2449) Armenians Claims that are Attributed to Atatürk

“The issue that is called as Armenian question and is attempted to be solved in accordance with the economic interests of the world capitalists, more than the real interests of the Armenian nation, has reached its best solution with the Kars agreement. The friendship ties of the two diligent nations, who have coexisted friendly, were established once again.

Mustafa Kemal Atatürk
1 March 1922-GNAT Opening Speech of Third Assembly

The First Claim against Atatürk

The claims against Atatürk were expressed frequently by Armenians at various platforms and these were (and still are being) used with propaganda intentions. The first mistake or intention on the issue has resulted from the expression at the footnote on the pages 121 and 122 at the book entitled “Lé Désastre d’Alexandrette, 1934–1938”, which was published in 1938 at Paris by a French author called Paul du Véou. According to Paul du Véou Mustafa Kemal had witnessed at “Divan-i Harb-i Örfi’ Court in Istanbul on 27 January 1920 and during his testimony, he expressed that Turks had massacred Armenians.

French author Paul du Véou has probably put the quotation in question without making a research to the footnote of his book with the influence of untrue news entitled “Déclaration de Mustafa Kemal”, which had been published in the newspapers of Le Bosphore and La Renaissance by the Armenians in French under the supervision of the Allied Forces during 1919-1920 when Istanbul was under invasion.

The footnote that was used by Paul du Véou was later used by Armenian priest Jean Naslian as well.

Stating that “Mustafa Kemal, who has always been proud of not committing murder, has confessed the following to ‘Divan-i Harp’ court on 28 January by blaming several people”, Naslian had confused Mustafa Kemal with Mustafa Pasha from Süleymaniye, who was called “Cruel Mustafa” due to his cruelties and who was a member of the court, which was to be found later. And again Guergian, an Armenian author had warned the priest in question before his book was published for the mentioned expression was a mistake and stated that the expression should be taken out of the book. However, it was not taken out.

“Similar mistakes were repeated by many Armenian authors one year later on 27 February 1919 or 28 January 1920.

“…After Guergian, whom we mentioned above, James Tashjian, an Armenian author, also indicated that Mustafa Kemal was confused with Cruel Mustafa by the Armenian authors and it was insisted on this mistake. Again an American priest, who inhabited in New York, had written an article, which attempted to correct this mistake at Masis weekly, which was published in Beirut in 1967.

The most significant point, which turns this claim into invalid argument, is Mustafa Kemal Atatürk’s presence in Ankara on 27 January 1920.

In other words, it was also technically impossible for Mustafa Kemal to be a witness at this court, which was located in Istanbul.

Another point, which turns this claim into an invalid argument, is the fact that “the Divan-I Harb” on 27 January 1920. Mustafa Kemal was in Ankara together with many others as it was expressed above on 27 January 1920.

Second Claim against Atatürk
Another point that was attributed to Mustafa Kemal, is the so-called statement of his to “Los Angeles Examiner” newspaper in 1926. This issue was repeated at various publications and it was even carried to the USA Congress and used as a propaganda tool by the Armenians. For instance; during his speech at the USA House of Representatives in 1985 Lehman, member of House of Representatives, indicated that Atatürk had admitted that genocide had occurred, so Turks should also admit this fact. A similar speech was delivered by Senator Lewis of the USA Senate in 1994. However, the interview in question was proved to be completely fake in the book entitled “Another Falsification “Statement” (1926) Wrongly Atributed to M.Kemal Atatürk” (Ankara: Sistem Ofset, 1988) by Professor Türkkaya Ataöv at Political Sciences Faculty of Ankara University without leaving a space for any doubt.

As it was indicated in professor Ataöv’s book, Atatürk had never made such a statement. Because;

1. All the statements and speeches of Atatürk were recorded by more than one official and semi-official publication. There is no such a statement in the mentioned newspaper.

2. There is no evidence pointing out that the Swedish journalist Hilderband, who is claimed to be the person, whom Atatürk had made his statement there is even no proof for the existence of a person carrying this name at the documents that were given by the Switzerland officials.

3. The statements that were made to the other foreign institutions by Atatürk contain just the opposite information that the afore-mentioned newspaper claimed.

4. The mentioned publication contains many mistakes on the names of people, location and date.

Third Claim against Atatürk
It was stated that Mustafa Kemal Atatürk had condemned the genocide policy of Jon Turks leaders during a speech, which was delivered on 24 April 1920.

On Saturday, 24 April 1924, the day after GNAT was opened, a session that contained five hearings was realized and Mustafa Kemal Pasha had only delivered long speeches during the four hearings, but he didn’t delivered a speech on the fifth hearing. During the first three hearings, where Mustafa Kemal Pasha delivered speeches, the negotiations were not closed, but the fourth hearing was secret.

Mustafa Kemal Pasha had made a general evaluation over the incidents (political, military) that had developed from Montreux until the month of April of 1920 by means of quite a long speech.

During the secret and open hearings of these sessions, all the speeches of Mustafa Kemal Pasha were carefully examined, nevertheless, a sentence, which is expressed at the New Thousand Years Newspaper dated 8 October 2000, had not been encountered. On the contrary, they encountered to some expression of Mustafa Kemal Pasha indicating that he does not consider acting hostile against the “Ittihat ve Terakki” is right. Mustafa Kemal had made the following statements on the Armenians and Armenian question:

After reading the telegram that was sent to him by Celal Pasha, Mustafa Kemal Pasha read the respond he had given to him at the chair of the Assembly. He had expressed his views as following:

“As a matter of fact, we do not consider the hostility against the non-Muslims and “Ittihat ve Terakki” is right. We only oppose to the owners, who misuse their powers, which ruined the country.”

In any event, when the speeches of Mustafa Kemal Pasha were closely examined, it was determined that he did not make any statement of this kind, and on the contrary, he had make attention provoking statements on the issue.

A New Claim that was Attributed to Atatürk
The following declaration was made on the membership of Turkey to Europe Union at the draft law of the Foreign Relations Committee of the European Parliament on 22 November 2001 :

Turkey’s candidacy for EU membership presents exceptional opportunities and motives which guarantees intensifying Turkey’s flexibility on the conflicts in the region particularly for Armenia. This is true both for the closure of the border and for the view on 1915 genocide. The recognition of the Armenian genocide by European parliament and some member countries and the heavy punishment that was applied by Turkish regime against the ones who were responsible of genocide after the World War I, enables an opportunity for European Union for dealing with the issue by presenting constructive precautions like forming a constitution, where international in addition to multi-sided historians would come together on the 1915 Armenian genocide.”

There is a footnote at the above-mentioned paragraph of the draft, which is mentioned in the European parliament:

The demand for the recognition of genocide is mostly presented by Armenian politicians. As it is reported, during the speech that was delivered in the GNAT on 10 April 1921 Kemal Atatürk stated that the Jon Turks regime committed genocide against Armenians during the World War I…”

It was impossible to deliver such a speech at the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (GNAT).

During 2.IV.1337 (2 April 1921) and 30.IV.1337 (30 April 1921) thirteen (13) sessions had been realized at GNAT. All the sessions at GNAT that was made at the month of April, 1921 were examined from the minutes of GNAT and it was designated that Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the speaker of the assembly, did not attend to any of these sessions-including the covered sessions-and as a result he had not delivered a speech.

In the end of the examinations, it was designated that a bill on “amnesty”, which dated 3.XI.1336 and numbered 5/2685 during the 4th Hearing of the 23rd Session was read in the absence of Mustafa Kemal Pasha and again it was designated that “resolutions” dated 28.IV.1337 were read, and it was observed that he had not made any statement on the issues of Armenia or Armenians.

Even if it is a draft report, the move of the European Parliament for taking a false statement under records without making a research on it, is not something very strange in a way. The same things are done by the Armenian lobby intentionally at the USA Parliament frequently. For instance; news, which is published at a newspaper are presented to the Congress without making any research on it and it is insisted to be taken under registrations. In the forth coming years, these news, which have been taken under registration, are used as “source Congress minutes” by the Armenian propaganda makers as official congress documents.

Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, who was accused by the Armenians, responded the issue in his “Great Speech”, which was written by himself, as following:

“Gentleman, in order to give an idea on how much the offer is inappropriate, let us remember the circumstances at those days. It should not be doubted that the statements on Armenian massacre were unreal. On the contrary, the Armenians, who were armed by the foreign powers at the Southern regions attacked Muslims, where they inhabited, taking courage of the protections they enjoyed. They followed a policy towards killing and destroying with the intention of taking revenge. That’s how the incident in Maras occurred. The Armenians, who united with the foreign powers, destroyed an old Muslim city such as Maras with guns and cannons. Thousands of homeless and innocent mothers and children were murdered with torture. It was the Armenians, who had done this violence, which has never been experienced in the history. The Muslims resisted and defended themselves only for protecting their lives and honors. The telegrams that were sent to their representatives in Istanbul, of the Americans, who were staying in the city with the Muslims, during the Maras massacre, which lasted for 20 days, put forward the owners of this targeted.

The Muslims in the province of Adana faced the danger of being killed under the pressure of the bayonets of the Armenians, who had been armed from top to toe.

While the cruelty and annihilation policy towards Muslims, who did not demand anything but to protect their lives and independence, was in a character that would attract the attention of civilized humanity and show mercy, how could an offer which claims the contrary and demands giving up taken seriously? ”

Atatürk did not only deliver speeches, but when he became the president he made moves, which consolidated his speeches and actions. During his presidency, Atatürk claimed the members of the families, who were the remainders of martyrs that were killed by Armenian terrorists and the innocent ones who were executed at “Divan-i Harbi Örfi”, which were founded by the Ottoman government with the pressure of England during the invasion years. Atatürk also allocated a house and salary to them.


1- Paul du Véou, Lé Desastre d’Alexandrette, 1934–1938, Paris, 1938, p.121-122.
2- Süslü, Armenians and 1915…, p.155-156.
3- See. Gotthard Jaeschke, Salvation War with English Documents, Translation Cemal Köprülü, Ankara, 1986, page 148–156.
4- Süslü, Armenians and 1915… …, page 156.
5- U.S. Cengressional Record, 12 December, 1985.
6- U.S. Cengressional Record, April 19, 1994, page S4461.
7- By Prof. Dr. Türkkaya without leaving a space for any doubts: Another Falsification “Statement” (1926) Wrongly Attributed to M.Kemal Atatürk, Ankara, 1988, page 3–17
8- New Thousand Years, 8 October 2000.
9- GNAT Minutes, V.1, P.20.
10- European Parliament, Draft Report, 22 November 2001.
11- European Parliament, Draft Report, 22 November 2001.
12- European Parliament, Draft Report, 22 November 2001. The continuation of the footnote is as following: “President Koçaryan also desires Turkey to recognize genocide. This is not a precondition that should absolutely be put in practice for normalizing the relations between the two countries.”
13- GNAT Minutes, V.9-10.
14- GNAT Minutes, V.10., page 134.
15- See for a clear instance for this: Senol Kantarci, “Armenian Question: The Psychological Dimension of the Issue with Oppressed Nation Identity”, New Turkey: Armenian Question Special Edition, I, Number:37 (January-February 2001), page 518–519.
16- Kemal Atatürk, Nutuk, Zeynep Korkmaz, Ankara

Source: Education in the Light of Science and Mind-Year 4, Number 38
Senol Kantarci

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