The program “NEU History: Through the Lens of History,” broadcast on KONTV, met viewers with a special episode addressing the strategic origins of the Turkish National Struggle and the historical process of May 19 on the occasion of the Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth and Sports Day. Prepared in cooperation with Necmettin Erbakan University, the program featured distinguished experts in the field. The moderator of the program was Prof. Dr. Ömer Soner Hunkan, while the speakers included our department faculty member Prof. Dr. Alaattin Uca and Prof. Dr. Yakup Kaya, a faculty member of the NEU History Department.

The program examined the background of the Turkish National Struggle and the Istanbul period. The difficult post-Armistice of Mudros era, during which Anatolia faced occupation attempts, was analyzed in depth. The political and military lobbying activities carried out by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk during the six-month Istanbul period before his departure to Samsun, his strategic meetings, and his ideological struggle through the newspaper Minber were discussed in detail. At the same time, controversial issues were approached from a historical perspective. The speakers also addressed the frequently debated public question, “Who sent Mustafa Kemal Pasha to Samsun?” It was explained that the official reason for appointing him as the Inspector of the Ninth Army, with broad authority, was to restore public order and collect weapons in the region, while in the background the foundations of a national resistance movement were being established. The program also analyzed the final meeting between Mehmed VI and Mustafa Kemal Pasha, as well as the statement, “Pasha, you may save the state,” in light of historical documents and testimonies.

In the later parts of the program, the transformation of May 19 into a national holiday was discussed. It was stated that the origins of the holiday date back to the locally celebrated “Gazi Day” in Samsun, that it became law in 1938, and that, following amendments in 1981, it took its current name, the Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth and Sports Day. It was emphasized that May 19 is not merely a calendar date but the starting point of the Nutuk and the first step of a systematic resistance movement. It was further highlighted that Atatürk’s dedication of both this struggle and the Republic to the youth reflects the strategic importance he attached to younger generations.

The program concluded with the commemoration of the heroes of the Turkish National Struggle and the celebration of the public holiday.