Pressures on Turkey in The Second World War

Italy and Germany that were not satisfied with the results of World War I began to pursue an aggressive policy. Such aggressive policy led to the breakout of Second World War. Feeling the approach of Second World War, Turkey turned to the peace front with the alliance agreements it signed, thereby aiming to remain neutral during the war. However, as Turkey was a country that the Axis Powers and the Allied Powers wished to have on their sides because of its very position, it was exposed to intense pressures for it to get involved in the war on the sides of the said powers. In the face of these pressures, Turkey followed a balance policy throughout World War II and maintained its political and economic relations with both sides of the war. Maintaining its neutrality until the last year of the war despite all such pressures, Turkey broke off relations with Germany in August of 1944 as it was realized for sure that Germany was going to lose the war. It declared war against Germany in February of 1945 in order to take part in the United of Nations, which would be founded after the war. This study attempts to examine the political and economic pressure policies implemented by the Axis Powers and the Allied Powers during the war in order to have Turkey on their sides in light of archive documents. Key Words: Second World War, Italy and Germany, Axis Powers, Allied Powers, Pressure Policies