Erdoğan stresses 'Century of Türkiye' vision in Great Offensive hail

ANKARA

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, in a social media statement marking the anniversary of the Great Offensive, a major counterattack launched by Turkish armies in 1922, has emphasized the unification of the nation around the "Century of Türkiye" vision.

"Together with our nation, which reads the world, knows Türkiye's real potential and is aware of the importance of what it has, we will continue to advance towards our goals step by step," Erdoğan said in a statement on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Aug. 31.

The president attributed the nation's success to its unity and determination, "reflecting on the administration's efforts spanning education, health, security, justice, transportation, energy, industry, trade, agriculture, sports and social support systems."

"On this occasion, 101 years after the Great Offensive and 100 years since the establishment of our republic, we, as a nation, united around the vision of the 'Century of Türkiye' with the same feeling, resolution and determination," Erdoğan wrote.

"Leaving behind a century with all its bitterness and sweetness, we have proven the depth and solidity of the roots of our republic, the last link of our chain of states, each of which is the heir and representative of the other."

Erdoğan expressed gratitude to the public for "withstanding challenges posed by terrorist organizations and global political and economic pressures aimed at undermining Türkiye's unity and solidarity."

Despite external attempts to destabilize the country, the president said, Türkiye's rise would persist, citing its role in "resolving regional crises, safeguarding the oppressed and sharing political and military power with allies."

"We achieved this success despite those who tried to close Türkiye back to itself, just like before, and to drag it into vicious quarrels, meaningless fights and useless debates," he added.

Türkiye was occupied by Allied forces after the defeat of the Ottoman Empire at the end of the First World War (1914-1918). The occupation prompted Türkiye’s War of Independence in 1919.

One of the turning points of the war was when Greek forces were defeated during the Great Offensive in 1922, leading to the Turkish troops commanded by modern Türkiye founder Mustafa Kemal Atatürk to reach the Aegean Sea on Sept. 9 with the recapture of İzmir, which had been under Greek control since May 15, 1919.