Atatürk'ün Gençliğe Hitabesi

Ey Türk gençliği! Birinci vazifen, Türk istiklâlini, Türk Cumhuriyet'ini, ilelebet,

muhafaza ve müdafaa etmektir.

Mevcudiyetinin ve istikbalinin yegâne temeli budur.

Bu temel, senin, en kıymetli hazinendir.

İstikbalde dahi, seni bu hazineden mahrum etmek isteyecek, dahilî ve haricî

bedhahların olacaktır.

Bir gün, istiklâl ve cumhuriyeti müdafaa mecburiyetine düşersen, vazifeye atılmak

için, içinde bulunacağın vaziyetin imkân ve şeraitini düşünmeyeceksin!

Bu imkân ve şerait, çok nâmüsait bir mahiyette tezahür edebilir.

İstiklâl ve cumhuriyetine kastedecek düşmanlar, bütün dünyada emsali görülmemiş

bir galibiyetin mümessili olabilirler.

Cebren ve hile ile aziz vatanın, bütün kaleleri zaptedilmiş, bütün tersanelerine
girilmiş, bütün orduları dagıtılmış ve memleketin her köşesi bilfiil işgal edilmiş
olabilir.

Bütün bu şeraitten daha elîm ve daha vahim olmak üzere, memleketin dahilinde,
iktidara sahip olanlar gaflet ve dalâlet ve hattâ hiyanet içinde bulunabilirler.

Hatta bu iktidar sahipleri şahsî menfaatlerini, müstevlilerin siyasî emelleriyle tevhit

edebilirler. Millet, fakr ü zaruret içinde harap ve bîtap düşmüş olabilir.

Ey Türk istikbalinin evlâdı! İşte, bu ahval ve şerait içinde dahi, vazifen; Türk istiklâl
ve cumhuriyetini kurtarmaktır!

Muhtaç olduğun kudret, damarlarındaki asil kanda, mevcuttur!

Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, 20 Ekim 1927 

"Atatürk'ün gençliğe hitabesi"nin Ord.Prof.Dr. Hıfzı Veldet Velidedeoğlu tarafından
günümüz Türkçe'sine uyarlanmış hali

Ey Türk gençliği! Birinci ödevin Türk bağımsızlığını, Türk cumhuriyetini, sonsuza dek
korumak ve savunmaktır.

Varlığının ve geleceğinin biricik temeli budur.

Bu temel, senin en değerli (güven) kaynağındır.

Gelecekte de, yurt içinde ve dışında, seni bu kaynaktan yoksun etmek isteyecek
kötüler bulunacaktır.

Bir gün, bağımsızlığını ve cumhuriyetini savunmak zorunda kalırsan, göreve atılmak

için içinde bulunacağın ortamın olanak ve koşullarını düşünmeyeceksin!

Bu olanak ve koşullar çok elverişsiz olabilir.

Bağımsızlığına ve cumhuriyetine kıymak isteyecek düşmanlar, bütün dünyada

benzeri görülmedik bir yenginin temsilcisi olabilirler.

Zorla ya da aldatıcı düzenlerle, sevgili yurdunun bütün kaleleri alınmış, bütün gemi
yapım yerleri ele geçirilmiş, bütün orduları dağıtılmış ve yurdun her köşesine eylemli
olarak girilmiş olabilir.

Bütün bu durumlardan daha acı ve daha korkunç olmak üzere, yurdun içinde
yönetim başında bulunanlar, aymazlık ve sapkınlık ve üstelik hayinlik içinde
bulunabilirler.

Dahası, yönetim başında bulunan böyleleri, kişisel çıkarlarını, yurduna girip yayılmış
olan (dış) düşmanların siyasal amaçlarıyla birleştirebilirler.

Ulus, yoksulluk ve darlık içinde ezgin ve bitkin düşmüş olabilir. Ey Türk geleceğinin
genç kuşakları! İşte bu ortam ve koşullarda bile ödevin, Türk bağımsızlığını ve
cumhuriyetini kurtarmaktır.

Gereksindiğin güç, damarlarındaki soylu kanda vardır.

Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, 20 Ekim 1927

Atatürk's Oration to the Turkish Youth

 THE SACRED GIFT I ENTRUST TO THE TURKISH YOUTH

Gentlemen, these detailed descriptions, which have occupied

you for so many days, are, after all, merely a report of a period
of time, which will henceforth belong to the past.

I shall consider myself very happy if I have succeeded in the

course of this report in expressing some truths, which are
calculated to rivet the interest and attention of my nation and of
future generations.

Gentlemen, I have tried to show, in these accounts, how a great

people, whose national course was considered as ended,
reconquered its independence; how it created a national and
modern State founded on the latest results of science and
technology.

The result we have attained today is the fruit of teachings which

arose from centuries of suffering, and the price of streams of
blood which have drenched every foot of the ground of our
beloved Fatherland .

This holy treasure I lay in the hands of the youth of Turkiye.

O Turkish Youth! Your first duty is ever to preserve and defend

the National independence, the Turkish Republic.

That is the only basis of your existence and your future. This
basis contains your most precious treasure. In the future, too,
there will be ill-will, both in the country itself and abroad, which
will try to tear this treasure from you. If one day you are
compelled to defend your independence and the Republic, then,
in order to fulfill your duty, you will have to look beyond the
possibilities and conditions in which you might find yourself. It
may be that these conditions and possibilities are altogether
unfavorable. It may be that the enemies who desire to destroy
your independence and your Republic represent the strongest
force that the earth has ever seen; that they have through craft
and force, taken possession of all the fortresses and arsenals of
the Fatherland; that all its armies are scattered and the country
actually and completely occupied.

Assuming, in order to look still darker possibilities in the face,

that those who hold the power of Government within the
country have fallen into error, that they are fools or traitors,
yes, even that these leading persons may   identify their
personal interests with the enemy's political goals, it might
happen that the nation came into complete privation, into the
most extreme distress; that it found itself in a condition of ruin
and complete exhaustion.

Even under those circumstances, O Turkish child of future

generations! It is your duty to save the independence, the
Turkish Republic.

The strength that you will need for this is mighty in the noble
blood which flows in your veins.

M. K. Atatürk
From "The Speech", October 20, 1927

Declaration by Atatürk to the Turkish Youth

(Atatürk'ün Genclige Hitabesi)

Turkish Youth!

Your first duty is forever to preserve and to defend the Turkish

Independence and the Turkish Republic.

This is the very foundation of your existence and your future.

This foundation is your most precious treasure. In the future,
too, there may be malevolent people at home and abroad who
will wish to deprive you of this treasure. If some day you are
compelled to defend your independence and your republic, you
must not tarry to weigh the possibilities and circumstances of
the situation before taking up your duty. These possibilities and
circumstances may turn out to be extremely unfavourable. The
enemies conspiring against your independence and your
republic, may have behind them a victory unprecedented in the
annals of the world. It may be that, by violence and ruse, all the
fortresses of your beloved fatherland may be captured, all its
shipyards occupied, all its armies dispersed and every part of
the country invaded. And sadder and graver than all these
circumstances, those who hold power within the country may be
in error, misguided and may even be traitors. Furthermore, they
may indentify their personal interests with the political designs
of the invaders. The country may be impoverished, ruined and
exhausted.

Youth of Turkey's future,

Even in such circumstances it is your duty to save the Turkish

Independence and Republic.

You will find the strength you need in your noble blood.

Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk

Atatürk's Address to the Turkish Youth

(Atatürk'ün Genclige Hitabesi)

You, the Turkish youth! Your primary duty is to forever protect

and defend the Turkish independence and Turkish Republic. This
is the mainstay of your existence and of your future.

This foundation is your most precious treasure in the future, as

well, there will be malevolents, within and abroad, who will seek
to deny your birthright. If one day you are compelled to defend
your independence and the republic, you shall not reflect on the
conditions and possibilities of the situation in which you find
yourself, in order to accomplish your mission. These conditions
and possibilities may appear unfavorable. The adversaries who
scheme against your independence and your Republic may be
the representatives of a victory without precedent in the world.
By force or by ruse, all citadels and all arsenals of our dear
fatherland may have been taken; all of its armies may have
been dispersed and all corners of the country may have been
physically occupied. More distressing and more grievous than all
these, those who hold and exercise the power within the
country may have fallen into gross error, blunder, and even
treason. These holders of power may have even united their
personal interests with political ambitions of the invaders. The
nation itself may have fallen into privation, and may have
become exhausted and desolate.

You, the future sons and daughters of Turkey! Even under such
circumstances and conditions, your duty is to redeem Turkish
independence and the Republic! The strength you shall need
exists in the noble blood flowing through your veins.

If you would like to listen to this speech from Atatürk's own

voice please visit: 
INTERNET ATATÜRK KÜTÜPHANESİ-
LIBRARY: http://ATATURK.TURKIYE.ORG/default11.asp
Your first duty is forever to preserve and to defend the Turkish independence and
the Turkish Republic.

This is very foundation of your existence and your future. This foundation is your
most precious treasure. In the future, too, there may be malevolent people in the
country and abroad who will wish to deprive you of this treasure. If some day you
are compelled to defend your independence and your republic, you must not tarry
to weigh the possibilities and circumstances may turn out to be extremely
unfavorable. The enemies conspiring against your independence and your republic
may have behind them a victory unprecedented in the annals of the world. It may
be that, by violence and ruse, all the fortresses of your beloved fatherland may be
captured, all its shipyards occupied, all its armies dispersed and every part of the
country invaded. And sadder and graver than all these circumstances, those who
hold power within the country may be in error, misguided and may even be traitors.
Furthermore, they may indentify their personal interests with the political designs
of the invaders. The country may be impoverished, ruined and exhausted.

Youth of Turkey’s future,

Even in such circumstances it is your duty to save the Turkish independence and
republic.

The strength you need is already imbedded in your noble blood.