-I-

Gazi spent the night of 25-26 August in Kocatepe. Now, let's listen to Osman Sergeant, who was in Kocatepe that night:

- "There was fire in his eyes. We were afraid to look at his face. Even his closest friends could not ask him anything. The preparation for the attack was certain. But when and where the attack would begin? Nobody knew. The commanders did not say anything to anyone, the same words were heard from everyone's mouth: " Victory will be ours soon!" And we were looking forward to our days under the influence of this word. But I will never forget that night Gazi spent in Kocatepe for a long time. He broke through the darkness of the night with his strong eyes like a projector and was not afraid of the dark. Now I can't remember who he was." Gazi was asking a tall friend:

- "Do you still insist on returning to Ankara?"

- "Yes... I am very tired. I want to rest for five or ten days."

- "Five or ten days? But in these five or ten days, everything will be over, then you can rest!"

- "A miracle is needed for a case that lasted three or five years to be concluded in five or ten days!"

- "Mankind has been able to create these miracles many times. If you stay here, you will witness one of these miracles and maybe the last one!"

Iskender Fahri Sertelli

Source:  Iskender Fahri Sertelli, Yeniturk Magazine, 1941

-II-

Breakfast on the Morning of Victory

Staff Major Ethem Altan explains:

"The morning of the Great Attack... Atatürk is in Kocatepe... It is dawning.

The morning silence was broken by a flying cannonball tearing through the sky. Then all the Turkish artillery began to spit fire. The positions of the enemy, which were thought to be impregnable, were being turned upside down. In an instant, everything was covered in fire and smoke. It was burning everywhere. The scene was indeed exemplary: the fire is getting fiercer; Along with the fortunes of the Turkish Nation, the sun was rising gracefully. Atatürk gathered his cloak under him and sat on the rocks. He had no distraction; was smiling. The future of the Turkish Nation was shining in his golden hair, which was stroking by the morning light. He was very happy.

“Now bring the breakfast!” he called out.

Two slices of military bread, a few olives, and a piece of feta cheese arrived on a tray. That's all. He ate them with great appetite. Yes, the commander Atatürk, who challenged the greatness of the seven heifers and gave life to an innocent nation, was having breakfast. If he had wanted to, he would not have had what he had in all respects in the bright and gilded halls on golden trays. No, she likes that. That's how he wanted it. It sets an example not only for the Turkish Nation, but also for histories and the world."

Source: Atatürk "Bugün" Olsaydı, Cemal Kutay, İklim Yayıncılık, 2. Baskı, 2005, ISBN: 975-98884-1-6, Sayfa: 428