Ankara — The people of Türkiye are commemorating Victory Day (Zafer Bayramı), celebrating the decisive triumph of 1922 under the leadership of Ghazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, which secured the nation’s sovereignty and permanent presence in Anatolia.
Turkish forces defeated the Greek armies, ending foreign occupation in Anatolia. This landmark victory was achieved at the Battle of Dumlupınar in 1922, part of the Great Offensive that began on August 26 and concluded on September 18.
Historians note that this victory, won under Atatürk’s command, sent a clear message to the world: the Turkish nation would never compromise its right to self-rule or its eternal presence in Anatolia.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, in his Victory Day message, congratulated the nation, calling the day not only a military achievement but also “a symbol of our nation’s rebirth, struggle for survival, and eternal independence.” He emphasized that “our duty today is to carry forward the torch of freedom lit on August 30 with unity and solidarity toward a stronger future.”
Yüksel Özgen, President of the Turkish Historical Association, compared the victory to the Battle of Manzikert in 1071, saying it was another declaration that the Turkish nation had firmly rooted itself in Anatolia. According to him, “Just as the Battle of Manzikert opened the gates of this land and laid the foundations for a new civilization, the Great Offensive and the Victory of August 30 proclaimed to the world that Turks will always remain here, and their presence is eternal.”
He further remarked that the Great Offensive shattered the imperialist dream of expelling Turks first from Europe and then from Anatolia back into Central Asia.
