Relations between the Republic of Turkey and the United States during the Cold War

Abstract

Active military, economic and political relations between the Turkish Republic and the United States began shortly after the end of World War II.

 Through the Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan, the United States provided Turkey with a massive $ 100 million in financial aid in 1947, most of which was spent on military development in the country.

In May 1951, the United States recommended Turkey to join the North Atlantic military bloc (NATO), and in October 1951, there was signed a protocol on Turkey’s admission to NATO in London.

On February 18, 1952, the Turkish Grand National Assembly ratified the NATO Accession Treaty.

Geopolitical shifts after World War II replaced Turkey's de facto foreign policy neutrality with a pro-Western course. The rapprochement between Turkey and the United States began, However, it was under the threat of the expected aggression from the Soviet Unionthroughout the Cold War.

Significant changes have taken place in Turkish-American relationssince 1980. Current political developments in both Turkey and the United States have made relations between the two countries more diversified. It is also true that they relied on elements of relations that existed in earlier periods, but nevertheless, the new form was significantly different from the previous one.