TURKISH-AMERICAN RELATIONS: 10TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS OF AMERICAN AID AND PROPAGANDA

The economy of Turkey, which did not actively participate in the Second World War, was negatively affected by the defence measures taken. After the war, the Soviets' demand for Turkish territory and their desire to change the Montreux Convention in their favour prevented Turkey from relaxing politically and economically. America felt that Europe, whose economies had been devastated by the war, should be supported against possible Soviet expansion and reconstruction, and wanted Turkey to be considered along with Greece, which needed military aid. In this regard, Turkey was included in the military aid programme announced by President Truman and benefited from military aid within the framework of the Truman Doctrine. This development, which raised Turkish-American relations to the level of an alliance, marked a turning point in relations between the two countries. After this doctrine, which was an anti-communist propaganda, America continued to provide military and economic aid for the reconstruction of Europe, and Turkey was included in this aid. Propaganda, which was seen as an important weapon in the Second World War, became one of the most important actors in the struggle between the two superpowers with the Cold War. The two superpowers used propaganda to put pressure on their enemies, and it was also used effectively in their own domestic political decisions. The aim of this study is to examine the celebrations that America is planning to hold in Turkey on the 10th anniversary of the Truman Doctrine and to evaluate them in terms of American propaganda.