TRENDEAtlas of the Sultans · Wars, battles and treaties
Battle · 1921
The Battle of the Sakarya, also known as the Battle of the Sangarios, was the decisive engagement in the Greco-Turkish War (1919–1922), halting Greek advance towards Ankara and creating the circumstances for an upcoming Turkish counter offensive. The battle went on for 21 days from August 23 to September 13, 1921, close to the banks of the Sakarya River in the immediate vicinity of Polatlı, which is today a district of the Ankara Province. The battle line stretched over 62 miles (100 km).
| Date | August 23 – September 13, 1921 |
|---|---|
| Location | On the banks of Sakarya River, Turkey |
| Result | Turkish victory · Greek advance halted |
| Belligerents | Greece | Ankara Government |
|---|---|---|
| Commanders | Anastasios Papoulas Prince Andrew | Mustafa Kemal Pasha Fevzi Pasha İsmet Pasha |
| Strength | c. 77,000 soldiers 3,780 officers 57,000 rifles 2,768 machine guns 386 cannons 1,350 swords 600 3-ton trucks 240 1-ton trucks 18 airplanes | 101,727 soldiers 5,401 officers 54,572 rifles 825 machine guns 196 cannons 1,309 swords 2 aircraft |
| Casualties | 3,958 dead Total: 23,267 casualties | 5,713 dead Total: 37,900 casualties |
The retreat from Sakarya marked the end of the Greeks' hopes to impose a settlement on Turkey by the force of arms. In May 1922, Papoulas and his complete staff resigned and was replaced by General Georgios Hatzianestis, who proved much more inept than his predecessor. On the other hand, Mustafa Kemal returned to Ankara, where the Grand National Assembly awarded him the rank of Field Marshal of the Army and the title of Gazi to render its honours as the saviour of the Turkish nation.
Took place during the reign of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk (1923–1938). Mustafa Kemal Atatürk
The atlas records this territorial change for the year:
Text: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0), adapted for the atlas.