AMERİKA BİRLEŞİK DEVLETLERİ SAMSUN KONSOLOSUNUN GÖZÜNDEN 1920 YILINDA SAMSUN’UN DURUMU
THE SITUATION OF SAMSUN IN THE PERSPECTIVES OF THE UNITED STATES CONSUL IN SAMSUN IN 1920

Summary/Abstract: Samsun was a coastal city that remained relatively in the background from the period when it entered the Ottoman rule until the beginning of the 19th century. The developments in this century have begun to change the fate of the city. The city, frequented by steamships, developed economically and socially in a short time and its population increased with immigration from other Ottoman regions with the opening of the Black Sea to international trade. The USA became a partner in the Black Sea trade and opened a diplomatic mission in Samsun after Trabzon with the trade agreement made between the USA and the Ottoman Empire in 1830. The work of missionary formations operating on behalf of the United States in the region has helped this country to strengthen its presence in Samsun. During the First World War and the National Struggle, there were also disturbances in the Black Sea region and Samsun, the Greek and Armenian population lived, was directly affected by the developments. The National Struggle movement emerged in Anatolia went to the way of ensuring security in the region by going against the separatist elements acting especially with the support of Greece and Britain. Although the U.S. was not directly involved in the events during this period, it took a stance on the side of the separatists through its employees and missionaries in the region. S. Pinkney Tuck, who was appointed as consul to Samsun in such a turbulent period, prepared informative reports for his country regarding the political, economic and social developments in the region during his term of office. S. Pinkney Tuck, who was appointed as consul in Samsun in such a complicated period, prepared informative reports on the political, economic and social developments in the region during his tenure. In this study, Tuck's consular report dated December 13, 1920 obtained from the American archives was discussed. In this report, Tuck made evaluations of his findings and observations regarding the production and trade potential of Samsun, the livelihood conditions of the people living in the city, life habits, health, entertainment and cultural infrastructure opportunities rather than political developments. These evaluations, made by a foreign diplomat by centering on himself, have an interesting content in terms of revealing another dimension of daily life in an Anatolian city during the National Struggle period.

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