‘A Purely Cultural Mission’: The British Council and Turkey 1940–7

This article considers the relationship between Britain and Turkey during the Second World War and its immediate aftermath via the work of the British Council, specifically in its work with the Halkevleri (People's Houses) in Turkey and the Halkevi established in London in 1942. Concentrating on cultural diplomacy, it explores the ways in which the British Council adapted its cultural arsenal to build relations with Turkey – crucial for its strategic status, adamant in its neutrality – with the limited resources available. The article also examines how Turkey received these efforts at cultural diplomacy, whether they were reciprocated, and whether they managed to fill the gap between the aid that was requested and what Britain was willing or able to provide. It considers to what extent psychological rearmament could do military work, to what extent it sought to, and to what extent it could be expected to succeed. Finally, it considers the retraction of generosity and a series of rejected requests in the immediate postwar period as a clarification of the goals and limits of the Council's campaign.