The Great Offensive Began on August 26,1922

With the Armistice of Mudros, the Allied Powers restricted the Ottoman Empire politically, economically and militarily and prepared a suitable ground for the occupation of Turkish lands. As a result, a large-scale and systematic occupation process began in the days following the armistice. During this process, especially the occupation of Izmir by the Greeks, accelerated the resistance and national organization in Anatolia. This war of the Turkish nation, which was called the “National Forces Spirit” and the name of the total existence struggle against imperialism on the path to independence, became an example to the entire world.

For the Commander-in-Chief and Speaker of the Parliament, Mustafa Kemal Pasha, there were two options before him after the Battle of Sakarya: The first was to immediately launch a general attack without allowing the Greek army, which was defeated near Ankara, to recover. There were also many deputies and commanders in the Parliament who shared this view. The second was to avoid a tiring and exhausting conflict and to prepare for a single and decisive attack for a long time and then to launch an offensive. Mustafa Kemal Pasha, who was aware that the Turkish army was also worn out despite the victory in the Sakarya Field Battle, preferred to enter a long and secret preparation period in order to expel the Greek army from Anatolia with a single attack and a single move. The Turkish side wanted to use its last gunpowder carefully. Within this framework, after secret preparations that continued for about a year in order to deal the strongest and most permanent blow to the enemy, the Great Offensive began on August 26, 1922, upon the order of Mustafa Kemal Pasha, and the decisive result was achieved with the Battle of the Commander-in-Chief on August 30, 1922. The Battle of the Commander-in-Chief Square showed that Turkish success was certain, and Uşak was liberated from occupation on September 1, İzmir on September 9, and Bursa on September 11. By mid-September, the Greek-occupied cities in Western Anatolia and Northwestern Anatolia were liberated, and the Greek army had completely withdrawn from Anatolia.