August 30 Victory Day is being celebrated with ceremonies and events across Türkiye on the 104th anniversary of the victory in the Great Offensive and the Battle of Dumlupınar, also known as the Commander-in-Chief Battle. The Great Offensive, launched by the Turkish army under the command of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk on August 26, 1922, concluded with the victory in the Battle of Dumlupınar on August 30. Following the advance, the military phase of the National Struggle was completed with the liberation of İzmir on September 9, 1922. August 30 has been celebrated as Victory Day since 1926. In addition to official ceremonies, messages were issued by figures from the state and political spheres.
In his message, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan extended his wishes for a happy holiday to the Turkish nation, the Turkish Cypriot people and citizens living abroad. He said the victory confirmed the status of the lands as the homeland, paved the way for the establishment of the Republic and broke the imperialist encirclement. Erdoğan stated that the determination, courage and resolve of 104 years ago remained the strongest source of motivation today, and said Türkiye was advancing in energy, the defense industry, science, technology and foreign policy. He said Türkiye would continue to stand for peace, justice and stability.
Why it matters
The celebrations show that August 30 is not merely a commemoration of a military achievement won in the past, but also offers a shared historical framework associated with the process of establishing the Republic. Alongside ceremonies across Türkiye, this framework highlights the public nature of the holiday, which encompasses different segments of society through messages addressed to the Turkish Cypriot people and citizens living abroad. President Erdoğan’s message, meanwhile, addresses the historical victory together with a narrative of current progress in energy, the defense industry, science, technology and foreign policy. Thus, the day of commemoration carries a political framework concerning not only the remembrance of the past but also the goals and values through which Türkiye defines itself today; how this framework will be received by different segments of society remains an open question.
Background
August is not a new name in the FikirPilot archive: we have published 2 reports mentioning it in the past 90 days; the latest is dated August 24, 2026.