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Liberation of İzmir
	Part of the Greco-Turkish War (1919–22)
	; Painting of the Turkish Army's entry into İzmir (located at Anıtkabir)
Date	9 September 1922
Location	İzmir, Turkey
Result	Turkish victory Armistice of Mudanya; Great fire of Smyrna;
Territorial; changes	Greece withdrawal from Anatolia
Belligerents
Ankara Government	Greece
Commanders and leaders
Mustafa Kemal Pasha; Fahrettin Pasha; Mürsel Pasha; Colonel Ahmet Zeki; Colonel Mehmet Suphi	Aristeidis Stergiadis
Strength
1st Cavalry Division; 2nd Cavalry Division; 14th Cavalry Division; Total: 9,100 – 9,200	40,000 (4 divisions)

The Turkish retake of Izmir or the Liberation of İzmir (Turkish: İzmir'in Kurtuluşu) marked the end of the 1919–1922 Greco-Turkish War, and the culmination of the Turkish War of Independence. On 9 September 1922, following the headlong retreat of the Greek army after its defeat at the Battle of Dumlupınar and its evacuation from western Anatolia, the Turkish 5th Cavalry Corps under the command of Major-General Fahrettin Altay within Turkish Army under the command of Mustafa Kemal Pasha marched into the city of Smyrna (modern İzmir), bringing three years of Greek occupation to an end.^[4]

Accounts of capture

Accounts of the Turkish entry vary in sources. According to Giles Milton, the first Turkish unit to enter the city on 9 September was a cavalry troop that was met by Captain Thesiger of HMS King George V. Captain Thesiger in his report inaccurately stated that he spoke to the 3rd Cavalry Regiment's commander. In reality he spoke with the 13th Cavalry Regiment's commander with Lieutenant Colonel Atıf Esenbel within the 2nd Cavalry Division, as the 3rd Regiment under the command of Colonel Ferit was liberating Kar şıyaka under the 14th Cavalry Division.^[5]^[6] The inaccuracy of British reports throughout the war were also remarked by the British Prime Minister Lloyd George.^[7] Lieutenant Ali Rıza Akıncı's unit also met with a British officer in a car on the railroad tracks near the sea. The officer told them not to enter the city, yet they did not listen and continued their march. At the moment they entered the Kordon they encountered a French captain in a black automobile which urged them to be quick and shouted the following: "Hurry, your homeland is about to be burned. The Armenians will burn the city, save the people, occupy the city at once." The Cavalry continued their march. On their road thousands of Greek soldiers and officers as well as Irregulars were throwing their weapons and surrendering.^[8] Though a tense stand-off ensued and a grenade, which failed to explode, was tossed at the feet of the Turkish cavalry officer (The grenade thrower is also mentioned by George Horton as "some fool threw a bomb", and that the commander of the unit "received bloody cuts about the head."^[9]) Grace Williamson, of the city's English Nursing Home, remarked, "What a week we have spent!! I believe there was hardly a bit of trouble, only one silly fellow fired at the officers ... No shooting in the streets!"^[10] Captain Şerafettin's horse as a result of the grenade wounds died. Unlike Horton and Williamson, Captain Şerafettin does not use the words fool or silly and mentions the grenade thrower as a civilian who had a sword in his belt. The grenade also wounded the captain.^[11]

Lieutenant Ali Rıza Akıncı, the first Turkish officer to hoist the Turkish flag in Smyrna (present day Izmir) on the 9th of September, and his unit of thirteen cavalrymen were ambushed by a volley fire by 30-40 rifles from the Tuzakoğlu factory after being saluted and congratulated by a French Marine platoon in the Halkapınar bridge. This volley of fire killed 3 cavalrymen instantly and fatally wounded another.^[11] They were relieved by Captain Şerafettin and his 2 units, which encircled the factory. Moreover, Captain Şerafettin, as well as Lieutenant Ali Rıza Akıncı, were wounded by a grenade thrown by a Greek irregular in front of the Pasaport building. The lieutenant was wounded lightly from his nose and his leg, and his horse from its belly.^[8] A monument was later erected on the spot where these cavalrymen were fallen. Pockets of resistance continued; a Turkish Cavalryman was wounded by rifle shots coming from the houses in Kokaryalı neighbourhood.^[12] General of the Fifth Cavalry Corps Fahrettin Altay claims that on 10 September Turkish forces belonging to the 2nd and the 3rd Cavalry Divisions detained 3,000 Greek soldiers, 50 Greek Officers, and a brigadier commander in the south of the city centre, who were retreating from Aydın while the ones with horses were able to escape to Çeşme.^[13] Greek soldier Vasilis Diamantopoulos, who in 1922 was among the units that retreated from Aydın, after the local Greeks and other Christians left the city without their belongings and also burnt their own homes so the Turks wouldn't find them intact,^[14] was captured along with his entire 18th regiment which was commanded by Colonel Zenginis on the evening of 10 September by the Turkish regular cavalry. Only the left guard unit of Major Vamvakopoulos' battalion was able to escape except the units under the command of Captain Katsikas which surrendered on the 11th of September.^[15] 4th Cavalry Regiment under the command of Filibeli Kaymakam-Major Ali Reşat Bey within the 2nd Cavalry Division were among the troops that captured Zenginis and his units.^[12] Diamantopoulos however, claimed that a day later the prisoners that were sent away to Manisa amounted to 3,500.^[16]

Fire in the city

Just a few days after its capture, a massive fire broke out, consuming the city's Armenian and Greek neighbourhoods. The Jewish and Muslim quarters were not damaged in the fire.^[17]

Legacy

9 September is a local holiday commemorating the Turkish capture of Smyrna.^[18] Dokuz Eylül University (9 September University) is named in honour of it.^[19] Mustafa Kemal (later Atatürk), who founded the Republican People's Party, chose 9 September 1923 as the official date of establishment of his party to commemorate the capture.

References

^ Niş, Kemal; Söker, Reşat; Ercan, Tevfik; Anıt, Çetin (December 1995). Türk İstiklal Harbi II. Cilt Batı Cephesi 6. Kısım III. Kitap Büyük Taarruzda Takip Harekatı (31 Ağustos - 18 Eylül 1922) (in Turkish). Ankara, Türkiye: Genelkurmay Atase Başkanlığı Yayınları. p. 172. ISBN 9789754090598.
^ Niş, Kemal; Söker, Reşat; Ercan, Tevfik; Anıt, Çetin (December 1995). Türk İstiklal Harbi II. Cilt Batı Cephesi 6. Kısım III. Kitap Büyük Taarruzda Takip Harekatı (31 Ağustos - 18 Eylül 1922) (in Turkish). Ankara, Türkiye: Genelkurmay Atase Başkanlığı Yayınları. pp. 313–314. ISBN 9789754090598.
^ Greeks surrender Smyrna to Turks after shell fire, New York Times, published September 10, 1922.
^ Smith, Michael Llewellyn (1973). Ionian Vision: Greece in Asia Minor, 1919–1922. New York: St. Martin's Press. pp. 293–300.
^ "KARŞIYAKA". izmir.ktb.gov.tr. Retrieved 2022-12-08.
^ Öngel, Çağlar (2022-11-28). "26-31 Ağustos 1922 Tarihleri Arasında 14. Süvari Tümeni'nin Harekâtı". Afyon Kocatepe Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi (in Turkish). 24 (100. Yılında Kocatepe-Büyük Taarruz Özel Sayısı): 248–266. doi:10.32709/akusosbil.1144134. hdl:11630/10734. ISSN 1302-1265.
^ MacMillan, Margaret (2003). Peacemakers: Six Months That Changed the World. John Murray. p. 445. ISBN 9780719562372. Our military intelligence had never been more thoroughly unintelligent.
^ ^a ^b Aksoy, Yaşar (2021). İstiklal Süvarisi - İzmir'in Kurtuluşu: Teğmen Ali Riza Akıncı'nın Hatıratı (in Turkish). İstanbul, Turkey: Kırmızı Kedi Yayınevi. pp. 103–109. ISBN 9786052988022.
^ Horton, George (1926). The Blight of Asia, An Account of the Systematic Extermination of Christian Populations by Mohammedans and of the Culpability of Certain Great Powers; with the True Story of the Burning of Smyrna. Indianapolis, United States of America: Bobbs-Merrill. p. 127.
^ Milton, Giles. Paradise Lost: Smyrna 1922: the Destruction of Islam's City of Tolerance (London: John Murray Press, 2008), pp. 254-55.
^ ^a ^b Aydın, Aybay (1999-09-10). "İzmir'in Kurtuluşu ve Yüzbaşı Şerafettin". Cumhuriyet. p. 2. Süvari Kolordusu'nun 2. fırkasının 4. alayının alay kumanda muavini idim. 8/9 Eylül gecesini Manisa ve Bornova arasındaki Sabuncu Boğazı'nda geçirdik. 9'uncu günü alelsabah harekete geçtik... Bornova'nın şimaline yaklaştığımız zaman üzerimize hafif bir piyade ateşi açıldı.. Mukabeleye lüzum görmeyerek Bornova'ya dahil oldum... İki bölüğümle İzmir'e doğru yürüyüşe geçtim... Mersinli'yi geçtikten sonra Tuzakçıoğlu fabrikasının önüne geldiğimizde fabrika dahilinden üzerimize ateş edildi. Dört askerim burada şehit oldu. Daha sonra kılıçları çektirdim ve Punta'ya (Alsancak) doğru yürüdüm... Punta istasyonu köşesinden hareketle Kordonboyu'na çıktık... Pasaport dairesinin önüne geldiğimizde, belinde kayışı ve kasaturası, elinde silahı olan bir sivile silahını bırakmasını söyledim. "Bırakmam" diyerek elindeki bombayı üzerime attı, atımın karnı parçalandı ve öldü. Ben de iki yerimden yaralandım. Süratle yürüyüşe devam ettik. Hükümet konağına geldik. Kapılar kapalıydı. Yan kapıdan girerek cephedeki kapıyı açtık. Şanlı bayrağımızı çektim
^ ^a ^b Aksoy, Yaşar (2021). İstiklal Süvarisi - İzmir'in Kurtuluşu: Teğmen Ali Riza Akıncı'nın Hatıratı (in Turkish). İstanbul, Turkey: Kırmızı Kedi Yayınevi. pp. 134–137. ISBN 9786052988022.
^ Altay, Fahrettin (1970). Görüb Geçirdiklerim-10 YIL SAVAŞ 1912-1922 VE, SONRASI (in Turkish). İstanbul, Turkey: İnsel Yayınları. pp. 363–364. Bu güzel hayal alemi betti kumandanlıktan acele olarak çağırmaları ile son buldu gittiğimde Mustafa Kemal ile Cephe Kumandanı İsmet Paşa oturuyorlardı bana şu emri verdiler : «— Aydın cihetinden çekilen bir düşman kuvveti Izmire yaklaşarak Kadifekalesine top ateşi açtı. Hazır olan kuvvetleri oraya gönderdik. Diğer kuvvetleri de al oraya git bu DÜŞMANI TEPELE...» Vakit geçirmeden emrin tatbikine geçtim, kurmaylarımı alarak Eşrefpaşa mahallesinin üstüne çıktım. Buradan birliklerime lâzım gelen emirleri gönderdim. 2. Süvari Tümeni KIZILÇULLU zeytinlikleri içinde bu düşmanla çarpışıyordu, getirdiğim kuvvetleri ileri sürdüm düşman bozuldu, bunların karşısından gelen DENİZLİ ÇOLAK İBRAHİM BEY kumandasındaki 3. Süvari Tümenimizle de irtibat hasıl ettikten sonra yaptığımız şiddetli saldırışa karşı dayanamayan düşman teslim bayrağını çekmek zorunda kaldı. Atlara binip ÇEŞME ye doğru kaçanların dışında BİR TUGAY KOMUTANI ile ELLİYE YAKIN SUBAY ve ÜÇ BİN KADAR ASKER esir edildi dört top ile bazı eşya ele geçirildi. Bunlar İzmir e doğru yola çıkarılırken topların başında yazdiğım raporu da gönderdim.
^ Διαμαντόπουλος, Βασίλης (1977). ΑΙΧΜΑΛΩΤΟΣ ΤΩΝ ΤΟΥΡΚΩΝ (1922-1923) (in Greek). Athens, Greece: Private. pp. 13–14. Άπό την έπομένη, ένώ άκόμη δέν είχε δοθεί καμιά διαταγή γιά σύμπτυξη καί ύποχώρηση, οί έλληνες κάτοικοι της πόλης Άϊδίνι ώς καί άλλοι χριστιανοί, άνέβαιναν στους σιδηροδρομικούς συρμούς πού άναχωρούσαν γιά τή Σμύρνη, παρατώντας στό χώρο του σταθμού τα υπάρχοντά τους καί το χειρότερο βάζοντας φωτιά στα σπίτια των για να μή τα βρουν άκέραια οί τουρκοι. Προσπάθειες στρατιωτικών τμημάτων να σβύσουν τίς πυρκαγιές δεν έφερναν κανένα άποτέλεσμα.
^ Διαμαντόπουλος, Βασίλης (1977). ΑΙΧΜΑΛΩΤΟΣ ΤΩΝ ΤΟΥΡΚΩΝ (1922-1923) (in Greek). Athens, Greece: Private. p. 38. Ό Ζεγκίνης και οί άλλοι άξιωματικοί που άκουσαν τους πυροβολισμούς καί είδαν τους νεκρους αρχισαν να φωνάζουν. «Παιδιά μή το κάνετε αυτό, μη στενοχωριέστε, ή αιχμαλωσία μας θα είναι λιγοήμερη, θά πάμε στην πατρίδα μας». Πλησίασαν οί τούρκοι καβαλλάρηδες και ή παράδοση σ' αύτούς έγινε κατά ώρα 5 άπογευματινή τής 28ης Αϋγουστου ήμέρα Κυριακή. Παραδόθηκε όλη η στρατιωτική δύναμη που βρισκόταν εκεί εκτός του τάγματος Βαμβακόπουλου, το οποίο σαν εμπροσθοφυλακή και αριστερή πλαγιοφυλακή που είχε ταχτεί, είχε προχωρήσει μαχόμενο και όταν πλέον είχε νυχτώσει από τους βραδυπορούντες στρατιώτες του. 'Όπως μάθαμε και αυτού του τάγματος τμήμα υπό τον λοχαγό Κατσίκαν παραδόθηκε την επομένη
^ Διαμαντόπουλος, Βασίλης (1977). ΑΙΧΜΑΛΩΤΟΣ ΤΩΝ ΤΟΥΡΚΩΝ (1922-1923) (in Greek). Athens, Greece: Private. pp. 43–44. Στη φάλαγγα θα ήσαν περίπου 3.500 αιχμάλωτοι. Κατα διαστήματα στα πλάγια της φάλαγγας βάδιζαν τούρκοι στρατιώτες, φρουροί μας. Αυτοί όμως έμεναν τελείως αδιάφοροι και δεν κατάβαλαν καμιά προσπάθεια να μας προστατέψουν απο τις κακοποιήσεις του όχλου.
^ See Marjorie Housepian Dobkin, Smyrna 1922: The Destruction of a City (New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1971; 2nd ed. Kent, OH: Kent State University Press, 1988); Giles Milton, Paradise Lost: Smyrna, 1922 (New York: Basic Books, 2008).
^ [1] Turkey’s Izmir marks 97th anniversary of Liberation Day
^ [2] ABOUT DOKUZ EYLÜL UNIVERSITY