Battle of Dumlupınar

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Contents 1 Background 2 Preparations 3 The battle 4 Results 5 References

Battle of Dumlupınar
Part of the Greco-Turkish War (1919-1922)
Memorial for the Battle of Dumlupınar
Date 26 August - 30 August 1922 Location Near Afyonkarahisar, Turkey Result Decisive Turkish victory
Combatants
Turkey	Greece
Commanders
General Mustafa Kemal Atatürk	General Hatzianestis

Greco-Turkish War (1919-1922)
Smyrna (İzmir) - Aydın - 1st İnönü - 2nd İnönü - Sakarya - Dumlupinar

The Battle of Dumlupınar was the last battle in the Greco-Turkish War (1919-1922), which is part of the Turkish War of Independence. The battle was fought during 26 August - 30 August 1922, near Afyonkarahisar in Turkey.

[edit] Background

Following the attrition battle on the Sakarya River (Battle of Sakarya) in August-September 1921, the Greek forces under General Papoulas retreated to a defensive line extending from the town of İzmit (Nicomedia) to the towns of Eskişehir and Afyonkarahisar. The Greek line formed a 700-km arc stretching a North-South direction along difficult hilly ground with high hills, called tepes rising out of broken terrain and was considered to be easily defensible. A single track railway line ran from Afyonkarahisar to Dumlupınar, a fortified valley town some 30 miles West of Afyonkarahisar surrounded by the mountains Murat Dağı and Ahır Dağı, and thence to İzmir (Smyrna) on the coast. This railway was the main supply route of the Greeks. The Greek HQ at Smyrna was effectively incapable of communicating with the front or exercising operational control.

[edit] Preparations

Following the unsuccessful outcome of the Battle of Sakarya, the Greek command structure underwent many changes. Significant forces were withdrawn from the line and redeployed in Thrace for an offensive against İstanbul, which never materialised. The remaining Greek forces were under the overall command of General Hatzianestis, who had replaced General Papoulas in May 1922, and was widely regarded as mad.^{[citation needed]} The morale of the Greek troops was not high, as many had already been under arms for several years, and there was no prospect for a quick resolution of the war. Political dissent and the fact that they were occupying unfriendly territories further depressed their morale.

Despite pressure to attack building up at Ankara, Mustafa Kemal who had been appointed C-in-C of the Turkish Army, waited and utilized the breathing space to strengthen his forces and split the Allies through adroit diplomatic moves, ensuring that French and Italian sympathies lay with Turks rather than the Greeks. This diplomatically isolated the pro-Greek British.

He finally decided to strike the Greeks in August 1922. Knowing that Turkish forces were only adequate to mount one major offensive, he strengthened the Turkish 1st Army under Nureddin Pasha, which was deployed against the southern flank of the Greek salient jutting out to Afyonkarahisar. It was a risky gamble, because if the Greek Arny counter-attacked on his weakened right flank and pivoted south, his forces would be cut off.

On the eve of the battle, the Greeks enjoyed an edge in manpower and were better equipped with machine guns, field guns and transport. The Turks had more heavy artillery and superior cavalry commanded by the Gen. Fahrettin.

The defences were manned by the Greek A' Corps commanded by Gen. Tricoupis, with HQ at Afyonkarahisar. The four divisions of this corps covered an area of 180 km. On the north of the Greek A' Corps lay the Greek B' Corps under Gen. Dighenis, which covered a sector of 170 km with five divisions. Each Greek division comprised 2-3 infantry regiments, 2 mountain artillery batteries (75mm), and one 105mm battery. Although numerically strong, the Greeks were very deficient on heavy artillery (only 40 outdated pieces existed in the entire front) and cavalry (one half-company per division).

[edit] The battle

The Turkish attack opened against the Southern flank of the Afyonkarahisar salient on the morning of August 26, 1922. Watched from the commanding peak of Kocatepe by Mustafa Kemal, CGS Fevzi Pasha, İsmet İnönü and Nureddin, Turkish guns silenced the Greek batteries by knocking out the Greek observation posts. Turkish infantry advanced against strong opposition and made significant gains. The breakthrough came next day when the Turkish 4 Corps under Col. Sami took the 5000 feet high peak of Erkmentepe, and Fahrettin led his cavalry into Greek rear areas. The Greeks fell into disarray. General Frangou (commanding the Greek I Division) retreated West from Dumlupınar, losing touch with A' Corps. The Greek Corps commanders Tricoupis and Dighenis fell back on Dumlupınar, their disintegrating forces running for İzmir. The Turks closed the ring around Dumlupınar on August 30th, Fevzi and Mustafa Kemal commanding the two encircling columns. Tricoupis and Dighenis, who were trying to escape North from Dumlupınar across the slopes of Murat Dağı, were surrounded on September 2/3 as they descended to the Banaz valley.

[edit] Results

See also: Great Fire of Smyrna

The Turks chased the fleeing Greeks 250 miles to İzmir, which was burned as the Greek army and civilian population fled. The last Greek troops left Anatolia on 16th September. The Armistice of Mudanya was signed by Turkey, Italy, France and Great Britain on October 11th, 1922. Greece was forced to accede to it on October 14th.

To commemorate this victory, August 30 is celebrated as Victory Day (Zafer Bayramı), a national holiday in Turkey.

[edit] References