Turkish Republic during the WWII
Tags: Politics, Turkey

Turkey in other words Anatolia, has always been a problematic and important region for many countries and empires in history. After the 18th and 19th centuries, Anatolia was showing its importance for many countries and it led direct problems for many regions. It is extremely important with its Straits, Black Sea region, Middle East, and East Europe. Mackinder was extremely right about his idea about Heartland and Rimland which is consist the East Europe and Anatolia region. When we are looking to Anatolia region, we cannot just look at one specific region; It is like a domino effect, one big change in Anatolia can drove other parts affected. With its tender and delicate characteristic of this region make every statesmen and country more careful to Anatolia. Anatolia is worthy of notice and cannot be ignored. With a single wrong play can change the balances for good.

This fragile characteristic of Anatolia therefore Turkey, put Ismet Inonu in bad situation in times of 2nd World War. In order to understand ideology of Inonu, we need to know what happened during and before the 2nd World War.

Turkey was completely lost its trust to Soviet Union because in 1939 Turkey wanted to secure its east borders and Black Sea region and meetings has started but it did not survive against tension in the world. “This incident is one of biggest diplomatic turning point for both countries”.

The nonaggression pact has signed between Germany Reich and USSR herewith a secret treaty between them to divide the Eastern Europe and especially Poland. German Reich invaded Czechoslovakia and Italy under the leadership of Mussolini invaded Albania. The Axis influence was coming to Turkey and in that time, Bulgaria was already an ally of Hitler and German Reich. This led to fear in Turkey, The fear of occupation from Soviet and Germany from west and east. It led a huge diversion in Turkey’s bureaucracy and bureaucrats, Turkey was already wanted to make an alliance with UK and France to secure himself from Soviet and possible German attack. It was not a fully alliance to join the war, but it was military and economical help to get from UK and France to protect themselves. Because Turkey and Inonu were knowing that if German Reich and Soviet Union would attack Turkey, it would be complete destruction for Turkey which is newly independent and newly recovered from the WWI. This Polish syndrome was lasted until German Reich declare war and attack to Soviet Union in 1941.

The geopolitical location of Turkey was gained independence and became more visible for everyone in after Germany attacked to Soviet Union. Joseph Stalin wanted Turkey not to join war with Axis states in order to keep the war in one side, possibility of Turkey’s alliance with Germany, Germany can attack from south from Caucasians and can contain Soviet Union would share the same end with France.

German Reich and Hitler wanted Turkey to join the war in their side, because the oil that Germany has was not enough for Germany, Germany was having oil shortage. Turkey will be a bridge to reach the Baku oils and Northern Iraq oils. Also, just like Soviet fear, Hitler would fight against Soviet Union from the Caucasians. In 1941 Hitler wrote a letter to the President Ismet Inonu, he was greeting the German-Turkish relations and he mentioned unbreakable bond of German Turkey relations, he guaranteed there will be no attack from German side if Turkey will stay neutral because Turkey and Germany had the same struggles after the WWI (Versailles and Sevres treaties).

The letter was quite grateful but also threatening Turkey. Hitler was saying if Turkey join the Allies side Germany will not hesitate to attack to Turkey not clearly. Hitler was also tried to use British discontentment after the Mosul crisis between Turkey and UK.

Turkey’s aim was being out of the war no matter what. From the founding father of Turkey Atatürk, Turkey was trying to stay out of wars, because as a newly independent nation state, Turkey were not completely healed itself after the independence war, Turkey economy was still fragile. Ismet Inonu as a leader who spent most of his life in the battlefields was knowing what war means. As an answer to Hitler, President Inonu was saying Turkey also will not hesitate to attack to protect its national integrity, sovereignty, and its natural international rights. That answer was quite shocking, because as a poor, newly healing country’s president threatening the leader of German Reich, Hitler who is one of the most powerful man in that time

In 1943 Turkish President Ismet Inonu met with Prime Minister of UK Winston Churchill, Churchill wanted Turkey to join the war in the Allies side. Starting a war from south of German Reich will be the end of Hitler. Even though Inonu was open up to joining the war, Inonu evade the situation by saying the war making power is belongs to Turkish Parliament.

Turkey was not active part of the 2nd World War, but Turkey did pay the costs of the war. Turkey had to enforce newly laws (MMK) and newly taxes (Varlik Vergisi). The war reduced the growing rate of Turkey. The production was declined immensely, the Turkish economy was boomed; The landlords became richer because of black market, but public became poorer. Turkey had to have a standing army stayed in Istanbul, almost 1 million young people became soldier to protect Turkey from outside attacks. The city was prepared to evacuate the citizens to central Anatolia.

As we can see war is not just a killing each other or happening in the battlefield, war has many occasions and has many shapes. Economy is most essential thing for waging wars, Turkish politicians were knowing that and that is why they used active neutrality as a tool. Turkey did not actively join the war, but Turkey stayed neutral. That protect Turkey from possible destruction, Inonu and his cabinet and his bureaucrats was the architect of this success. The politic that Turkey pursue was outcome of experience that Turkey got from the 1st World War. Turkey’s foreign policy during the 2nd World War as a poor and weak country almost in every pillar of power (economic, administrative, military), is based on the success of its politicians. Turkey’s bureaucracy cannot be underestimated, the policies that Inonu and his administration used, were not suddenly decided by Inonu, those policies and bureaucracy skills was a heritage from hundreds of years of state making policies of Turkish History