US intelligence report reveals Atatürk’s strength, intellect
ISTANBUL
A rare 1921 U.S. intelligence report reveals the remarkable strength and intellect of modern Türkiye founder Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, as observed by an American naval delegation at a meeting in Ankara during the Turkish War of Independence.
Uncovered in 1995 in U.S. military archives by Turkish historian Professor Esat Arslan, the report captures how American officers described Atatürk’s commanding presence, sharp mind and calm authority.
The meeting took place on July 1, 1921, inside the modest stone building at Ankara Train Station, now a museum.
At the time, the United States, newly emerged as a global power after World War I, sought to understand the nationalist movement challenging European dominance in Anatolia.
Atatürk first met with Lewis Heck, the U.S. representative in Ankara, in a distant and deliberate encounter, in what Heck described as a signal that no progress could be made without recognizing the authority of the Turkish nationalists.
Later that day, Atatürk received the main American delegation, composed of naval intelligence officers sent to assess both the political and personal qualities of the resistance leader.
The Americans’ detailed notes paint a striking portrait of Atatürk.
“He wore a fine light-gray suit clearly not made in Türkiye. His hair was combed back neatly, like that of a college student. His sharp temples and outward-arching eyebrows were his most distinctive features,” the report said.
They were impressed by his composure and presence: “You felt a mental concentration while speaking with him. No matter how complex the question, he would open up the issue clearly, offering broad and insightful answers.”
Another passage captured his intensity. “He had a vivid expression: A man who could grasp your thought before you finished it. His small but determined chin revealed strong willpower.”
The report stressed that he embodied both intellectual and strategic strength: A leader whose clarity of thought and confidence set him apart as the driving force of a movement that would soon redefine his country’s future.
