The Press During the National Struggle Years
In 1919, when the National Struggle began, the press community was divided into two camps: pro-Sultan and pro-Kuvay-i Milliye. Among the pro-Sultan newspapers that viewed the struggle beginning in Anatolia and Mustafa Kemal as an enemy were Alemdar and Peyam-ı Sabah. Newspapers located in Istanbul, such as Tasvir-i Efkar, İkdam, Vakit, İleri, and Akşam, supported the Anatolian movement despite all difficulties. In Anatolia, some local newspapers published articles supporting the Anatolian movement and called for the public to support the national struggle.
The First Newspaper of the National Struggle; İrade-i Milliye
İrade-i Milliye, as the first newspaper of the National Struggle, was first published on September 14, 1919. The newspaper, which continued its publication until December 18, 1919, passed out of Atatürk's control when Atatürk moved from Sivas to Ankara, but it continued to be published. When Atatürk's attempts to move the newspaper to Ankara were unsuccessful, the newspaper continued to be printed in Sivas. It closed down in 1921. There was a need in Ankara for a written organ that would explain the national struggle to the public and bring together its sympathizers. Therefore, the issue of publishing a newspaper arose. The newspaper, named Hakimiyet-i Milliye, began its printing life in the Ulus district, which was the center of Ankara in those years.
