Greek-Turkish Relations in the Shadow of World War II
Greek-Turkish Relations in the Shadow of World War II

Author(s): Zuhal Mert Uzuner
Subject(s): Interwar Period (1920 - 1939)
Published by: Transnational Press London
Keywords: Greek-Turkish; Relations; Shadow; World War II;
Summary/Abstract: In the long history of Greek-Turkish relations, good and bad memories about each other coexist. Especially after the creation of the modern Turkish state in 1923, the two nation-states started to have diplomatic relations. International order and relative power positions in the eastern Mediterranean have been vital to bilateral relations. In other words, the foreign policies of both states evolved under the shadow of great power politics. So, the contemporary needs of countries shaped the policies more than ideational factors that othering each other. Significantly, the rise of a common external threat against both countries promoted a political perspective to see the common worries of both people. It is possible to explain it within an analogy: when the photographer focuses on a tree, the camera may not see it as part of a whole forest behind it in a blurred background. Specific disagreements exacerbated with prejudices fed by grand national narrative create the illusion that the photographer disregards the rest of the relationship that is full of compassion on the common civility of Turks and Greeks in the Eastern Mediterranean. The role of the third actors in bilateral relations together with the international system is another significant factor in blurring the picture. Greek-Turkish relations before and during World War II present the limits of the impact of international order on foreign policy priorities and the impact of the perception of the two nations.

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