With almost 800,000 men and 70,000 officers, the Turkish army is the second largest in NATO. This 1998 documentary by ZDF examines how this powerful force asserts itself in all spheres of Turkish life. From the annual celebrations of the republic to the military's strict position on the Kurdish conflict and their ongoing war against the PKK, the film highlights the contrast between the army's political influence and Ataturk's defining principle that the military should stay clear of everyday politics.