The Sacred Gift I Left to the Turkish Youth (Atatürk's Address to the Youth) Dear sirs, my long and detailed words that have kept you from your work for days are the story of an era that has finally cost history. I will consider myself happy if I have been able to indicate some points in this that can provide attention and vigilance for my nation and for our children tomorrow. Gentlemen, with this speech, I tried to explain how a great nation, whose national existence was considered to have ended, gained its independence; how it established a national and modern state based on the latest principles of science and technology. The result we have reached today is the reward for the vigilance created by the national destruction suffered for centuries and the blood that waters every corner of this beloved homeland. I leave this result as a sacred gift to the Turkish youth. ATATÜRK'S ADDRESS TO THE YOUTH O Turkish youth! Your first duty is to protect and defend the Turkish independence, the Turkish Republic, forever. This is the only foundation of its existence and future. This foundation is your most precious treasure. Even in the future, you will have internal and external sins that will want to deprive you of this treasure. If one day you are obliged to defend independence and the republic, you will not think about the possibilities and share of the situation you will be in in order to embark on a mission! This opportunity and sherait can manifest itself in a very honorable nature. The enemies who will mean independence and the republic can be the agents of an unprecedented victory all over the world. By force and deception, all the castles of the holy homeland have been captured, all its shipyards have been entered, all its armies have been disbanded, and every corner of the country may have been occupied. Being worse and more serious than all this evil, those who have power in the country may be found in heedlessness and error and even treachery. Even these power holders can reconcile their personal interests with the political ambitions of the undersecretaries. People may be devastated and exhausted in poverty. O son of the Turkish future! Here, even in this ahval and sherait, your duty is to save the Turkish independence and republic! The power you need is present in the noble blood in your veins! K. ataturk October 20, 1927 Youth's Response to Ata O great Horse! We are the eternal guardian of the Turkish independence and Republic, which is the most sacred foundation of our existence. This decision is the unchangeable expression of our unshakeable will. In the future, no force will turn us from our path...We take all our speed from you, our national history and the unquenchable fire of faith in our soul. Every step we take on the strong foundations that you have dried is solid, every move we make is conscious. The Turkish independence and republic, which is your most precious trust, will live forever in the hands of your unbending heads, unbending arms, invincible Turkish sons as the basis of our existence and will be passed down from generation to generation. All internal and external encroachments directed towards this holy relic will hit our believing breasts and will be shattered. Even if the enemies who will mean our independence and republic attack us with the strongest armies, as mujahideen with the most modern weapons, they will not be able to shake even an atom of our national consciousness and invincible Turkish power. Because those who mean independence and our republic will find thousands of indomitable sons of Turkish history, fey and faithful youth of Republican revolutions in front of them. O greatest Turk! When the obligation to protect our independence and republic arises, we are determined to overcome all obstacles and overcome every difficulty by taking our strength and courage from the noble blood in our veins, regardless of the mood and evil we will be in. If you want to listen to this speech from Atatürk's own voice, please visit the INTERNET ATATÜRK LIBRARY-LIBRARY: http://ATATURK.TURKIYE.ORG/default11.asp please visit the address.

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