Turkish-Soviet Union relations during Demokratic Party Period

During the World War II, Republican People's Party (CHP), following the balance policy in foreign policy since the day Turkish Republic was founded, drew reaction of the allied countries, especially of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). Thus, at the end of the war Turkey received requests from the Soviet Union against the unity and the territorial integrity of the country. When the Soviets stated that they would not renew the Neutrality and Non-Aggression Agreement, Turkey, already having financial difficulties, started to have a security problem, and the remedy was sought in the West. Under the leadership of the President Truman, changing its traditional foreign policy into reviving Europe in terms of economic and military aspects against the spread of Soviets, the USA added Turkey to its project and ensured its economic and military integration into the West through Turkey's acceptance to NATO following Truman Doctrine and Marshall Aids. Bilateral relations that calmed down after 1945 Soviet requests were activated again following Turkey's acceptance to NATO, and this acceptance drew reaction of the Soviets. It was Khrushchev to admit following Stalin's death that Turkey used the NATO option against Soviet threats and tended towards the West. Post-Stalin USSR, under the governing of Khrushchev and Bulganin, changed its foreign policy, and started to pursue a policy that was more moderate but more involved in world policies. Though the relations with Turkey were desired to be improved, Turkey ignored this approach with the idea that it would not be welcome by its West allies. Democratic Party (DP), which often criticized the relations formed with Arabian countries during CHP period, in order to benefit more from the Marshall Aids and to prove to be a reliable ally, became the pioneer of the USA projects which aimed to penetrate its influence breaking the English and French patronage in the Middle East But this active policy was sensed as the cat's paw of the Western imperialist powers by Arab countries and was met by reaction. Being Egypt in the first place, most of the Arab countries were under the influence of the Soviets and rejected to be included in the agreements that the West tried to establish under the leadership of Turkey. DP, which came into power with the promises of turning Turkey both democratically and economically into "Little America", applied pressure to the opposition party and censored the media, and it tried to conceal the deep economical problems by creating communism threat in domestic policy and artificial enemies in foreign policy. When the USA decreased its aid that had been made since 1954 and granted these aids in return of heavy expectations, it raised reactions in Menderes governing, and requests of devaluation, degrowth and halting the large scale investments became the final straw. It can be said that it took too long for the DP to understand that they had overestimated the military and economic agreements with NATO and the West. Realizing that Turkey was economically dependent on the USA, the USSR refrained from overreacting against the American bases, missile activities and espionage crises and contented by warning Turkey with properly expressed notes. Thus, it reaped its fruits with mutual visits after 1959, economic agreements and the planning of Menderes-Khrushchev meeting. However these relations that were to be accelerated in 27 May 1960 had to be postponed when the DP handed over the governing as a result of a military coup.