Turkey and Neutrality During WWII

Turkey and Neutrality during the Second World War

This paper will discuss Turkey during the Second World War, focusing upon how Turkish leaders kept their country neutral. The first part of the paper will present a background of Turkey's geopolitical position in the middle of the Twentieth Century; the second part of the paper will examine the role played by Turkey in the Second World War.

Centrally located in the Near East and controlling the only waterway connecting the Black Sea with the Mediterranean Sea, Turkey was both an asset and an obstacle in the Allied and Axis strategic plans. At the beginning of the war the Turkish government maintained diplomatic relations with both sides, asserting its position as being strictly neutral. Both sides wanted control of the Straits and a presence in the Balkans. The British and French wanted to exclude the Axis from the oil fields of the Middle East, while the Axis wanted to funnel supplies to Arab rebels. When Germany reneged on the Russo-German Non-Aggression Pact and invaded the Soviet Union in June of 1941, Turkey became very important. The Soviets needed access to the Mediterranean through the Straits in order to keep a steady flow of supplies from the West, while the Germans, needed a secure southern flank in the east. As the tide of battle turned against the Axis in 1942, the Allies became increasingly insistent that Turkey declare war on Germany but the Turkish government knew that the Allies could not prevent a

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and France in the Black Sea. In turn, the Soviets began demanding that Turkey sign a bilateral protocol prohibiting the warships of non-Black Sea powers from passing through the Straits and effectively giving the Soviet Union control over Turkish decisions concerning the Straits. The Turkish government rejected these demands and continued to pursue talks with Britain and France for a more permanent treaty. In spite of pressures from Germany and the Soviet Union, Turkey concluded such a treaty with Britain and France in October of 1939, one month after Germany invaded Poland. This treaty stated that Turkey would come to the assistance of Britain and France in the event that aggression by another power led to war in the Mediterranean in which both Britain and France were involved or if they became involved in hostilities in defense of Greece or Romania; Britain and France would come to the aid of Turkey if it were attacked. One provision, however, stated that nothing in the treaty could oblige Turkey to take action if this action would lead to war with the Soviet Union. Although this pact seemed to place Turkey in the Allied camp, both Germany and the Soviet Union maintained pressure on Turkey to remain strictly neutral; G

Category: History - T