Turkish War Academies

Turkish War Academies Türk Harp Akademileri
Logo of the Turkish War Academies
Active	20 July 1848 (official claim) 13 October 1923 (as the Higher Military College)
Country	Turkey
Type	Staff colleges & Military academy
Role	Military education and training
Part of	Turkish Armed Forces
Website	http://www.harpak.edu.tr/
Commanders
Commander	Gen. Abdullah Recep

Turkish War Academies is the educational branch of the Turkish Armed Forces.

The Turkish War College, which is the highest center for the Turkish art of war and military sciences, was founded in 1848. In line with the global developments in the first half of the 18th century, the Ottoman State had carried out a wide range of reforms including the Army as well. In 1845, upon a decree, an administrative order of Sultan Abdülmecid, the Military Board of Education, composed of the Army War Academy Commander Emin Pasha, Fuat Pasha and Sheik ul Islam Arif Hikmet, decided that “The Military High Schools shall be established; the Army War Academy shall consist of four years, and like the European Armies, new courses shall be created to produce general staff officers.” Acquiring an institutional identity after this process, the War College went through two significant phases before evolving into its present state.

In order to train Staff Officers in the same system as European armies, the 3rd and 4th years were created in the Army War Academy under the name of “Imperial War School of Military Sciences, General Staff Courses” in 1848. Abdülkerim Pasha was appointed as the first director of these courses for the junior officers of the Imperial Ottoman Army. When the building in Harbiye was allocated as the guesthouse and hospital for French Troops, the Ottomans’ ally in the Crimean War, in the beginning of 1854, the College moved to the“Istanbul Technical University” building, today known as “Taşkışla”. By the end of 1858, the Army War Academy and General Staff Courses moved to the Military Hospital in Gülhane. Four years later, in 1862, they moved back into their former location in Harbiye, which had burned down and promptly restored during the Crimean War. 2 years later, what is now today the Naval War College was established as the staff school for the Imperial Ottoman Navy. As part of the reorganization efforts of the Ottoman Army, new arrangements were implemented in 1866 for the Staff Colleges and other Military Schools.

Through these arrangements, the General Staff training was extended to three years, and with additional military courses a special emphasis was placed on exercises and hands-on training. Although being a staff officer was initially considered as a different military branch in itself, effective from 1867 new programs were implemented to train staff officers for branches like infantry, cavalry and artillery. In 1899, a new system was developed on the basis of the view that the General Staff Courses should train more officers with higher military education in addition to Staff Officers’ training. Following this principle, a greater number of officers from the Army War Academy began to be admitted to the Staff College. This process continued until 1908. Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the remarkable leader recognized by the entire world as well as by all Turks, and the founder of today’s modern Republic of Turkey, was the source of pride for the 57th Term Staff Officers Course. In 1905, Atatürk graduated from the Staff College in Harbiye, to which he was admitted in 1902. This building is used as the Military Museum today.