The difficult road to a special partnership: the Turkish - US relations during World War Two
The difficult road to a special partnership: the Turkish - US relations during World War Two

Summary/Abstract: The beginnings of the Turkish\Ottoman – American relationship could be framed in the second part of the eighteenth century; they will evolve more consistently especially from the cultural/ religious and commercial point of view. In the interwar period, the relations will also tighten from a diplomatic standpoint, without excelling. The Second World War places Turkey under American strategic analysis, that doesn’t reserve a possible belligerent position if this fact would imply massive financial and military resources. However, Turkey is not indifferent to the United States, which undertake a series of initiatives (Lend-Lease policy, launching of rumours about potential guarantees and sending of prospective political missions, joining United Kingdom, at Cairo, in the effort to persuade Turkish leaders to abandon neutrality, in one way or another, buying the chrome production to reduce its export to Germany, intelligence activities) that support our statement. United States take into account the special position of Turkey, more important than compared to other neutral states. But bilateral relations did not lack in tensions, which occurred mostly at the beginning and the end of the period (United States’ negative reactions on Turkish-German treaty, dated 1941; or the strong appeal - which included threat, also - to the neutral states, in April 1944, to cease all help given to Axis states, the United States’ stand in the last months of war and first months of peace, when Turkey had become already a subject in Soviet demands). In conclusion, beyond appearances, we could observe a certain unrest in Turkey-United States relations, more obvious than in other United States’ relations with neutral countries; in the last instance, this situation arose from the United States pursue of its war objectives, combined with a very well concealed desire, from the Turkish side, to have a more consistent relationship with the United States, possibly for an indefinite term.

• Details
• Contents