Turkish-American relationships between the years 1914-1945

This study discusses Turkish- American relationships between the years 1914-1945 and by doing so comprises political, commercial, cultural, diplomatic and educational activities between these two countries. Bilateral relations started firstly in 19th century with commercial purposes with the states of Ottoman Empire in Northern Africa. Initial contacts which started with commerce resulted beginning of diplomatic and political relationships. Soon after the arrival of American missionaries, bilateral relations accelerated and with this it paved the way for the occurrence of certain problems on educational and cultural policies. Even though the bilateral relations got worse for a while with the beginning of the First World War, the relations between those two states started again with the commercial activities in post war era.During the First World War, the Deportation Law enacted by the Ottoman Empire due to the compulsory conditions that the country was experiencing drew the reactions of the American missionaries. American missionaries continuously provoking Armenians against the Ottoman Empire carried on their activities around an organization named Near East Relief in order to help the Armenians after the enforcement of the Deportation Law. The relations between these two countries after the war were influenced in a bad way especially due to the hostile attitudes of the missionaries against Ottoman Empire on Armenian activities. This exposure showed itself also in politics. Lobbying activities in the USA against Turkish opposition became active in Lausanne in 1923. Turkish-American Lausanne Agreement signed between these two countries wasn?t enacted by the American Senate in 1927 with the influence of the lobbying activities, as well.Key Words: America, Missionary, Armenian, Commerce, Agreement, War and Diplomacy