TRENDEFRARAtlas of the Sultans · Wars, battles and treaties
Battle · 1921
Since the Greek advance could not be stopped with irregulars, the western front was reorganised; its northern sector, as the Western Front, was given to İsmet Bey and a regular army was formed. According to the TDV article on the National Struggle, the Greek forces advancing in two columns on Afyon and Eskişehir in January 1921 were defeated at İnönü on 10 January by regular army units under İsmet Bey. While the London Conference was still sitting, the Greeks moved again on 23 March and occupied Bilecik and Afyon; even the Grand National Assembly's guard battalion was sent to the front. The enemy was again halted on the İnönü heights on 1 April, heavily defeated at Aslıhanlar, and Afyon was recovered on 7 April. As Mustafa Kemal Pasha put it in his telegram to İsmet Pasha, this victory overcame “the nation's adverse fate” and was celebrated with enthusiasm across the country.
| Date | 10 January and 23 March – 1 April 1921 |
|---|---|
| Location | İnönü, near Eskişehir |
| Result | Greek offensives were halted twice; Afyon was recovered |
| Belligerents | Ankara Government | Kingdom of Greece |
|---|---|---|
| Commanders | İsmet Bey (İnönü) |
Took place during the reign of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk (1923–1938). Mustafa Kemal Atatürk
The atlas records this territorial change for the year:
By the atlas's calculation the Ottoman lands covered about 773,000 km² in 1921; at the start of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk's presidency they measured 773,000 km², at its end 773,000 km².
During Mustafa Kemal Atatürk (1923–1938) the atlas records 2 regions gained and 0 regions lost.
Regions gained: Kars–Ardahan–Artvin (1920), Antep–Kilis (1921).
Born in Thessaloniki in 1881, he graduated from the War College and the Staff College and became a staff officer. He distinguished himself in Tripolitania (1911–1912) and at Gallipoli (1915), where his command at Arıburnu and Anafartalar made his name. Landing at Samsun on 19 May 1919, he launched the War of Independence and, as President of the Grand National Assembly and Commander-in-Chief, won the battles of Sakarya and the Great Offensive. He became the first president of the Republic of Turkey proclaimed on 29 October 1923 and held the office until his death. He carried out sweeping reforms in law, education, the alphabet, dress and women's rights; in 1934 the Assembly gave him the surname Atatürk. He died in Istanbul on 10 November 1938.
Areas are land area computed from the atlas's region data; see Method and sources.
Source: TDV Encyclopedia of Islam, “MİLLÎ MÜCADELE” (Turkish); text written for the atlas.
Cite as: Atlas of the Sultans, “Second Battle of İnönü (1921): Date, Commanders and Outcome”, https://padisahlaratlasi.com/en/events/second-battle-of-inonu/ (last updated 12 November 2026). Corrections