Mustafa Kemal Atatürk

Mustafa Kemal Ataturkhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mustafa_Kemal_Atat%C3%BCrk“A nation which makes the final sacrifice for life and freedom does not get beaten” (Mustafa Kemal) was one the many famous quotes from a grandiose savior. Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, a man who had time and time again demonstrated what it meant to be patriotic; to serve one's country with absolute devotion. Atatürk (1881-1938) was a Turkish nationalist and political leader who played an instrumental role in the fall of the Ottoman sultanate and the creation of modern Turkey. He was a war tactician who eventually ended up being the first president. Under his leadership, Turkey had an economic boost, modernized and drove out the influence of the Ottoman Empire. For one to be considered a hero they must demonstrate strong will,  humility, and the realization for their vision. Worthy of the name “Father of Turks”, Atatürk was a guardian who carried his country on his back, served as a beacon of hope to his people with his relentlessness, humbleness and his dedication for the modernization of his country was a prime example for what a hero should be.

Atatrürk Major Assault Panoramaataturkcumedya.comAtatürk displayed an undying chase for independence and freedom through his thoughts and actions. He proved himself to be the determined leader of Turkey with his many victories; “It had been Kemal's image as a national military hero that assured the Nationalists a following in 1919. It was Kemal's determined leadership that assured the victory of 1923. It was to be Kemal's dictatorial guidance that subsequently defined the new Turkey” (“Ghazi Mustapha Kemal Atatürk”). Mustafa Kemal was a national hero that guided Turkey through the hardships of war and claimed victory in the face of the imperialist West in that era. He carried his country through its darkest times. In addition to saving Turkey from outside forces, he saved Turkey from itself; “Atatürk established secular (nonreligious) rule in his predominantly Muslim nation and paved the way for democracy and the protection of individual rights” (“Ghazi Mustapha Kemal Atatürk”). Soon after claiming victory for his country and restoring their pride, he refused to stop. He knew his country still had problems and he devoted the rest of his life to solving them.

Ataturk reforming the alphabet from Arabic to modern Latinhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mustafa_Kemal_Atat%C3%BCrkAtatürk used his education to modernize Turkey. Utilizing his oratorical proficiencies to further his nation in democracy; “Kemal was an active president. Noted for his oratorical skill while in military school, he now utilized this asset to considerable advantage, [to modernize Turkey] moving readily about the country, eagerly explaining new laws” (Ghazi Mustapha Kemal Atatürk). He applied the skills he learned in military school to excellent use, displaying the importance of school. If our life was a skyscraper, education would be the skeleton of the building, the weaker the education, the quicker your life will fall apart. With this, Atatürk implemented the use of education to make advances in Turkey’s economy. He was an impeccable student even in his earlier days, even recognized by his teacher; "Atatürk rejected the idea of going to a religious school and instead entered a military school in Salonika, where he soon became a star pupil. His skills were so strong in mathematics that his teacher is said to have nicknamed him Kemal, which means “perfection.” For many years thereafter, he was known as Mustafa Kemal" (Atatürk, Mustafa Kemal). He was an exemplary student and it enabled him to reach great heights in life. With his knowledge, Turkey grew to be a more sophisticated and contemporary country. We should all aspire to be like him because he is proof that good education can lead us to places that we could only fathom.

Described as the people’s champion, Atatürk was a source of hope and wisdom for Turkey until he sadly passed away in 1938. He kept advancing when no one else did, leaving his mark on this world forever, making him immortal. He was one of the few to chase for their desires and vision by using their education as a tool; he changed Turkey for the better by modernizing and educating his people. He was an inspiration to many due to not only for his strides in education and equal rights in Turkey but also for his advocacy for world peace. Being a firm believer in harmony, Ataturk made peace with those that once sought to destroy his country, "[Atatürk] stated, immediately after the Turkish War of Independence, that peace is the most effective way for nations to attain prosperity and happiness. Later as he concluded treaties of friendship and created regional ententes, he affirmed: Turks are the friends of all civilized nations. The new Turkey established cordial relations with all countries, including those powers which had tried a few years earlier to wipe the Turks off the map. He did not pursue a policy of expansionism and never engaged in any act contrary to peaceful co-existence" (Dogan). Even after all he did, he never stopped; his pursuit of world peace led to his legacy. Despite all his hard work, it would be worth nothing without education. Together, they stood as the pillars of which Atatürk built his dream upon; the future of his people. Most importantly, he was an inspiration to me. I always remind myself of the wars he endured and sacrifices he made so that I could receive an education in the US. Few people in the world consider sacrificing anything or everything for others, yet Atatürk consciously made this decision for the hope that one day, Turkey could live in amity with the rest of the world.

Works Cited

Dogan. “Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.” Xu Bing: Square Word Calligraphy Classroom - The Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Art Gallery, Columbia University. Libraries. Digital ProgramDivision, 12 Jan. 1994, https://www.columbia.edu/~sss31/Turkiye/ata/hayati.html

Editors, History.com. “Kemal Atatürk.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 16 Dec2009, www.history.com/topics/middle-east/kemal-ataturk#section_3.

"Ghazi Mustapha Kemal Atatürk." Encyclopedia of World Biography, Gale, 1998. Biography In Context,https://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/K1631000319/BIC?u=powa9245&sid=BIC &xid=93924a2e. Accessed 9 Jan. 2019.

Itzkowitz, Norman. “Atatürk, Kemal.” Britannica Biographies, Mar. 2012, p. 1. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=b6h&AN=32402761&site=brc-live.

"Mustafa Kemal Ataturk Quotes." BrainyQuote.com. BrainyMedia Inc, 2019. 9 January 2019.https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/mustafa_kemal_ataturk_404922