Relations Between Turkey and America
INTRODUCTION
The purpose of this paper is to look for the relations between Turkey and America from the cold war to current issues I will study on the situations that are developed between America and Turkey starts from the end of the cold war such as “Truman doctrine”, “missile crisis” and “gulf war”.
The policies of United States and the reactions of Turkey’s against that policies will take part in this paper.
COLD WAR
The Soviet Union and the United States, after World War II, began a military competition. The Soviet Union, after the end of World War II, wished to expand the buffer zone between itself and the Western world. In addition to the original Polish territory, the USSR established communism in Rumania, Poland, Hungary, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia and East Germany.
The Kremlin felt that The United States was going to try to spread its capitalist ideals into all of Europe and eventually, the Soviet Union itself. Also, the United States saw the Soviet occupation of Eastern Europe as the beginning of a plan to spread Communism throughout the world. This misconception was the beginning of the Cold War.
The relation ship between America and Turkey has improved from 1947. In this relation the geopolitical position of Turkey plays a big role.
The Truman Doctrine
The first United States anti-Communist action was, in 1947, to begin providing economic aid to countries pressured by outside powers.
When Britain announced that it would withdraw aid to Greece and Turkey, the responsibility was passed on to the United States. America was afraid of spreading of communism because of that President Harry S. Truman asked military and economic aid for Greece and Turkey and established a doctrine named as the Truman Doctrine that would guide U.S. diplomacy for the next forty years.
The United States had also been following events in Turkey. The weak government of Turkey faced Soviet pressure to share control of the strategic Dardanelle Straits.
Also Turkey could prevent the expansion of Soviet Union to the Mediterranean and Middle East and it could be a set for the Soviet Union in a probable war. Also Turkey had an important geopolitical position for USA, Turkey could provide an important geopolitical advantage for USA in a war with Soviet Union. These were the most important reasons for USA to help Turkey...
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...all in 21st century they have good relations).Especially after September 11 attacks, declaration war against terrorism by USA, Turkey decided to be with the USA side. Turkey had lots of problems about terrorism (especially PKK).
Turkey had important geopolitical position because of that USA would not want to lost turkey. As long as the economic crisis exists in turkey the Turkish foreign policy will be more depended on USA and IMF. But at the and when we look at the current events in international arena, especially the visit of president of Turkey Ecevit to united states in January 14, 2002 we see that the USA- Turkish relations becoming better.
REFERENCES:
Baskýn Oran, TURK DIÞ POLITIKASI, Iletiþim yayýnlarý,
Istanbul,2001.
Idris Bal, TURK DIÞ POLIIKASI, Alfa basým yayým daðýtým, 2001.
Doç.DR. Oral Sander, TURK-AMERÝKAN ILIÞKILERI, Ankara, 1979.
Dr. A. Haluk Ülman, TURK-AMERIKAN DIPLOMATIK MUNASABETLERI,
Ankara,1961.
Kamuran Gürün, DIS ILISKILER VE TURK POLITIKASI,Ankara,1983
William Hale, TURKISH FOREIGN POLICY, Frank Cass publishers,
britain, 2000.
http://www.Turkey.org
http://www.turk-yunan.gen.tr
http://www.yale.edu
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