Turkey's more than 18 million students began school in mid-September this year as usual. Unlike normal times, however, they began their education year not with an introduction to mathematics or science, but rather by learning about the treachery the nation faced July 15 with the failed coup attempt.
Teachers gave an account of how Turkish democracy was attacked by the traitors within, while praising the “martyrs” who defeated them. In some schools, a "Martyrs Corner" was set up with the photos and stories of the 241 victims Turkey lost on the night of the attempted coup. Other schools arranged theatrical presentations where young students wore army uniforms to salute the brave soldiers who resisted the coup. Students also took oaths, vowing to “never forget this blessed saga that found life with the sacrifice of the martyrs.”
A seven-minute film prepared by the Ministry of Education was an important part of the campaign. The film, which you can see online, first reminds students of the great historical battles the nation has won, such as the Gallipoli campaign of 1915 and the War of Liberation fought between 1919-22. Then it moves on to the night of July 15, with impressive scenes of citizens resisting the tanks and flags flying in the shade of mosques. In the background, you hear President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reciting the lines of the national anthem, especially the parts about the independence of the Turks and their glory against enemies.
What makes the July 15 narrative even more significant is that it is likely to become an integral part of the Turkish education system. The Ministry of Education announced that after this year the coup attempt would find its place in textbooks. Meanwhile, the ministry already distributed two booklets on this particular issue to all students. One is titled “The Victory of Democracy and Our Martyrs.” It begins with a foreword by Erdogan, tells the story of the coup and even gives a “glossary” that defines the exact nature of the traitors — the Gulenists. The other one is titled “July 15: The Attempt to Occupy Turkey,” and tells the story of coups and rebellions against legitimate authority since the Ottoman Empire. It is written by a historian who also happens to write a column in the pro-government daily Sabah, and on its cover presents the Gulenists as an invasion army carried out by a Trojan horse.
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