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Early Years of Ataturk

Born as Mustafa in 1881 in Salonika (at present Selanik in Greece), Ataturk was the son of a customs official Ali Riza Efendi and Zubeyde Hanim. He left school after losing his father at a very early age. He was brought up by his mother.

All throughout, his schooling was at various military schools. After completing his studies, he joined the Infantry Class of the Military Academy in Istanbul in 1899 and subsequently graduated from the General Staff College as a Captain in 1905.

Mustafa Kemal Ataturk | Early Years of Ataturk | Military Career of Ataturk | Ataturk and the Turkish War of Independence | Reforms of Ataturk