Mustafa Kemal Atatürk's landing in Samsun was a significant turning point in Turkish history. Amid post-World War I turmoil, the Ottoman Empire faced dismemberment, with Allied powers occupying key regions. Atatürk, a military officer and nationalist leader, saw the need to mobilize the Turkish people to resist foreign intervention and to establish a unified sovereign state. His arrival in Samsun was strategically chosen due to its geographical location and the potential for galvanizing local support. Upon reaching the city, he began organizing a framework for resistance, convening local leaders and fostering national sentiment.

In the following months, Atatürk traveled across Anatolia, inciting a wave of patriotic fervor among the populace. His ideas of national sovereignty and self-determination resonated widely, especially among veterans and those disillusioned by the harsh realities of occupation. The national movement he spearheaded culminated in the formation of the Turkish Grand National Assembly in 1920, solidifying the movement's political structure.

Atatürk's strategic and ideological groundwork transformed into a full-scale conflict, known as the Turkish War of Independence, which saw the Turkish forces fighting against Greek, Armenian, and French troops, culminating in a new nation's emergence. His leadership and determination would lay the foundations for the Republic of Turkey, changing the course of Turkish and regional history.