Turkish-French Relations 1923-1939 A.D

Abstract

In 1921, the League of Nations placed Alexandretta under the French mandate. The Mandatory began to formulate a special political situation in the district, which later became an independent republic. During the period from the establishment of the modern Turkish Republic in 1923 until the outbreak of World War II in 1939, French-Turkish relations witnessed several developments, events and agreements that resulted from the tense international situations between the two world wars. The issue of the Alexandretta Brigade was the most important and fundamental detail in the nature of relations between the two countries, especially through the Turks' continuous efforts to return the brigade that was stripped from it to the Turkish border again. This is why it is noted how large the volume of diplomatic activity of the two countries is through the frequent meetings and constant visits of the two parties. France, as the mandatory power in Syria, agreed to include the Alexandretta Brigade with the aim of ensuring Turkey's neutrality in the eastern Mediterranean, especially when the signs of World War II began to appear on the horizon.