Turkey's reliance on Britain: British political and diplomatic support for Turkey against Soviet demands, 1943–47

Abstract

In general, Turkish foreign policy towards Russia and Britain has been shaped by the geographical position of Turkey rather than political motives. This is because Turkey occupied a geographical location where Russian interests were supreme in the north and lands and seas in which Britain had a great interest in the south and the west. After the beginning of the Ottoman decline in the late seventeenth century, Turkey had always been compelled to look to one of the Great Powers to support her against Russia. Turkey had generally obtained this support either from Britain or Austria-Hungary and later from Germany, but mostly it came from Britain. Except during the Great War which brought Britain and Turkey into two opposite camps, the traditional British policy was to support Turkey as a barrier against Russian expansion southwards. This was the case when the USSR sought to extend its political and territorial influence at the expense of Turkey in the immediate post-Second World War period. This article seeks to examine and analyse the process of Turkey's reliance on Britain and of the latter's response to the Turkish security pleas during one of the most critical stages in the history of Turkish Republic. As Turkey found itself isolated at the end of the Second World War because of her neutral position during the conflict, she attached utmost importance to the British responses, regarding them as a matter of life and death to herself. This article is based on abundant British archival material as well as available primary and secondary Turkish and American sources. The historical Turco-Russian antagonism dates back to the late seventeenth century. At this time, the Ottoman Empire was defeated by the European Coalition of Crusades in 1683. This defeat marked the beginning of the Ottoman decline in Europe. In the coming century, as Russia turned into a