The Uneasy Relationship: Turkey's Foreign Policy towards the Soviet Union at the Outbreak of the Second World War

Özet

Aftcr the Lausanne Peace Treaty of 24 July 1923, Turkey followed a policy aiming consciously at peace and co-operation with ali nations. The whole purpose of the country presupposed a long period of tranquillity, without which its far-reaching plans for development and reform would have been meaningless. It was natural that at this period Republican Turkey and Soviet Russia should be attractcd towards each other. Each was striving for freedom from foreign shackles, and each was faced with formidable programmes of internal transformation. It was one of the majör tenets of Soviet foreign policy at the time to cultivate Turkey's good will and understanding, in order to show the exploited nations of Asia that Moscow was their only and true friend. Furthcrmore, Turkish friendship carricd with it promise of an advantageous accommodation in the Straits, in case of war with the Wcst a consideration which no Russian governmcnt could disregard.