Gallipoli war has many deep meanings that are even valid for present. Both for Turkish side and ANZAC side, the history gave medals to those soldiers. Even Indian soldiers were fighting under British command but they weren’t enemy of Turkish troops. The weird impact of this war was against the spirit of war. A war is always expected to be wild but this fight had some gentle rules. Do you know that there were ceasefires to collect the dead soldiers of both sides or Indian soliders prayed together with Turkish troops?
Every enemy soldier was aware of the fact that Turkish troops were defending their land. Turkish troops were from every age, you could see a soldier of 15 or a soldier of 40. None of them went back to their home.
Even medical science school in Istanbul didn’t graduate any student in 1918 as they were all martyred. Every citizen came to Gallipoli to defend their land against enemy. Ottoman forces were under the command of German commander but a Turkish officer was ahead among all officers. That was Mustafa Kemal. He fought on the frontier active and he stopped the ANZAC forces by the right tactics and placements. Finally the enemy forces couldn’t pass Gallipoli. They couldn’t help Russian royal family and leftists were in force. We had a new genius commander who would take his place in history; Mustafa Kemal. Australians and New Zealands got the emotion to be a nation. After Gallipoli war, ANZAC troops went back to their land as an Australian or New Zealander.
We know that many Turkish troop and ANZAC soldiers couldn’t kill each other so easy. But it was the war and we were defending our land. Some memorial objects from ANZAC soldiers were brought back to their families later.
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk adressed the families of ANZAC soldiers after the independence war. He told the mothers and families to feel happy because ANZAC soldiers that lied next to Turkish troops became the son of this land. Even the grandchildren of them come here and honour their grandfathers. You can see the monument on the beginning of the page.
Due to COVID-19 outbreak, the ceremonies couldn’t be held like all events.