Perceptions of China in the Turkish Korean War Narratives

Abstract

Turkey’s decision to enter the Korean War in the early 1950s was a major event in the republic’s history. As the country became a NATO member after the war, most scholars see this event as the beginning of a new era in Turkish foreign policy. This article argues that the Korean War has also been important in shaping the long‐term image of East Asian cultures and peoples in Turkish collective memory. The article’s main focus is on the Sino‐Turkish military encounter and the representation of China and the Chinese in the Turkish war memoirs, journals, and other narratives. This study also aims to discuss the critical role of these narratives in constructing a negative image for China while they created a favorable cultural stereotype for Koreans and Japanese.