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Mustafa Kemal was given the surname “Atatürk”
upon the adoption of the Surname Law. |
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| Latin script was approved by the TGNA on November 1, 1928. The weights and length units were changed in 1931. Commercial and economic transactions were facilitated with the adaptation of the metric system and a standard system of measurement was established throughout Turkey. |
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Upon the adoption of the Surname Law on June 21, 1934, Mustafa Kemal, the founder of the modern Turkish Republic, was given the surname “Atatürk” (Father of the Turks).
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The clause in the Constitution stating, “The religion of the state is Islam” was repealed in 1928 by an amendment. The Turkish Historical Society was established in 1931 and the Turkish Linguistic Society in 1932. And in 1937, the secularity of Turkey was added to the Constitution as a clause. |
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 Domestic and Foreign Policies in the Atatürk Period: Atatürk was determined to ensure that the reforms were embraced by the people. However adverse opinions started to be voiced even in the reformist CHP, which established the state. The members of the opposition, including a group of respected commanders of the National War of Independence such as Rauf Orbay, Kazım Karabekir |
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Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and Kazım Karabekir - February 9, 1923 |
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| and Ali Fuat Cebesoy, who thought that the reforms did not fit the social and political structure of the country, resigned from the CHP and established the Progressive Republican Party. Kazım Karabekir was elected chairman of the party. But when the reactionary Sheik Said Rebellion broke out in Southeastern Anatolia, the government closed down the Progressive Republican Party on June 3,1925. |
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The multi-party democracy was one of the biggest ideals of Atatürk. For this reason he had the former Prime Minister Fethi Okyar establish the Free Party. Under the leadership of Fethi Okyar, who was opposed to İsmet İnönü, the party attracted great public interest and grew at an unexpected pace. However, due to the distressing events which occurred during Okyar’s trip to İzmir, the party dissolved itself on November 17, 1930. |
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The special characteristic of the early years of the Republic was to pursue a foreign policy based on the National Pact and peace. Thanks to successful diplomacy, the İstanbul and the Dardanelles straits were included in the national defense system (Montreaux Agreement, 1936) and the friendship policies pursued with regard to all neighboring countries were expanded by the Balkan (1934) and the Sadabad pacts. |
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| Hatay was the last foreign policy issue which involved Atatürk. Atatürk, known for his dynamism, strong intuition, precise assessment of balances of power and correct evaluation of domestic and foreign circumstances, solved |
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