Mustafa Kemal Atatürk (1881–1938) was the military founder of modern Turkey, and its first president. He was a successful division commander in the [[Battle of Gallipoli]]. When the Allies defeated the Ottoman Empire at the hands of the Allies and arranged for its partition, he led a rebellion in the Turkish War of Independence.
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Mustafa Kemal Atatürk (1881–1938) was the military founder of modern Turkey, and its first president. He was a successful division commander in the [[Battle of Gallipoli]]. When the Allies defeated the Ottoman Empire and arranged for its partition, he led a rebellion in the Turkish War of Independence.
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Kemal deposed the last sultan of the [[Ottoman Empire]] in 1922 and became president of Turkey in 1923. Turkey is almost completely Muslim, but Kemal established a secular rule based on a strong military. He abolished Islamic courts and gave women the right to vote and hold government positions. As a result of his efforts, Turkey is the only Muslim country to independently hold democratic elections.