Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, a figure known as the father of
the Turkish nation. Which changed the country of the two continents to a more
modern direction. In historical records, Ataturk is quite a controversial
figure. On the one hand, he is seen as having made a big difference to the
tulip-producing country, but on the other hand, he is known as the enemy of
Islam. Is an intelligent person who has unique thinking that makes some people
confused and amazed at him. Many assumptions say that this son of Zübeyde Hanım
is not accepted by Turkish society, but the reality on the ground is much
different. His photos were everywhere until there was a memorial of his death
known as Atatürk'ü Anma Günü
The figure and military career of the father of the nation
Born in the city of Selanik (Thessaloniki), Greece on
May 19, 1881. He only has the real name, Mustafa. This was related to the
Ottoman culture which only named children with one word. He was raised by
Zübeyde Hanım after his father, Ali Rıza Efendi, who worked as a customs clerk,
died when Mustafa was 7 years old. In history, the titles Efendi and Hanım only
got their parents when Ataturk served as president of the Turkish republic.
From
childhood, he was a smart figure. This was proven when he was in grade 4
elementary school and managed to achieve perfect scores which are rarely
obtained by students in general. His military education began in secondary
school at the military school Selanik and Manastır (Bitola), both centers of
anti-Turkish Greek nationalism. His math teacher nicknamed him Kemal which
means perfection because of his seemingly flawless intelligence. He graduated
in 1905 with the rank of a lieutenant who was immediately sent to serve in
Damascus. In Damascus, he immediately joined the secret group Vatan ve Hürriyet
(Motherland and Freedom) which was an active opponent of the Ottoman Empire.
Two years later he returned to Selanik and joined the Jön Türkler (Young Turks
Movement) group.
He
had brilliant achievements in the military so that in 1908 he had become a
central figure who overthrew Sultan Abdülhamid II. His military career
continued to rise until he became a commander at the Battle of Gallipoli in
1915. Where the Ottomans were in the central bloc with Germany against allies, namely
Britain and France. Due to his success in preventing the allies from taking
Ottoman rule in Istanbul via the Gallipoli Peninsula, he won the honorary
titles of Gazi (the title of a hero who won the war) and PaÅŸa (the honorary
title of the Ottoman statesman).
His military career was
not always smooth, even though he had many achievements. It was proven in 1917
that he failed to fight against the Arab rebellion in Hejaz and to defend
Palestine which was piggybacked and controlled by the British. Because he was
pressured by the situation, he only chose to defend the territory of Turkey
which has been controlled to date. He is dubbed by some as an Islamic hero
because of his services in defending the Muslims from British attacks.
Political Career
Mustafa's revolution began in 1919 with the Amasya
declaration formed by officers who supported the Young Turks movement. They
felt dissatisfied with the government of the Ottoman Empire, which was
retreating over time. So, they create a rival government in Ankara that uses a
democratic system. This resulted in the Istanbul government increasingly losing
its prestige and the people increasingly siding with the modern Ankara
government.
With
the formation of the Supreme National Council in Ankara, Mustafa was elected as
the first prime minister of Turkey in 1920 to have complete control over
Turkey. In contrast to Sultan Vahdettin, who at that time had no power and was
only used as a symbol of the state. Until finally in 1922 the Ottoman Empire
completely disappeared from the world. So that the most entitled to inherit the
position were Mustafa who then declared the Republic of Turkey and himself as
the first president and immediately took over all the assets owned by the
Ottoman Empire.
When Turkey
was carrying out a revolution, it did not necessarily change all aspects
directly, but slowly adjusted to the needs of society. Although the Ottomans
had collapsed, the caliphate continued until 1924 which was held by Abdülmecid
II. The Khilafah is nothing more than a symbol of Muslim unity. Mustafa
abolished the caliphate which according to him was a disease of the modern age.
He also began eliminating Arabic characters and replacing them with Latin
characters in the official Turkish spelling. Converts everything Arabic to
Turkish to be understood by everyone. Changing all aspects from economic,
social, political, and educational to including dress code. She is a strong
advocate for women's freedom and gender equality. Regarding education, he is no
joke, he wrote a book on education curriculum in Turkey so that he was
nicknamed Başöğretmen (professor).
It
was not until 1934 that the Supreme Council of Turkey granted him the title
Atatürk in his last name. There is a lot of controversy in it that seems to
confirm his dictatorship during his presidency. But not a few also do not make
a problem because he served to Turkey. During his leadership, Turkey
implemented a one-party system with the CHP Cumhuriyet Halk Partisi (Republican
People's Party) as the sole ruler.
Dead
Due to his habit of drinking alcohol, smoking, and
having free sex, his health diminished over time. He also died at Dolmabahçe
İstanbul Palace on November 10, 1938, at 09.05. It is also during this time
that the Turkish community observes a moment of silence to commemorate his
death.
He
willed that all his assets be used for the budget of the CHP Party, his
children, and relatives. The management of his body is carried out privately
using Islamic law. Then he was brought back to Ankara to follow government
funeral procedures. His relatives plan to preserve his remains. But as his body
became increasingly damaged, he was placed in a 42-ton macrophage housed in the
Ankara Ethnographic Museum before being transferred to Anıtkabir 15 years later.
Turkey's view of Ataturk
He is a hero of the Turks who saved them from
colonialism and especially the ignorance that enveloped them during the Ottoman
Empire. The Turks were a knight nation who liked to fight and were loyal to
their superiors. Because it made some Ottoman sultans after the time of Kanuni
Sultan Süleyman too obedient to Sufi scholars who did not love the world and
change. So that scholars forbid new knowledge and can only teach Islam
textually without logic. This period is the same as the dark ages of Europe
which were ruled by priests who did not allow the people to think freely. In
contrast to the Abbasids who had been the center of world knowledge for
centuries. Coupled with the betrayal and corrupt practices committed by
Janisary (Ottoman military). So that the Ottoman economic situation was getting
worse and entangled in debt. The decline also occurred because there was no
specific vision of the Ottoman sultans in building the country after the
triumph of those who had conquered Byzantine and other areas. As if they only
want to be in power without wanting to be responsible for governing the
country.
Then
came a reformer, namely Sultan Mahmud II, who carried out a revolution in the
Ottomans but failed due to the unpreparedness of his people in facing science
and the world economy because they had been isolated from the world for
centuries. So, the destruction of the Ottomans is not an external factor but an
internal factor itself that has been corrupted from within. Therefore, Ataturk
took the initiative to carry out reforms in Turkey by eliminating the Ottoman
Sultanate which was deemed to have failed to reform. He is also known as the
voice of freedom. So that in his time he no longer obliged Sharia law, gave
freedom of thought and opinion as widely as possible, and leveled the social
class that was lame during the Ottoman era.
The view as an enemy of Islam
He is suspected of being a Jewish agent who was
specially educated to destroy the Ottomans from within. Is one of the global
elite stooges who want to rule the world but are blocked by two empires, each
of which controls the east and west. Namely the Ottoman Turks and Tsarist
Russia. Where in Russia was included the figure of Vladimir Lenin who changed
ideology to become communist and Mustafa Kemal in Turkey who changed ideology
to become secular. The Gallipoli War was only a work of British setting so that
Ataturk could win over the people's hearts and could easily take over from the
Ottoman Turks which made it easier for the global elite to rule the world.
His odd death is also considered a
punishment that God has given him. Because he was the one who abolished the
caliphate that had stood for 14 centuries. As well as his efforts to eliminate
the light of Islam that has shone brightly for 6 centuries in Turkey.
In essence, it all depends on how we look. It is necessary to know that
each human being has his purpose and purpose in carrying out an action that is
only his secret. But so far, the Turks still regard him as a national hero.
They respect him either out of self-awareness or compulsion because it has been
regulated by law.