Turkish War of Independence

The **Turkish War of Independence** (also known as the **Turkish War of Liberation**) was a military conflict netween 1919 and 1923 between the Turkish National Movement and the Allies after World War I. The Turkish victory established the Republic of Turkey in 1923.

After World War I, the Turkish Empire was partitioned by the victorious Allied Powers. The Treaty of Sèvres, signed in 1920, stripped the Ottoman Empire of its territories and imposed severe restrictions on its sovereignty.  Mustafa Kemal, a former Ottoman military commander, led a national movement to resist foreign occupation and defend Turkish independence.

The Turkish National Movement fought a successful campaign against the Allies and their local proxies, including the Armenian, Greek, and French forces. There were several key battles, including the Battle of the Sakarya in 1921 and the Battle of Dumlupınar in 1922.

In 1922, the Turkish National Movement launched a major offensive that pushed the Greek forces out of western Anatolia. The victory paved the way for the signing of the Treaty of Lausanne in 1923, which recognized the independence of the Republic of Turkey and established its modern borders. Mustafa Kemal, who was later called Atatürk, became the first president of Turkey. He oversaw a series of sweeping reforms to modernize the country and transform it into a secular democratic state.

The Turkish War of Independence is a significant event in Turkish history. It marked the end of the Ottoman Empire and the beginning of a new era, which was  characterized by secularism, modernization, and a strong sense of national identity.

The demographics of Anatolia have been affected mainly by the war's massacres.

## Infobox (military conflict)

- **conflict**: Turkish War of Independence
- **partof**: the Revolutions of 1917–1923
in the aftermath of World War I
- **image**: Türk Kurtuluş Savaşı - kolaj.jpg
- **image size**: 300px
- **caption**: **Clockwise from top left**: Delegation gathered in Sivas Congress to determine the objectives of the Turkish National Movement; Turkish civilians carrying ammunition to the front; Kuva-yi Milliye infantry; Turkish horse cavalry in chase; Turkish Army's Turkish capture of Smyrna, capture of Smyrna; troops in Ankara's Ulus Square preparing to leave for the front.
- **date**: Greek landing at Smyrna, 19 May 1919 – Armistice of Mudanya, 11 October 1922 (armistice)
Treaty of Lausanne, 24 July 1923 (peace)
()
- **place**: Anatolia, southwestern Caucasus, Upper Mesopotamia, and East Thrace
- **result**: Turkish victory
- **territory**: Establishment of the Turkey, Republic of Turkey
- **combatant1**: Turkish National Movement, Turkish Nationalists:

- **combatant2**: Allies of World War I, Allied powers:

<hr />
- **strength1**: May 1919: 35,000
November 1920: 86,000

August 1922: 271,000
- **strength2**:

60,000
 30,000
 20,000
 7,000
- **casualties1**: 13,000 killed
22,690 died of disease
5,362 died of wounds or other non-combat causes
35,000 wounded
7,000 prisoners
**Total:** 83,052 casualties
- **casualties2**: 24,240 killed
18,095 missing
48,880 wounded
4,878 died outside of combat
13,740 prisoners
 1,100+ killed
3,000+ prisoners
 ~7,000
**Total:** 116,055 casualties
- **casualties3**: 264,000 Greek genocide, Greek civilians killed
60,000–250,000 Armenian genocide, Armenian civilians killed
15,000+ Turkish civilians killed in the Western Front
30,000+ buildings and 250+ villages burnt to the ground by the Hellenic Army and Greek/Armenian rebels.
- **casus**: Partitioning of the Ottoman Empire
- **commander1**: Mustafa Kemal Pasha
 Mustafa Fevzi Pasha
 İsmet İnönü, Mustafa İsmet Pasha

Fahrettin Altay, Fahrettin Pasha
 Ali Fuat Cebesoy, Ali Fuat Pasha
 Refet Bele, Refet Pasha
 Nureddin Pasha
 Ali İhsan Pasha
 Topal Osman, Osman the Lame
 Çerkes Ethem, Ethem the Circassian
- **commander2**: Eleftherios Venizelos
 Leonidas Paraskevopoulos
 Constantine I of Greece, Constantine I
 Dimitrios Gounaris
 Anastasios Papoulas
 Georgios Hatzianestis
 Henri Gouraud (general), Henri Gouraud
 Drastamat Kanayan
 Movses Silikyan
 George Milne, 1st Baron Milne, Sir George Milne
<hr> Mehmed VI
 Damat Ferid Pasha
 Süleyman Şefik Pasha
 Anzavur Ahmed Pasha
 Çerkes Ethem, Ethem the Circassian<hr/> Alişer