| Description |
From the beginning of the republic's founding, Turkey displayed impressive diplomatic prudence in maintaining strong relations with Europe's major powers. However, the end of the Second World War marked the beginning of a new chapter in Turkish foreign policy. In response to the fear of an ever-growing Soviet empire, Turkey searched for a reliable partner that could help it both financially and militarily. Unsurprisingly, it zeroed in on the US as a potential patron, and Turkish diplomats lobbied hard to build a stronger relationship with their American counterparts, a level of agency that is often glossed over in favor of a focus on superpower politics. Turkey was able to build a strong relationship with the US, as support for Turkey also served American interests. Outside of reinforcing his commitment to fighting communism, President Truman would go on to install the United States as the most influential Western power in the Middle East, replacing the hitherto hegemon, Britain. As I demonstrate in this dissertation, American aid to Turkey also foreshadowed what would soon become the Marshall Plan. The financial assistance offered immediate relief to Turkey's languishing economy, thereby helping Ankara redistribute resources to address security concerns and rebuild its infrastructure. However, the cash flow from the US led to unexpected consequences in Turkish politics and society. Some of those impacts came to manifest as early as 1953 when the Menderes government's fiscal mismanagement and its reliance on American relief brought the economy to the brink of collapse, which would iv finally occur a few years later. The relationship between Turkey and the US was thus a marriage of convenience, one that faded when an economically stable Turkey was no longer as apprehensive about its territorial integrity. It comes as no surprise then that Turkey and the United States do not see eye to eye lately. By critically analyzing the foundation of their bilateral relationship, my dissertation connects the strained relationship of the present with the one-track partnership of the past. |
