Commander of the Ottoman's 19th division, Mustafa Kemal. Photo / Supplied
Commander of the Ottoman's 19th division, Mustafa Kemal. Photo / Supplied
If a New Zealand commander had told his troops at Gallipoli, 'I am not ordering you to fight, I am ordering you to die', it's unlikely that he'd be remembered by towering statues or commemorative coins.
And yet, those words, attributed to the commander of the Ottoman's 19th division, MustafaKemal, are repeated with pride by modern-day Turks on the eve of the centenary commemorations of the Anzac landings.
A cinematic retelling of the 'Battle of Canakkale', as the Turks know the 1915 campaign, highlights the will of the Ottoman defenders to die rather than run away from the invading Allied soldiers.
The Gallipoli story, for Turks, is one of heroic martyrdom, Herculean displays of strength and unbridled courage in defence of a homeland under attack.Canakkale Destani, located in the Gallipoli national park, just a few kilometres from Anzac Cove, takes visitors on a 60-minute tour through 11 cinematic rooms.
Each room tells a different Turkish perspective of the First World War battle. Yesterday, the showing was packed with school children, a Scout troop from Istanbul, and a small group of English visitors.The dramatic retelling started with how the Ottoman Empire repelled the Allied invaders.
With 3D glasses, it graphically shows the bloody result shells fired from British warships had on Turkish positions. It tells the famous story of a giant Ottoman gunner, Corporal Seyit with most of his mates lying dead around him, "in the name of God" hauling huge 200kg artillery shells onto his back, and loading them into cannons to fire and sink a British battleship in defence of the Dardanelles on March 18, 1915.
The Turkish narrative claims that "the war was won on April 25" when Kemal - later to become Ataturk, the founding father of modern-day Turkey - helped repel the first wave of Anzacs. Yesterday, the young Scouts, wearing orange scarves and toggles, walked wide-eyed through recreated trench networks.
Famine, disease, deprivation, suffering and death for both sides is not lily-coated. When the Anzacs sneakily evacuate, leaving behind dummies in the trenches and self-firing rifles triggered by dripping water, we are told that the Ottomans let them escape."They only withdraw when faced with the fact that Canakkale is impassable," the voice over says. "If only a man never attempted to kill another for any reason.
For a part of humanity dies for each man killed."It ends with a collage of modern-day Turkey, featuring high speed trains, towering office blocks, and long passages describing its contemporary military might.The modern marvels all stem from the heroic deeds of the victorious defenders at Gallipoli: "Modern Turkey is grateful to them". The crowd clapped politely and made for the exits. As the English tour group walked out, one remarked: "Well that was a different view of things."
