In the Footsteps of Atatürk: A Night at Kocatepe

The night of August 25, 1922… Mustafa Kemal Atatürk was at Kocatepe in Afyonkarahisar, making the final preparations for a battle that would shape the destiny of a nation. The sky was full of stars, yet the mountain was silent. It was the kind of silence that comes just before a great storm — the calm before a monumental turning point. Atatürk did not sleep that night. He remained at the headquarters, carefully going over every detail of the attack with his commanders. At that moment, he was not only a military leader but the embodiment of his people’s hope and determination. Kocatepe bore witness to his patience, vision, and unwavering resolve. At dawn, on August 26, Turkish artillery opened fire. The sounds that rose from Afyonkarahisar marked the beginning of a historic shift. The order given at Kocatepe that morning would set in motion the final blow that drove out the invaders. Today, when you climb Kocatepe, you can still feel that moment in the wind. The silence speaks with Atatürk’s footsteps — because this mountain is not just a place; it is where a nation took its boldest step toward freedom.

TARIH