The Place of the Turkish Independence War in the American Press (1918-1923)

Abstract

This paper examines some American periodicals published between 1918 and 1923. According to this examination, he foremost topics discussed in these periodicals in this period were as follovvs: the plans for a 'new order' in the region and the role of the USA in this new phase; the question of Christian minorities, expecially the Armenians and American missionaries in Turkey; the war betvveen the Turkish and Greek armies; Kemalists' links with the Bolsheviks and Islamism; the negoiations at Lausanne and discord among the Allies, and the ecı nomic, commercial and cultural interests of the USA in the "nevv Turkey". I conclude that the attitude of the American press, in general, changed slovvly but continuously during this period, and vvas determined strongly by the attempts of the Kemalists to prove hovv 'modern' or 'Westernized' they weıe. Although anti-Turkish discourse remained dominant even afer the Treaty of Lausanne, a more analytical and objective vievv of the Kemalists started to prevail.