First Battle of İnönü

Infobox Military Conflict
conflict = First Battle of İnönü
partof = the Greco-Turkish War (1919-1922)


caption = Turkish commanders on the field of battle.
date = 9 - 11 January 1921
place = near İnönü, Turkey
result = Turkish victory
combatant1 = Turkish revolutionaries
combatant2 = Greece
commander1 = İsmet İnönü
commander2 = Anastasios Papoulas
strength1 = 1 divisions (15,000) among 2Fact|date=February 2007
strength2 = 2 division (30,000) among 3Fact|date=February 2007
casualties1 = 95 killed,
183 wounded Fact|date=February 2007
casualties2 = Unknown

The First Battle of İnönü was the first battle of the in the Greco-Turkish War (1919-1922), part of Turkish War of Independence. The battle was fought from 9 to 11 January 1921, near Eskişehir in Anatolia.

Brief description

A reconnaissance-in-force by Greek forces under Papoulas against Turkish troops entrenched near the railway station of İnönü commanded by İsmet Pasha. The Turks retreated on 10th and were about to abandon Eskişehir when the Greeks retreated on 11th January.

Results

Politically, the battle was significant as the arguments among the Turkish revolutionaries were concluded in the favor of the institution of a centralized control of the Turkish Army. Also, the prestige gained in the aftermath of the battle helped the revolutionaries to announce the first Teşkilat-ı Esasıye on January 20, 1921. Internationally, the Turkish revolutionaries proved themselves as a military force. The prestige gained in the aftermath of the battle helped revolutionaries to initiate a new round of negotiations with the Russians which ended with the Treaty of Moscow on March 16, 1921.

References