From the ruins of the Ottoman Empire, at a time when almost all of the Islamic world was falling under the dominance of European imperial powers, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk managed not just to preserve but secure Turkey's independence.

The rise of modern Turkey under the leadership of Mustafa Kemal, later known as Atatürk. He established peace on the borders of Turkey for the first time in centuries, secularized the country, emancipated women, guaranteed certain minorities equal rights, and replaced Arabic script with the Latin alphabet. Along with rare archival footage is commentary from academic experts and interviews with his adopted daughter Ulku; Suleyman Demirel, President of the Turkish Republic; and the Patriarch of the Orthodox church.