Kemal (Atatürk) landed at Samsun to initiate
the Turkish national independence movement
on 19 May 1919, Captain Kemal, still an officer
of the Ottoman Army, was marshaling what
forces he could to confront the Greek Army
that was invading and occupying western
Anatolia, somewhat in accordance with the
Armistice of Mudros, which imposed harsh
terms on the defeated Ottoman State at the
end of World War I on 30 October 1918.//
Passing through the town of Kırkağaç on 10 June 1919, in order to
meet up with my detachment, I noticed that in this sad town, where it
had been customary to see the red Turkish flag atop all the minarets
on Fridays and holidays and the crescent symbol of Islam even higher,
Akhisar Avenue, which bisected the Greek neighborhoods, was decked
out from end to end in green. The town's Christians were joyful, the
Moslems downhearted, the minarets quiet and the churches lively as
the Christians, dressed in their holiday best, eagerly awaited the arrival
of the Greek Army.
As I walked under the victory arches prepared for the conquering Greek
army (!), the only thing that could console my sadness was to amplify
the burning desire for revenge I felt. There was a necessity to educate
the populace about the political and global situation, rescue them from
the feeling of oppression and submission they were feeling and then
take action to reinvigorate their Turkish and Moslem identities.
Because only those without the nobility of pure Turkish blood would
submit to the weakness, weariness, fear, lethargy and indolence that
the successive blows had inflicted on the populace hereabouts. Yet,
these people had the virtues Turkishness imbues so it was essential to
re-inculcate this national fervor in every locality and revive them.
When we arrived in the village of Bakır between Kırkağaç and
Akhisar on the evening of 10 June, the stouthearted villagers were
anxious about the approaching armed Greek rascals so they welcomed
us with tear-filled eyes and happiness. It was a night of Ramazan.
Consequently, they all brought food from home to the mosque
courtyard for an "iftar" (fast-breaking) meal. Prayers were said for
a Turkish victory, amid sobbing and hiccups.
The villagers who had guns joined our ranks right away, as did some
fellows who had fled to the mountains after killing a few Christians.
So on this night of 10-11 June, our security was ensured by the people
of Bakır village, which was just three hours away from Yaya village
and Akhisar, where there were enemy troops.
The zeal of the Bakır villagers spread around the immediate vicinity
and, in fact, far beyond. Even in Kırkağaç, the effect of this uprising
was felt, as the arches erected to welcome the Greek army were torn
down and the joyous outcries of the Christians there muted. The
spirt of the national movement had taken root in the Kırkağaç area.
//END of PART THREE//
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