August 30 holds a place of utmost importance in Turkey's history as Victory Day. On August 30, 1922, under the leadership of Mustafa Kemal Pasha, the Turkish army achieved a historic victory that would ultimately determine the outcome of the War of Independence, liberating the southwestern part of the country from Greek occupation.

The path to Victory Day and the establishment of the Republic of Turkey was arduous and intricate. In August 1920, following a significant defeat in World War I, the Ottoman Empire was compelled to sign the Sèvres Agreement, presented by the Allied Western powers (Britain, France, and the USA) in the city of Sèvres near Paris. This agreement stipulated the loss of three-quarters of Ottoman territory, including a substantial portion of what is present-day Turkey, dating back to 1914.

In response, the Turkish people, under the leadership of Mustafa Kemal Pasha, rose to wage the War of Independence. They vehemently protested the surrender agreement signed by the Ottoman Sultanate in Istanbul. The Grand National Assembly of Turkey, convened in Ankara, staunchly refused to endorse it. To assert the existence of the Turkish nation and statehood on the world stage, it became imperative to achieve victory on the battlefield.

The Battle of Sakarya in 1921 demonstrated the unwavering determination of the Turkish army, laying the groundwork for the momentous "Great Offensive" victory in August 1922.

At dawn on August 26, 1922, Turkish troops, led by Commander-in-Chief Mustafa Kemal Pasha, launched an attack on the enemy. In just two days, five divisions of the Greek army were defeated. By August 30, the Greek forces had lost their ability to mount a defense. Turkish military units swiftly gained control of Eskişehir and Afyon, pursuing the Greek troops along the entire front. They liberated Balıkesir and Aydın on September 6-7 and, on September 9, broke through the Greek defense line, entering Izmir.

In a mere two weeks, the Turkish army advanced an astonishing 500-600 kilometers across a 100-kilometer-wide front. The remnants of the Greek troops reached the Mediterranean Sea and began their departure from the region by sea. This monumental victory, however, came at a great cost, with 13,000 Turkish soldiers making the ultimate sacrifice.

The first celebration of Victory Day took place on August 30, 1923, in Afyonkarahisar, Ankara, and Izmir. It was officially declared a national holiday in May 1936.

The victory of August 30 ushered in a new era in the history of the Turkish people and the nation. Thanks to this triumph, the Treaty of Sèvres was consigned to the annals of history. The mission that lay ahead was to secure sovereignty over the entire homeland. A year later, on October 29, 1923, Mustafa Kemal Pasha proclaimed the Republic of Turkey, marking a monumental chapter in the nation's history.