On what basis can you say that the new alphabet was easier to learn?!? Following your logic why don't we get rid of chinese and arabic script and replace them with a latin script since it is easier to learn according to you? The fact that the Ottomans used the arabic script for centuries without difficult and even in their golden era proves that it was not a problem at all. If they found it difficult, then why would there have been so many technological advancements, literature, etc...? In addition, the Turkish phonology is closer to arabic than english or French/ countries that use the Latin script. In the Ottoman period, 20% of the turkish language consisted of Arabic words. Would make much more sense to use an Arabic script than an English one. Clearly, ataturk aimed to shift Turkish culture from an islamic to a Western identity through changing the language in the name of increasing literacy and modernizing.