You arrive in Samsun on May 19, 1919. The city is small and calm. It is next to the Black Sea. The sky is cloudy, and the wind is cool. You hear the sound of the waves and the footsteps of people walking on the stone streets. The buildings are old. Many houses are made of wood. The streets are not very busy. People walk slowly. They look tired and worried. Some children play in the streets, but their parents watch them carefully.
Samsun is not free. The war is over, but the people are not happy. The Ottoman Empire lost the war. Many foreign powers now control Turkish lands. In Samsun, British soldiers walk through the city. They wear uniforms and carry guns. Turkish people do not speak loudly near them. They are afraid. They do not know what will happen next.
But something is different today. There is a feeling in the air. People talk about a man. His name is Mustafa Kemal Pasha. He is a commander in the Ottoman army. He came to Samsun today. Some people say he has a special mission. They say he wants to help the Turkish people. He wants to start a movement for freedom.
Mustafa Kemal does not come with many soldiers. He arrives quietly. But people see him. They watch him from their windows. They follow him with their eyes. He walks with confidence. He looks serious. Some people are careful. They do not speak about him in public. But others feel something inside. They feel hope.
In the market, life continues. Shopkeepers sell food, bread, and clothes. Women buy vegetables and talk with their neighbors. Fishermen clean their nets near the sea. Boats come and go. But there are more whispers now. People say, “Did you hear? Mustafa Kemal is here.” “Will he help us?” “Can we trust him?”
In the tea houses, men sit together. They drink tea from small glasses. They speak in low voices. They talk about freedom. They talk about the future. Some are afraid, but others are excited. They say, “Maybe this is the beginning.”
At night, the city is dark. Only a few oil lamps shine in the windows. People stay inside. But they do not sleep early. They sit with their families and talk. They think about what will happen next.
Samsun feels different now. Something has started. A new journey is beginning. This day, May 19, 1919, is an important day. It is the first step on the road to a free Turkey. The people do not know everything yet, but they can feel it. Hope is growing. A new future is coming.