1st İnönü Battle started with violent assault of Greeks from Bozüyük direction in the afternoon on 9 January 1921. İnönü, taking his name from a small village, now witnessed a battle to constitute a turning point in Turkish war of independence. And the commander commanding this war was to take the surname İnönü by Ataturk years later. In the first day of the battle, many difficult conflicts took place between the Western Front forces and Greeks. All assaults of the Greeks were repulsed with heart and soul, and they were not let to advance. It was definite that the enemy could not find what it expected. Their encountering the infantrymen and artillerymen of Turkish forces at Inönü position had surprised them indeed.
The war continued all day from the morning till the evening on 10 January with all its rage. That morning, Western front commander Colonel İsmet Bey reached the battlefield from Gediz and began to command the war in person in the fire line. Once, an enemy force about a regiment, benefiting from a gap in our position, succeeded in pushing itself into the southern part of İnönü station which was the headquarter of Western front. The front headquarters were transferred quickly to the Inönü village upon such critical condition and this section of the front was reinforced by shifting some force. Our soldiers were resisting enemy assaults continuing without a pause without stepping a meter back and did not allow Greeks to take a step forward.
The enemy exhausted and gave in at last. They understood that they could not be successful with its assaults lasting for 2 days. They had one thing to do in this stage: to withdraw. Indeed, with a decision they reached on 10 January 1921, began to withdraw toward Bursa as from the morning of 11 January.
Upon such good news of victory, Ataturk send a telegram to Colonel İsmet Bey, the commander of Western front on 11 January 1921: May Allah turn this success into a good beginning of the definite victory to save our sacred soil from enemy invasion. I hereby congratulate all officers and privates of western front for this victory. 1st İnönü Victory turned into a beginning of definite victory indeed, as Ataturk said. 2nd İnönü, Sakarya, 26 August and 30 August victories followed.
1st İnönü victory resulted in great political developments both within the country and abroad. After this victory, the new established state eliminated hopelessness, the state started to be formed on sound foundations, our first constitution was accepted on 20 January 1921 in the Turkish parliament.
And this victory ensured public order and confidence within the country and facilitated efforts for establishing an organized army. The influence of 1st İnönü victory abroad was also important. The organized army passed its first examination before the enemy and exhibited its undefeatable will in front of the friends and enemies. This victory showed to the foreign countries that national government was a considerable existence.