Türk Kamuoyunda Almanya (1939-1945)

Abstract

In this study titled "Germany in Turkish Public Opinion (1939-1945)", the balance policy followed by the Turkish government is explained through the changes towards Germany. With some exceptions, criticism of Germany between the years 1936-1939 did not rise in the Turkish public opinion. Because during these years, Turkey's economic and political relations with Germany are strong. Turkish public opinion cannot be considered independent of the Turkish government. Because, with the Press Law put into effect in 1931 and the Customary Administration Law promulgated in 1940, Turkish public opinion was put under control. Between 1939-1941, Germany was heavily criticized by the Turkish public for being allied with the Republic of Turkey, England and France. After the Turkish-German Friendship Agreement signed on June 18, 1941, the Turkish public opinion towards Germany changed in the years 1941-1943. Instead of criticism, the emphasis was placed on the old friendship of arms and the German nation was praised in general terms. As a result of the Allied powers' seizure of war superiority in 1944 and the pressures of the Allies on Turkey, the Turkish public's attitude towards Germany changed again. Comments that were not made in the first five years of the war were made in the last year of the war. The Turkish public also followed the balance policy that Turkey maintained throughout the war. The attitude towards Germany in the Turkish public was also directly affected by this balance. The comments made are dependent on the Turkish government. Journals and newspapers that published contrary to the government's stance were closed. In 1944, the racist/Turanist group alleged to have ideas against the politics of the Turkish government was put on trial and sentenced to prison in the last months of the war. In this study, the Turkish public opinion, the Turkish government and the policy followed by the government are processed in parallel. Evaluations and inferences were made in parallel with this.