gobierno provisional en Ankara que rechazaba la autoridad del Sultán en Estambul. La guerra enfrentó a nacionalistas turcos contra fuerzas griegas (respaldadas por potencias occidentales), milicias armenias y otros actores regionales, con combates concentrados en Anatolia y territorios orientales.

  La Asamblea Nacional Gran Turca de Kemal, establecida en abril de 1920, funcionó tanto como estructura legislativa como de comando militar. Las fuerzas nacionalistas ganaron terreno gradualmente durante 1920 y 1921, con la victoria turca en la Batalla de Sakarya en agosto de 1921 marcando un punto de inflexión decisivo. El conflicto devastó la región; estimaciones sitúan el número de muertes entre 300.000 a más de 1 millón, incluidas bajas de combate, enfermedades y masacres.

  La guerra concluyó con el Tratado de Lausana en julio de 1923, que reconoció la independencia turca y estableció fronteras modernas. Este tratado sustituyó el anterior Tratado de Sèvres (1920), que los nacionalistas habían rechazado como punitivo. El conflicto terminó formalmente el dominio imperial otomano, que había persistido durante más de 600 años, y estableció la República Turca bajo el liderazgo de Kemal.

  El resultado de la guerra reconfiguró el Mediterráneo Oriental y Oriente Medio. Grecia se retiró de Anatolia, y las minorías cristianas de Turquía fueron desplazadas en gran medida por la violencia e intercambios de población forzados. Kemal consolidó el poder e implementó reformas radicales de secularización y occidentalización, transformando la sociedad y gobernanza turcas en las décadas siguientes.
generatedAt: "2026-06-05T10:58:01.045Z"
fr:
lede: Après la Première Guerre mondiale, des nationalistes turcs dirigés par l'officier militaire Mustafa Kemal ont combattu pour résister à l'occupation alliée et à l'effondrement de l'Empire ottoman. De 1919 à 1923, les forces turques ont affronté des armées grecques, des milices arméniennes et d'autres adversaires en Anatolie dans un conflit brutal qui a tué des centaines de milliers de personnes. La victoire turque a mis fin à des siècles de domination ottomane et a établi un nouvel État turc laïque.
summaryShort: Les nationalistes turcs dirigés par Mustafa Kemal ont lancé une lutte armée en 1919 pour résister à l'occupation alliée et établir un État turc indépendant, démantèlement finalement l'Empire ottoman.
summaryLong: |-
  La Guerre d'indépendance turque a commencé en 1919 comme un soulèvement nationaliste contre l'effondrement de l'Empire ottoman et l'occupation alliée qui a suivi. Mustafa Kemal, officier militaire ottoman, a émergé comme figure dominante, organisant les forces de résistance et établissant un gouvernement provisoire à Ankara qui rejetait l'autorité du Sultan à Istanbul. La guerre a opposé les nationalistes turcs aux forces grecques (soutenues par les puissances occidentales), aux milices arméniennes et à d'autres acteurs régionaux, les combats étant concentrés en Anatolie et dans les territoires orientaux.

  L'Assemblée nationale du Grand Kemal, établie en avril 1920, a fonctionné à la fois comme structure législative et commandement militaire. Les forces nationalistes ont progressivement gagné du terrain en 1920 et 1921, la victoire turque à la Bataille de Sakarya en août 1921 marquant un tournant décisif. Le conflit a dévasté la région—les estimations situent le bilan des morts entre 300 000 et plus d'1 million, incluant les pertes au combat, les maladies et les massacres.

  La guerre s'est conclue par le Traité de Lausanne en juillet 1923, qui a reconnu l'indépendance turque et établi les frontières modernes. Ce traité a remplacé le Traité de Sèvres antérieur (1920), que les nationalistes avaient rejeté comme punitif. Le conflit a officiellement mis fin à la domination impériale ottomane, qui avait persisté pendant plus de 600 ans, et a établi la République turque sous la direction de Kemal.

  L'issue de la guerre a redéfini la Méditerranée orientale et le Moyen-Orient. La Grèce s'est retirée d'Anatolie, et les minorités chrétiennes de Turquie ont été largement déplacées par la violence et les échanges de population forcés. Kemal a consolidé le pouvoir et a mis en œuvre des réformes radicales de sécularisation et d'occidentalisation, transformant la société et la gouvernance turques dans les décennies qui ont suivi.
generatedAt: "2026-06-05T10:58:06.213Z"
de:
lede: Nach dem Ersten Weltkrieg kämpften türkische Nationalisten unter der Führung des Militäroffiziers Mustafa Kemal gegen die alliierte Besetzung und den Zusammenbruch des Osmanischen Reiches. Von 1919 bis 1923 führten türkische Truppen einen brutalen Konflikt gegen griechische Armeen, armenische Milizen und andere Gegner in Anatolien, bei dem Hunderttausende starben. Der türkische Sieg beendete Jahrhunderte der osmanischen Herrschaft und etablierte einen neuen, säkularen türkischen Staat.
summaryShort: Türkische Nationalisten unter der Führung von Mustafa Kemal starteten 1919 einen bewaffneten Kampf gegen die alliierte Besetzung und gründeten einen unabhängigen türkischen Staat, wodurch das Osmanische Reich zerlegt wurde.
summaryLong: |-
  Der Türkische Unabhängigkeitskrieg begann 1919 als nationalistische Erhebung gegen den Zusammenbruch des Osmanischen Reiches und die darauf folgende alliierte Besetzung. Mustafa Kemal, ein osmanischer Militäroffizier, entwickelte sich zur dominierenden Figur, organisierte Widerstandskräfte und etablierte eine provisorische Regierung in Ankara, die die Autorität des Sultans in Istanbul ablehnte. Der Krieg stellte türkische Nationalisten gegen griechische Streitkräfte (unterstützt durch westliche Mächte), armenische Milizen und andere regionale Akteure, wobei die Kämpfe in Anatolien und östlichen Territorien konzentriert waren.

  Kemels Große Nationalversammlung, gegründet im April 1920, funktionierte als legislatives und militärisches Kommandozentrum. Die nationalistischen Kräfte gewannen 1920 und 1921 allmählich Gelände, wobei der türkische Sieg in der Schlacht von Sakarya im August 1921 einen entscheidenden Wendepunkt markierte. Der Konflikt verwüstete die Region – Schätzungen beziffern die Todesopfer auf 300.000 bis über 1 Million, einschließlich Kampfverluste, Krankheiten und Massaker.

  Der Krieg endete mit dem Vertrag von Lausanne im Juli 1923, der die türkische Unabhängigkeit anerkannte und moderne Grenzen etablierte. Dieser Vertrag ersetzte den früheren Vertrag von Sèvres (1920), den die Nationalisten als strafend abgelehnt hatten. Der Konflikt beendete formal die über 600 Jahre andauernde osmanische Herrschaft und etablierte die Türkische Republik unter Kemels Führung.

  Das Kriegsergebnis gestaltete das östliche Mittelmeer und den Nahen Osten neu. Griechenland zog sich aus Anatolien zurück, und Türkeis christliche Minderheiten wurden durch Gewalt und erzwungene Bevölkerungsaustausche weitgehend vertrieben. Kemal zentralisierte die Macht und führte radikale Säkularisierungs- und Verwestlichungsreformen durch, die die türkische Gesellschaft und Verwaltung in den folgenden Jahrzehnten transformierten.
generatedAt: "2026-06-05T10:58:12.107Z"
geo:
lat: 39.294076
lng: 35.2316631
place: Turkey
note: Location inferred from recap.country via OSM Nominatim.
significance: 25
