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History
After the WWI, Turkey was under the control of Allied forces. The Sultan (of Ottoman Empire) and old liberals were merely puppets whose strings were controlled by the occupation forces. The Sultan considered it the best option for Turkey to collaborate with the conquerors.
The Sultan sent Mustafa Kamal to Anatolia as a Governer General in order to crush the rebellion led by Kiyazim Karabekar. However, Mustafa Kamal had other plans. As soon as he reached Anatolia, he met Ali Faut, the commander of a small army corps, and sketched out a resistance plan. It was decided that they should form a National Army. The summary of this meeting can be described as:
The Sultan sent Mustafa Kamal to Anatolia as a Governer General in order to crush the rebellion led by Kiyazim Karabekar. However, Mustafa Kamal had other plans. As soon as he reached Anatolia, he met Ali Faut, the commander of a small army corps, and sketched out a resistance plan. It was decided that they should form a National Army. The summary of this meeting can be described as:
As the Sultan and the Central Government are in enemy hands, we must set up some temporary government in Anatolia.Remarkable efforts were put up for this cause. Leading Patriots hid or escaped into Anatolia, where they made straight for Ankara to join Mustafa Kamal. There on the 23rd of April, 1920 the revolutionary Turkish Grand National Assembly met with Mustafa Kamal as President.
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Reforms
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Removal of Illiteracy
Before Mustafa Kamal's accession to power, state education was unknown to the country. He took the gigantic task of educating the masses as well as training the teachers. The first step in revoming illiteracy was to simplify the "script" by replacing the old (Arabic) script with the Roman script. He himself visited towns and villages, chalk in hand, teaching how to use the new script.
Empowering Women
On assuming power, Mustafa Kamal decided to liberate women by abolishing veil. He was well aware of the importance of educated women for a nation. He encouraged women to educate themselves for their better future. He emphasized the need for women to play their role in country's progress working side by side with men folks.
Change in Dresses
Atatürk abolished wearing fez which was Greek in origin. However, he made it compulsory to wear Western hats. This reform was necessary to remove all the traces of the past slavery during the days of Ottoman Sultanate.
Purification of Language
The first Turkish President set a committee to simplify and purify Turkish language which was a mixture of Arabic, Persian and original Turkish words. The committe's task was to replace the Arabic and Persian words with original Turkish words. Moreover, he prohibited the use to title "Pasha" and hence, every man became "bay" and every woman became "bayan".
Industrial and Economic Development
Under Mustafa Kamal, the industrial and economic development of Turkey was so rapid that it achieved, in few years, that much progress which took the west 150 years to achieve. To give idea of the progress, one has to take notice of some of the facts and figures.
- In 1919, Turkey had only one railway, almost no modern standard roads and 150 factories. But in 1933, the figure rose to 2000 with large lengths of high standard transport facilities.
- The banking system was organized and the public debt was reduced to one-tenth of its former size.
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