International Ataturk Alatoo University

Turkey in World War II

Subject: Turkey in World Politics

Lecturer: Ibrahim Koncak
Student: Aidana Sheralieva
Group: INT-13A
10.2016

Turkey in WWII

Introduction:

The Second World War proved a hostile Turkish policy towards Russia. Joining the
beginning to the Anglo-French bloc, Turkey, after the surrender of France in 1940, became closer
to Nazi Germany, which a year later signed a contract of neutrality (18 June 41). 1 Keeping it only
formally, the Turkish government has in fact provided Germany all support, including strategic
materials and food, freely passing through the straits into the Black Sea, German and Italian
warships. On Hitler's promise to help Turkey build a state of Turkic peoples around the Caspian
Sea and the latter concentrated in the Crimea from the Russian border some of its divisions,
ready to join the war on the powers of the "axis." Only the defeat of fascist troops at Stalingrad
kept the Turkish leadership on the implementation of these plans. Common sense, and perhaps
saved the historical memory while Ankara from making destructive decisions for her. When
German defeat was inevitable, Turkey 180 degrees to change their position, breaking in 1944,
relations with the Reich, and even declared war on him in February 1945. Took no part in
hostilities, formal Turkey was among the countries winners, three times during World War II,
changing its orientation. (Bracken, 2007)
A terrible war with large-scale loss of life did not begin in 1939, but much earlier. At the
end of the First World War in 1918, almost all European countries have acquired new borders.
Most were deprived of part of its historical territory, which led to a small war on conversations
and in our minds. The new generation brought up the hatred of enemies and hurt of lost cities.
Appeared reasons for the resumption of the war. However, the stern psychological reasons, there
were important historical background. The Second World War, in short, has involved in fighting
the entire globe. And here appears the question: Why was Turkey neutral in WWII?In order to
answer this question, we should analyze the history of World War II in details and narrow the
main events of Turkeys role in this war.

Turkey in WWII

Keywords: Turkey, Second World War, Neutrality

The position of Turkey in WWII:

In the first stage of the war, in 1939-1940., Ankara collaborated with the Anglo-French
bloc. Not wanting to strengthen the position of Italy, the Turkish government has concluded
October 19, 1939 agreement on mutual assistance with Britain and France. After the surrender of
France in June 1940, Turkey moved closer to Germany. June 18, 1941 an agreement was signed
between these countries' friendship and non-aggression. In collaboration with the Third Reich,
the Turkish Republic has supplied to Germany chrome ore and other strategic raw materials, as
well as permits the German and Italian warships through the Bosporus and the Dardanelles.
After Germany attacked the USSR, June 25, 1941 the Turkish government declared its
neutrality in the Soviet-German conflict. However, among the Turkish military and the
politicians to the prospect of participation in the war with the Soviet Union was actively
discussed. On the border with the Soviet Union deployed more infantry corps (26 divisions) of
the Turkish army, in June-July 1942, Turkish troops carried out in the east, large-scale
maneuvers. In response, the Soviet leadership was forced to keep a large group of troops in
Transcaucasia in case of war with Turkey. Tensions in the region declined after the encirclement
of the German forces at Stalingrad, November 19, 1942. Convinced of the insolvency of the
German plans for the defeat of the Soviet Union, the Turkish government again stepped up
negotiations with allies. In 1943 he met the Turkish Prime Minister Erdal Inonu with the head of
the British Cabinet Winston Churchill. In an effort to connect the Turkish troops for combat
operations against Germany, the United States and the United Kingdom have started supplying
modern weapons to Turkey under the Lend-Lease program. Despite this, the Turkish government
has continued a policy of neutrality and only broke off diplomatic relations with Germany in
August 1944.(Cozort,1998)

Turkey in WWII

The reasons of Turkey in declaration of war:

The main reason that prompted Turkey to declare war on the Third Reich 23 February 1945, it
became one of the key decisions of the Yalta Conference (4-11 February 1945). In Yalta, the head
of the Soviet Union, Britain and the United States agreed that the establishment of the United
Nations (UN) will involve only those States that have declared war on Germany before 1 March
1945. Thus, the neutral country risked to be outside the system of international relations, which
is lined power-winners. (Titov,2015)
The problems by ending WWII:
By the end of World War II, one of the main problems for Turkey was to maintain control over
the Black Sea straits. The country's leaders feared that the Allies can organize international
management Bosporus and Dardanelles. Joining the anti-Hitler coalition has allowed Turkey to
avoid landing of foreign troops on its territory and to ensure sovereignty over the Black Sea
straits. At the same time the Turkish Republic in February 1945 war on Germany and its allies
announced a number of Latin American and Middle Eastern countries.
Conclusion
Turkey had a dilemma as World War II approached. First, they had made a great deal of progress
toward becoming a modern secular nation. Entering the war on either side would put that
progress at risk. Secondly, the Turks had lost a great deal of territory at the end of World War I.
In the Middle East, they lost territory which today is Iraq, Syria, Jordan, Israel, and part of Saudi
Arabia. In the Mediterranean, the Italians seized islands along the Turkish coast, some as close as
3 miles away from the mainland. A strong current of Turkish political thought said that World
War II was an opportunity to take those territories back.
The question was: which territories did they go for? First, The Italian-held islands were an
affront to Turkey. Second, England ran former Turkish territory in Iraq, Jordan, and Palestine.
France held Syria and Lebanon. Turkey was also interested in regaining influence and territory in

Turkey in WWII

Turkish-speaking areas of the Soviet Union. After the Germans invaded the Soviet Union,
4

Turkey also had the option of trying to exploit that war to reach its goals in the Soviet Union.
Throughout the war, the Allies and Axis were very aware of Turkey's potential role. At various
times both sides offered fairly major incentives to bring the Turks in. As war broke out, the Turks
were primarily concerned about Italy's aggressive posture in the eastern Mediterranean. They
actually signed up as allies of the French and English against the Italians. In 1939. The Italians
wisely stayed out of the first several months of World War II, and the English and French
decided to try to get Mussolini to change sides rather than attacking him. The Turks urged the
Allies to go after Italy while Germany was tied up in Poland. Italy entered the war on Germany's
side when it became obvious that France was going to fall. The British asked Turkey to live up to
their treaty commitments and come in against Italy. The Turks looked at the balance of power
after a French collapse and wisely said no. What is interesting to note is that the Turks strictly
followed their neutrality policies and allowed transit of German supply convoys through the
Bosporus, which allowed them to supply virtually all of their military efforts in the Southern
USSR. Though Turkey may have appeared neutral in World War II, the side it took was obvious.

References:
Damian Bracken http://www.ucc.ie/chronicon/3/hakkfra.html,2007
Dale R. Cozort Turkey in WWII-Take two, 1998
Kirill Titov http://tass.ru/obschestvo/1784494 ,23.02.2015
https://www.archives.gov/research/holocaust/finding-aid/civilian/rg-84-turkey.html,August,2016