Observations and Insights on Mustafa Kemal Pasha’s Western Anatolian Travels to Eskişehir, İzmit, Bilecik, and Bursa (January 1923)
Ali OkumuşMustafa Kemal Pasha's journey through Western Anatolia, encompassing Eskişehir, Bilecik, İzmit, and Bursa, and concluding in İzmir, marked his first extensive domestic tour and served as an opportunity for direct engagement with the public, effectively functioning as a public opinion survey. During this journey, Mustafa Kemal Pasha sought to assess the state of the military following the National Struggle and to address the concerns of the people directly, providing immediate and detailed responses to their inquiries. This research covers the part of the trip that took place between January 14 and February 17, 1923, and lasted a little more than a month, until the Pasha's arrival in Izmir on January 25, 1923. During this time Mustafa Kemal Pasha featured official ceremonies and large crowds welcoming him at each stop. He met with the public at train stations and cinema halls, listened to their grievances, and delivered explanations regarding the nation’s critical issues. Key topics on his agenda included the Lausanne Conference, the Caliphate, and the establishment of the People’s Party. This study traces Mustafa Kemal Pasha’s journey through Western Anatolia step by step, analysing his speeches and addresses to evaluate the process that ultimately led to the proclamation of the Republic.
Mustafa Kemal Paşa’nın Batı Anadolu’da Eskişehir, İzmit, Bilecik ve Bursa Seyahatlerine (Ocak 1923) Dair İzlenimler ve Bazı Tespitler
Ali OkumuşMustafa Kemal Paşa’nın Eskişehir, Bilecik, İzmit ve Bursa’yı kapsayan ve İzmir’de noktalanan, Batı Anadolu seyahati, halk ile doğrudan temas kurduğu, böylece kamuoyu yoklaması yapabildiği ilk geniş çaplı yurt gezisiydi. Bu seyahatinde Mustafa Kemal Paşa, Millî Mücadele’den sonra ordunun durumunu teftiş etmeyi ve halkın sorunlarını bizzat kendilerinden dinleyip, sorularına doğrudan cevap vermeyi amaçlıyordu. Bu araştırma, 14 Ocak-17 Şubat 1923 tarihleri arasında gerçekleşen ve bir aydan biraz daha uzun süren seyahatin Paşa’nın İzmir’e vardığı 25 Ocak 1923 tarihine kadarki kısmını kapsamaktadır. Bu süre zarfında Mustafa Kemal Paşa, gittiği her yerde resmî erkânın yanı sıra kalabalık halk kitleleri tarafından törenlerle karşılandı. İstasyonlarda, sinema salonlarında halk ile görüştü, onları dinledi ve kendisine ülke gündemiyle ilgili sorulan sorulara uzun uzun açıklamalar yaparak cevaplar verdi. Bu seyahat esnasında Mustafa Kemal Paşa’nın gündeminde Lozan Konferansı’ndaki tartışmalar, Hilafet meselesi, Halk Fırkası gibi konular bulunmaktaydı. Bu çalışmada, Mustafa Kemal Paşa’nın Batı Anadolu seyahati adım adım takip edilecek ve seyahat süresince konuşma ve nutukları incelenerek Cumhuriyet’e giden süreç değerlendirilecektir.
Mustafa Kemal Pasha’s journey through Western Anatolia, beginning in Ankara and culminating in the Economic Congress held in İzmir, with stops in Eskişehir, Bilecik, and a press conference in İzmit, served as a de facto public opinion survey. This journey, lasting approximately just over a month from January 14 to February 17, 1923, marked Mustafa Kemal Pasha’s first major domestic tour, providing him with direct contact with the public. By the time of this Western Anatolian tour, the War of Independence had concluded, and the country had been freed from occupation. Meanwhile, peace ne gotiations were ongoing at the Lausanne Conference. Alongside the Lausanne discussi ons, other pressing issues on the national agenda included debates surrounding the Caliphate and the establishment of the People’s Party, planned to be based in Ankara.
Following the War of Independence, Mustafa Kemal Pasha sought to assess the con dition of the army and directly engage with the public regarding his political agenda. As part of this plan, a meeting with the chief writers of İstanbul newspapers was organized in İzmit, which Mustafa Kemal Pasha intended to attend personally. During the early stages of his journey, Mustafa Kemal Pasha received tragic news upon his arrival in Eskişehir. His mother, Zübeyde Hanım, had passed away in İzmir.
Despite this personal loss, he chose not to alter his travel itinerary. Along his route, large crowds participated in welcome ceremonies, with stops at various train stations. At each station, Mustafa Kemal Pasha disembarked to meet with military officers, off11ici al delegations, and local personnel, while also greeting the public. In Bilecik and Vezirhan, the ceremonies were significant, but upon his arrival at Osmaneli station, he encountered a uniquely emotional event. Schoolchildren holding flags recited poems in his honor, and a young child delivered a poignant poem dedicated to Zübeyde Hanım. This act of remembrance carried deep meaning, as Mustafa Kemal Pasha’s mother had passed away just days earlier.
Due to his pre-planned journey, Mustafa Kemal Pasha was unable to attend his mot her’s funeral, though he ensured she was laid to rest with due respect. During his tra vels, people aware of his loss expressed their condolences at every stop, providing com fort and solidarity in his time of grief.
In İzmit, Mustafa Kemal Pasha held a meeting with the editors of İstanbul’s leading newspapers, delivering an extensive speech in the cinema hall. During this meeting, he addressed critical questions concerning the future of the Ankara Government, the Lausanne Conference, the Caliphate, and the People’s Party. Mustafa Kemal Pasha responded to each question with precision, providing subtle indications of the impen ding republican regime- which had not yet been officially proposed- and the eventual abolition of the Caliphate. The following day, he met with the public of İzmit, allowing them to ask any questions they wished. He then delivered a conference lasting seven hours in the same cinema hall.
After departing İzmit, Mustafa Kemal Pasha traveled to Bursa via Bilecik, where he addressed the city’s residents in the Şark Cinema Hall. There, he gave another compre hensive speech, addressing questions raised during his journey. Following his time in Bursa, he continued to İzmir where he attended the Economic Congress, which marked the final stage of his Western Anatolian tour.
This study seeks to illuminate the details of Mustafa Kemal Pasha’s Western Anatolian journey and analyze his speeches during this critical period. It concludes that this journey offered Mustafa Kemal Pasha a unique opportunity to directly gauge public opinion regarding the reforms he intended to implement. From this perspective, Mustafa Kemal Pasha’s Western Anatolian journey can be regarded as a significant step toward the eventual declaration of the Republic and the sweeping reforms that followed.
