Great Offensive
Turkish offensive during the Turkish War of Independence
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The Great Offensive (Turkish: Büyük Taarruz) was the largest and final military operation of the Turkish War of Independence, fought between the Turkish Armed Forces loyal to the government of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, and the Kingdom of Greece, ending the Greco-Turkish War. The offensive began on 26 August 1922 with the Battle of Dumlupınar. The Turks amassed around 98,000 men, the largest number since the beginning of the war, to begin the offensive against the Greek army of approximately 130,000 men.[10][11] From 31 August to 9 September, the front moved a distance of 300 km (190 mi) as the Greek troops retreated.[12] The Turkish army lacked motorized vehicles; its forces consisted of infantry and cavalry units, and logistical support was provided by a supply system based on ox carts.[13]
Turkish victory
- Armistice of Mudanya
- End of the Turkish War of Independence
changes
- Turkish capture of Smyrna
- Greek Army withdrawal from Western Anatolia
| Great Offensive | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Greco-Turkish War (1919–22) of the Turkish War of Independence | |||||||||
From the top left: Turkish artillery units, the forward operation of a Turkish cavalry unit during the Battle of Dumlupınar, the last Turkish soldiers to join the attack being sent off from Ulus Square with ceremonies and prayers, Turkish infantry units wait in the trenches for the attack, Greek soldiers on backward way. | |||||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||||
 Ankara Government |
 Greece | ||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
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Mustafa Kemal Pasha Fevzi Pasha İsmet Pasha |
Georgios Hatzianestis Nikolaos Trikoupis (POW) Kimon Digenis (POW) | ||||||||
| Strength | |||||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||||
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The Turkish troops reached the sea on 9 September with the capture of İzmir. The operation ended on 18 September 1922 with the capture of Erdek and Biga. The staggering defeat caused great dissent within the Greek army and a general loss of morale, which led to unwillingness to continue fighting. On top of this, numerous Greek divisions had been encircled and destroyed as effective fighting units, which meant that the Greek army had lost its offensive capabilities and was unable to organize a controlled retreat, leading to numerous Greek POWs.
Advance
The offensive started with the Battle of Dumlupınar, where the Turkish army defeated the Greek army within four days, paving the way for a rapid offensive. After Mustafa Kemal Atatürk's order issued in the Forces of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, the main part of the Turkish Army began moving toward İzmir and a secondary force began moving from Eskişehir toward Bursa.[14] The commander-in-chief of the Greek forces in Asia Minor, Nikolaos Trikoupis, surrendered on 29 August.[15][16] On 7 September, Aydın, Germencik and Kuşadası fell under Turkish control. On 16 September, the last Greek troops left Çeşme, and two days later the Greek III Corps left Erdek. The British Chief of Staff expressed his admiration for the Turkish military operation.[17]
Gallery
Turkish cavalry during a mopping-up operation
Turkish infantry in a trench
Fahrettin Altay and V Cavalry Corps officers
Greek soldiers retreating
A Turkish village burnt by retreating Greek troops
Inspection of the burned town of Turgutlu by a group of dignitaries and journalists
Greek POW officers in Ankara
Mustafa Kemal Pasha at Kocatepe hill, Afyonkarahisar
