Kemal Atatürk gained control of Turkish forces during the fight for independence primarily because he organized an uprising against the sultan so that he could take control of the army. Following the defeat of the Ottoman Empire in World War I and the subsequent Treaty of Sèvres, which aimed to partition the empire, Atatürk and other nationalist leaders rejected foreign interference and the authority of the sultan.
Atatürk's leadership in organizing resistance against foreign occupation and his ability to mobilize various factions of the Turkish population were crucial to establishing his control over the nationalist forces. Through his strategic actions and rallying of support, he effectively positioned himself as the leader of the Turkish nationalist movement, which ultimately led to the establishment of the Republic of Turkey.