MUSTAFA KEMAL'S FIRST BATTLE

After Mustafa Kemal started his duty in the army as a staff captain in 1905, he served in various services; He was appointed to a post at the General Staff in Istanbul on September 13, 1911.

Mustafa Kemal was at odds with the notables of the Committee of Union and Progress. He didn't think like them on some issues. He was absolutely against the military's involvement in politics. He saw this as harmful and struggled for it. However, the politicians of that day were not yet mature enough to grasp the correctness of this idea. Mustafa Kemal, seeing this, completely devoted himself to the military profession.2

Although Mustafa Kemal was appointed to the First Branch of the General Staff in Istanbul, Harbiye Nazın Şevket Pasha did not give him any job here in order to benefit the leading officers of the Committee of Union and Progress, that is, he left him without a job3. It was at this time that the Italians attacked Tripoli and Benghazi, which they had long coveted.

The independent sanjak of Tripoli and Benghazi, a province of the Ottoman Empire, was extremely vulnerable and open to Italian invasion. The Ottoman Empire did not have the strength to fight the Italians here; He could not send troops and supplies. The entire Aegean and Mediterranean was under the control of the Italian navy. The Ottoman navy, on the other hand, was so weak that it was almost non-existent. In this respect, it was almost impossible to reach Tripoli by sea. Seeing this, the young and star officers of the period went to Tripoli, one by one, by way of Egypt and Tunisia, providing the secret support of the Ottoman State. Mustafa Kemal, who was left unemployed in Istanbul, also wanted to go to Tripoli. Although Mahmut Şevket Pasha resisted and said that the British would not pass him through Egypt, he resisted going; Mahmut Şevket Pasha also agreed. Later, When Atatürk was asked why he embarked on this hopeless and useless job, he said: “I saw that this was the case at that time. However, I had to do this in order to maintain my material and moral rank in the army and among my fellow officers. In fact, they were actually leaving me unemployed in Istanbul.”4

Mustafa Kemal did not actually believe that this war was a wise thing to do. Because he knew that a greater danger would come from the Balkans. However, his successes on the battlefield could consolidate his position within the party. Moreover, Mahmut Şevket Pasha did not let him look in Istanbul. He also did not want to be left behind from Enver Bey, who had gone to North Africa before him. 5

The Tripoli War was the first place where Mustafa Kemal showed his superior quality in command and organization. 6 Mustafa Kemal, under the name of Journalist Mustafa Şerif, set off from Istanbul with forged documents and passports on 15 October 1911 with Naci, Hakkı and Yakup Cemil Beys. On the way they ran out of money; They didn't get any help from anywhere. They asked for three hundred liras from the headquarters, the first answer was "no money, contact Enver". Then, with Mustafa Kemal's deed, Naci Bey7 took two hundred British liras from Ömer Fevzi Bey and continued on the road. Mustafa Kemal fell ill on the way and returned to Alexandria; He spent fifteen days in the hospital. Meanwhile, Nuri (Conker) and Fuat (Bulca) Beys joined them. Again, they all set off together. Mustafa Kemal and his friends had a very difficult journey. The most convenient way to reach Tripoli under those conditions, It was the Egyptian route under British rule. The Egyptians' help during the battle is also noteworthy. They had helped the Turks by sending volunteers to the front and allowing the Turks to pass on weapons and ammunition. Egyptian newspapers described the just cause of the Turks very well8. In addition, the Defense of the Vataniye Societies were established in Egypt for Tripoli, with the help of the Egyptian Extraordinary Commissioner, volunteers, supplies, etc. they had sent9. In Egypt, the British also allowed arms and ammunition to be passed through the border unofficially in order to gain the sympathy of the Turks and to have a positive effect on the Muslim population10. The British declared that they were neutral at the beginning of the war, and all three sides went on the path of administration in this way. The Egyptians' help during the battle is also noteworthy. They had helped the Turks by sending volunteers to the front and allowing the Turks to pass on weapons and ammunition. Egyptian newspapers described the just cause of the Turks very well8. In addition, the Defense of the Vataniye Societies were established in Egypt for Tripoli, with the help of the Egyptian Extraordinary Commissioner, volunteers, supplies, etc. they had sent9. In Egypt, the British also allowed arms and ammunition to be passed through the border unofficially in order to gain the sympathy of the Turks and to have a positive effect on the Muslim population10. The British declared that they were neutral at the beginning of the war, and all three sides went on the path of administration in this way. The Egyptians' help during the battle is also noteworthy. They had helped the Turks by sending volunteers to the front and allowing the Turks to pass on weapons and ammunition. Egyptian newspapers described the just cause of the Turks very well8. In addition, the Defense of the Vataniye Societies were established in Egypt for Tripoli, with the help of the Egyptian Extraordinary Commissioner, volunteers, supplies, etc. they had sent9. In Egypt, the British also allowed arms and ammunition to be passed through the border unofficially in order to gain the sympathy of the Turks and to have a positive effect on the Muslim population10. The British declared that they were neutral at the beginning of the war, and all three sides went on the path of administration in this way. They helped the Turks both by sending volunteers to the front and by allowing the Turks to pass arms and ammunition. Egyptian newspapers described the just cause of the Turks very well8. In addition, the Defense of the Vataniye Societies were established in Egypt for Tripoli, with the help of the Egyptian Extraordinary Commissioner, volunteers, supplies, etc. they had sent9. In Egypt, the British also allowed arms and ammunition to be passed through the border unofficially in order to gain the sympathy of the Turks and to have a positive effect on the Muslim population10. The British declared that they were neutral at the beginning of the war, and all three sides went on the path of administration in this way. They helped the Turks both by sending volunteers to the front and by allowing the Turks to pass arms and ammunition. Egyptian newspapers described the just cause of the Turks very well8. In addition, the Defense of the Vataniye Societies were established in Egypt for Tripoli, with the help of the Egyptian Extraordinary Commissioner, volunteers, supplies, etc. they had sent9. In Egypt, the British also allowed arms and ammunition to be passed through the border unofficially in order to gain the sympathy of the Turks and to have a positive effect on the Muslim population10. The British declared that they were neutral at the beginning of the war, and all three sides went on the path of administration in this way. In Egypt, Defense-i Vataniye Societies were established for Tripoli, with the help of the Egyptian Extraordinary Commissioner, volunteers, supplies, etc. they had sent9. In Egypt, the British also allowed arms and ammunition to be passed through the border unofficially in order to gain the sympathy of the Turks and to have a positive effect on the Muslim population10. The British declared that they were neutral at the beginning of the war, and all three sides went on the path of administration in this way. In Egypt, Defense-i Vataniye Societies were established for Tripoli, with the help of the Egyptian Extraordinary Commissioner, volunteers, supplies, etc. they had sent9. In Egypt, the British also allowed arms and ammunition to be passed through the border unofficially in order to gain the sympathy of the Turks and to have a positive effect on the Muslim population10. The British declared that they were neutral at the beginning of the war, and all three sides went on the path of administration in this way.

Mustafa Kemal and his friends had many adventures on their way to Tripoli. In Egypt, they wore Arab clothes to avoid recognition; However, it was not difficult to understand that Mustafa Kemal was not a civilian from his light color and military gait. Twice they were in danger of being arrested. They overcame them thanks to Mustafa Kemal's resourcefulness and ability to take a stand. When they reached the train station in the desert, an Egyptian officer said he had received orders to arrest five Turkish officers. When Mustafa Kemal realized that they could not get past this officer simply by dressing in Arab clothes, he told him the truth; He addressed his religious feelings by giving a beautiful and fluent speech. Impressed by this, the Egyptian officer agreed to compromise. They were released the next day. Horse, camel, water, from the camp behind the train line, After meeting their needs such as food, they traveled for a week on the back of a camel in the middle of the desert. Thinking they had come to the border, they took off their Arab clothes and put on their uniforms. However, they encountered a detachment led by British and Egyptian officers. Mustafa Kemal threateningly told them that "this is Ottoman land". They claimed, too, that “the border has changed recently11 and this is Egyptian territory.” Mustafa Kemal, arguing again, said that he would "open fire". The British, laughing at the difference in numbers, withdrew12. Finally, Mustafa Kemal and his friends arrived at the Turkish headquarters outside Tobruk two days later13. They took off their Arab clothes and put on their uniforms. However, they encountered a detachment led by British and Egyptian officers. Mustafa Kemal threateningly told them that "this is Ottoman land". They claimed, too, that “the border has changed recently11 and this is Egyptian territory.” Mustafa Kemal, arguing again, said that he would "open fire". The British, laughing at the difference in numbers, withdrew12. Finally, Mustafa Kemal and his friends arrived at the Turkish headquarters outside Tobruk two days later13. They took off their Arab clothes and put on their uniforms. However, they encountered a detachment led by British and Egyptian officers. Mustafa Kemal threateningly told them that "this is Ottoman land". They claimed, too, that “the border has changed recently11 and this is Egyptian territory.” Mustafa Kemal, arguing again, said that he would "open fire". The British, laughing at the difference in numbers, withdrew12. Finally, Mustafa Kemal and his friends arrived at the Turkish headquarters outside Tobruk two days later13. They claimed that “recently the border has changed11 and this is Egyptian territory”. Mustafa Kemal, arguing again, said that he would "open fire". The British, laughing at the difference in numbers, withdrew12. Finally, Mustafa Kemal and his friends arrived at the Turkish headquarters outside Tobruk two days later13. They claimed that “recently the border has changed11 and this is Egyptian territory”. Mustafa Kemal, arguing again, said that he would "open fire". The British, laughing at the difference in numbers, withdrew12. Finally, Mustafa Kemal and his friends arrived at the Turkish headquarters outside Tobruk two days later13.

Mustafa Kemal held talks with Arab leaders throughout November. On November 3, 1911, in a letter he wrote to the Tripoli Division Commander, Nazın Mahmut Şevket Pasha informed that Mustafa Kemal had gone to Calu to organize some sheikhs and Sunusis, and that he would dispatch the local forces he gathered from there to Benghazi and Tripoli. Kemal was holding meetings with the sheikhs and tribal chiefs in Tripoli and trying to organize the disorganized crowd. He addressed some of them as my religious brother and called them to fight against the infidels. He used different methods for those who did not want to participate; for example, he accused them of being Italian spies and said that he would treat them accordingly15. As seen here, Mustafa Kemal, He considered it to have undertaken the very important task of organizing the Sunusids and the native Arab tribes. His organizational success was evident when the Sunusids and other native Arab tribes sided with the Turks until the end of the war.

The promotion that Mustafa Kemal had been waiting for so long finally came while he was here. In the telegram sent to Enver Bey, dated 30 November 1911, from the 3rd Branch of the General Staff, it was stated that Mustafa Kemal Bey, the Chief of Staff of the Army Staff, had been promoted to Major16.

Mustafa Kemal fought successfully in Tobruk on 22 December17. On 30 December 1911, he went to Derne with Captain Nuri Bey and other friends18. Mustafa Kemal first became the Commander of the Eastern Branch in Derne (January 1, 1912)19. He was wounded in the eye during the 16 January battle in Derne20. He was treated in Hilal-i Ahmer Hospital for a month; He left the hospital without fully recovering. Since the general war on March 4, 1912 took place in very difficult conditions, the discomfort in his eye recurred; Couldn't get out of bed for 15 days. Mustafa Kemal, meanwhile, became the Commander of the Derne on March 6, 191221.

The orders given by Mustafa Kemal as the Derne Commander from May 22, 1912 to August 5, 1912 are recorded in the book called emr-i yevmi (daily order)22.

Derne Commander Mustafa Kemal and Major Nuri Bey asked that they be allowed to leave Tripoli to take part in this war with the start of the Balkan War (13 November 1912)23. On October 24, 1912, Enver Bey praised Mustafa Kemal's work in Tripoli in a telegram he sent to the Ministry of War, and stated that he was sent to Tripoli, so that he would not be unemployed during the implementation of the peace conditions due to the signing of peace with the Italians. 24. Mustafa Kemal went to Egypt. Since he ran out of money here, he demanded subsistence from the Ministry of War (10 November 1912)25. While in Egypt, he received the news that Thessaloniki had fallen and that the Bulgarians had come before Çatalca. He returned to Istanbul by way of Austria-Romania26.

The Tripoli War was a hopeless war, as Mustafa Kemal stated. But his participation in this war benefited him in many ways. First of all, his going to Tripoli enabled him to maintain his material and moral rank among his fellow officers; He was promoted to major while on the battlefield. Also, the Battle of Tripoli was his first war, where he learned the tactics of unconventional warfare.

He developed his qualities related to the subtleties of war, such as establishing authority, managing others under fire, continuing the war in poverty, being organized, working with less force, acting with initiative and conducting the military with its spiritual aspects, and increased his practice27. The Tripoli War brought very important things to Mustafa Kemal with these aspects.

DOCUMENTS

Document No: 1

To Tripoli Command

In Egypt, defense-i wataniye societies were formed in Tripoli. He will send voluntary supplies to Tripoli. The Extraordinary Commissioner of Egypt will work with them. From here, even money was sent to people. Even from Tunisia, food supply and dispatch will be resorted to by the Attaché Fethi Bey. Against the odds, contact the Egyptian commissariat and act candidly in the effort, action and defense that may be necessary for the supply and other subpoenas - September 25, 1327

Military Staff Office

File No: 226

Folder No : 48

Index: 11

Document No: 2

Tesrinisani 1327

Telegram to Enver Bey

Erkan-ı Harbiye Colonel Mustafa Kemal Bey was promoted to the rank of major in order to be employed in the General Staff, respectively.

Erkan-i Harbiye-i Umumiye

Department, 3rd Branch

File No: 42

Folder No: 9

Index : 8

Document No: 3

to the Ministry of War

It is the resolution of the coded telegram dated 7 Kanunusani 1327 from His Excellency Rauf Pasha, the Extraordinary Commissar of Egypt.

Open spaces of 11 encrypted telegrams from Chief of Staff Enver Bey and Deme Commander Captain Şükrü Bey are the same stream, even with the code of the commissioner's office.

8. Commander-in-Chief Mustafa Kemal Bey and Captain Nuri Bey, and his rifle, approached 17 Kanunevvel Deme...

File No: 157

Folder No : 34

Index: 20

Document No: 4

to the Ministry of War

February 21, 1327

Erkan-ı Harbiye Major Mustafa Kemal Bey, who was serving as the Deme Eastern Branch Command, became an officer of the Deme Command.

Benghazi General Commander Anwar

File No: 73

Folder No : 17

Index: 11

Document No: 5

General Commander-in-Chief, Military Staff Office

3rd Apr. 1328

On the Hadisat-ı Hereafter, Deme Commander Mustafa Kemal and Benghazi General Forces Chief of Staff, Chief of Staff Nuri Bey, to give permission to their movements in order to perform a service war in the operation of the Macedonian dâr-ul, is requested and the order in this chapter It is the exposure that they are doing intizar to the superintendent penahis. 1st Jul. 1328

dated password

General Commander Enver Bey

File No: 216

Folder No : 46

Index: 3

Document No: 6

11 Teşrinievvel 1328 To the Ministry of War About Commander-in-Chief Mustafa Kemal Bey

Mustafa Kemal Bey, Major of the Military Staff, joined the army on the 5th of Kanunievvel 1327 with his will. As he showed exceptionally good administration and power by being in the Deme Command in the Formerly Don't Say Eastern Branch Command and then in the Deme Command, despite the discomfort of his eyes, he served until the last time, this time due to esbab-ı malûme. It is exposed that since the peace was settled, it was moved so that it would not remain idle during the implementation of the Shari'ah. Governor and General Benghazi Commander Enver File No: 294 Folder No: 61 Index: 17 

Document No: 7 

To the Ministry of War,

It is the resolution of the encrypted telegram dated 28th Teşrinievvel 1328 from His Excellency Rauf Pasha, the Extraordinary Commissioner of Egypt.

Don't say Commander Major Mustafa Kemal Bey has arrived here. He stated that he would persevere in Dersaadet, demanding per diem, and that about a hundred more officers and officers were about to depart from Derne. There is no allotment for such occasions, and it is recommended to order a dispatch with a telegram policy if it is necessary from the amount sent to Enver Bey, as their stay here will cause their misery and will affect them.

File No: 167

Folder No : 37

Index : 2

1 Hamdi Ertuna 1911-1912 Ottoman-Italian War and Armed Forces Mustafa Kemal, Ankara 1984, p. 49

2 Uluğ İğdemir, Atatürk's Life, Ankara 1980, c. Work. 13.

3 Yusuf Hikmet Bayur, Atatürk, His Life and Work, Ankara 1963, p. 49.

4 Yusuf Hikmet Bayur, supra, p. 50.

5 Lord Kinross, Atatürk, Rebirth of a Nation, Istanbul 1981, p. 87.

6 Hamdi Ertuna, supra, p. 144

7 Hamdi, Ertuna, supra, p. 207-208.

8 Ismail Hakki Babanzade. “The Egyptians and the Battle”, Tanin, 13 November 1911.

9 ATASE Archive, File No: 226, Folder No: 48, Index: 11, 8 October 1911.

10 Orhan Koloğlu, Tripoli-West War and Turkish Officers, Ankara 1979, p. 24.

11 England did not want the port of Sollum, which is very close to the Egyptian border, to pass to the Italians. He applied to the Ottoman Empire to connect this place to Egypt. He sent a unit of the Egyptian army there. In order to examine the situation of this place in the future, the Ottoman Power Committee decided that it should be administered by Egypt temporarily for the time being (Yusuf Hikmet Bayur, Türk İnkılâp Tarihi, vol. 2, part 1, pp. 103-104).

12 Lord Kinross, ibid, p. 88-90.

13 ibid, p. 91.

14 Hamdi Ertuna, supra, p. 72.

15 Lord Kinross, ibid, p. 91.

16 ATASE Archive, File No: 42, Folder No: 9, Index No: 8.

17 Hamdi Ertuna, supra, p. 208.

18 ATASE Archive, File No: 157, Folder No: 34, Index No: 20.

19 Yusuf Hikmet Bayur, supra, p. 50.

20 Hamdi Ertuna, supra, p. 208

21 ATASE Archive, File No: 73, Folder No: 17 Index No: 11

22 This notebook is in the Atatürk Archive in Çankaya Mansion.

23 ATASE Archive, File No: 216 Folder No: 46 Index No: 3.

24 ATASE Archive, File No: 294, Folder No: 61, Index No: 17

25 ATASE Archive, File No: 167, Folder No: 37, Index No: 2.

26 Uluğ İğdemir, The Life of Atatürk, c. I, TTK Ankara, p.

27 Atatürk's Geopolitical and Strategic Views, War Academies Command Pub. Istanbul 1981, p. 80.

Prof. Dr. Hale Şıvgın

Source: ATATÜRK ARAŞTIRMA MERKEZİ DERGİSİ, Sayı 10, Cilt IV, Kasım 1987