NATO & CENTO
NATO & CENTO
Following World War II, two phrases were coined, which help to explain why we are in Turkey today - "iron curtain" and "cold war." The iron curtain is the invisible and visible blockade which prohibits the free interchange of peoples, things and ideas between the West and the East. The cold war is the effort of the Communist Bloc to expand by all possible means, short of atomic war, the red iron curtain.
Facing the iron curtain are many countries making up the free world
alliances - primarily NATO, CENTO, and SEATO. This line extends for
thousands of miles from Scandanavia thru the Middle East and into the Pacific.
Turkey, straddling Europe and Asia, is a member of both NATO and CENTO,
and forms both the eastern cornerstone of NATO and the western cornerstone
of CENTO, thereby helping to retard the Communism expansion into the passage
from the Black Sea to the Mediterranean Sea and the Middle East.
In these alliances, Turkey is extremely important.
Many nations bordering the Communist Bloc were severely weakened during
World War II; and the United States believed that, without assistance,
many of these nations might fall prey to international communism.
Our
initial answer to this problem came in the form of the Truman Doctrine,
a system of economic and military aid to some of these nations. Economic
aid to Turkey under this plan began in 1947.
In the beginning, economic aid was concentrated on such items as farm
machinery, road-building equipment, coal-mining facilities, and power-generating
equipment. Since 1956, emphasis on aid had shifted to spare parts
for machinery, recovery of raw materials, and many other items needed for
maintaining the rate of growth of industrial and agricultural expansion.
Technical assistance is provided to develop and improve additional skills
and to diseover and train potential instructors.
From 1947 to the present time, United States economic aid to Turkey
has amounted to over one and one-half billion dollars. The military
phase of the aid program has contributed about two billion dollars to the
military
economy since 1947.
United States military aid is currently maintained for America in Turkey by JUSMMAT (Joint US Military Mission for Aid to Turkey). Due to this aid, Turkey has been able to establish a fairly modern defensive force. Its forces are organized and trained along professional lines and are supplied with some of our nation's latest arms and equipment. Some of these include Honest John, Nike missiles, and supersonic fighter aircraft in the USAF Century series.
The United States military forces in Turkey provide a wide variety of
military skills and assistance to keep Turkey strong. Each person
assigned to Turkey comes here with his particular required skill to play
his part in
the overall military effort in Turkey. It is the combined contributions
of these skills which the free world is counting on to help maintain the
ideals which you value so highly.
GEOGRAPHY
Modern Turkey contains some of the roughest and some of the most fertile
terrain in the world. Geographically speaking, Turkey is an Asian country;
some 97 percent of the country's land mass lies in Asia. The European
part of Turkey is approximately the size of our state of New
Hampshire. Separating European for Asian Turkey are the famous "Straits"
are the Bosphorus, Sea of Marmara, and the Dardanelles which join the Black
Sea to the Mediterranean. The highest and most rugged mountains are
located in eastern Turkey forming a barrier against the rest of Asia.
The ruggedness of the topography gradually diminishes as you proceed from
east to west which is one reason why Turkey has traditionally oriented
itself toward Europe. The base is located on a narrow alluvial plain
where fertile soil sometimes extends to a depth of 50 feet. Mountain
areas and salt and fresh water are all close to Karamursel.
POPULATION
The last official census of Turkey in 1965 showed almost 32 million people. Nine cities have a population greater than 100,000. The three largest and also best known of these are Istanbul (1,850,000); the capital, Ankara (900,000); and the port of Izmir (700,000) on the classic Aegean Sea.
CLIMATE
The climate in this area is generally mild and humid, altho extremes
in temperature are occasionally noted. Due to the proximity of the
Sea of Marmara to the base and all living areas, periods of extended cold
are few.
Temperatures rarely go below 25°F in the winter and most of the
time are well above freezing. However, rain comes often in the winter
leaving the local land area in a continual sea of mud from December to
April. Altho
actual temperatures do not fall too low, the combination of dampness
and north winds make the weather "feel" colder than it actually is.
For the remainder of the year, the weather is ideal. Days are warm
to hot and the
evenings are somewhat cooled by off-water breezes. Rain seldom
falls from May to November.
BASIC HISTORY
For over four thousand years, Asia Minor has had civilized peoples movingacross her wastelands- conquering, settling, subjecting, being subjected. Perhaps the best known of the earlier people were the Hittites who fashioned weapons of iron. Following the Hittites were others such as Alexander the Great, the Persians, and citizens of the magnificent Roman Empire. One vestige of Roman times, a stone footbridge, stills stands firmly in place half-way between Yalova and the base. Across the Sea of Marmara from the Karamursel complex is the castle of the famous Hannibal where that great Carthaginian leader took his life in 182 BC.
The crowning of Constantine in 324 AD marked the beginning of the Byzantine
Empire. In 325 AD, a council of all Christians was held at Nicaea
to settle a dispute concerning the true nature of Jesus. This meeting
even-
tually resulted in the development of the Nicaean Creed. Nicaea
is the present-day Iznik, situated on a beautiful lake about 30 minutes
from Yalova. Many ruins can still be seen in the area. In 330
AD, Constantine and his court took up residence in the city of Constantinople,
built on the site of the ancient city of Byzantium.
Shortly after the death of Mohammed in 631, his followers began revolting
against the Christian Byzantine rule. The Arabs siezed territory
rapidly and were finally stopped from going deeply into Europe by the Franks
at
Tours in 732 AD. However, by 750 AD, the Arabian Moslems had
wrested Spain, North Africa, Egypt, Arabia, Syria, Jerusalem, Persia, and
Armenia away from the Byzantine Empire laying the basis for Moslem dominance
in many of these areas today.
Next, the warlike Seljuk Turks conquered parts of the Arabian empire,
enthusiastically embraced the Moslem religion, and began vicious attacks
on the Byzantine Empire. The call for help by the Byzantine emperors
was
answered by the crusaders who sought to reclaim the former Christian
lands from the Moslems.
In April of 1097, the first crusading armies crossed into Asia Minor
from Constantinople. They marched thru the area where Karamursel
is situated and made their initial attack on Nicaea. Other Crusades
passed thru
Turkey with varying degrees of success.
In the beginning of the thirteenth century, the Ottoman Turks in northwest Asia Minor were given a strip of land near Bursa by the SelJuk Turks. In exchange, they were to guard the frontier against the Byzantine Empire.
Gaining strength rapidly, the Ottoman Turks defeated the Seljuk Turks and embarked on a new period of expansion. Led by men of extraordinary ability for ten generations, the Ottoman Empire reached its zenith in the 16th centtury when its development was stopped by the Persians, the Portuguese fleet, the Russians in the Crimea, and the Hapsburgs in Vienna.
The discovery of America was a direct result of the Ottoman domination of the Middle East. Rather than pay exorbitant "middle man' prices, Portuguese and Spanish explorers sought all-water routes to India and the Far East. Discovery of an all-water route to India by the Europeans, inflation caused by cheap silver from America, and the failure of the Ottoman Turks to keep up with modern European techniques led to the decay of their empire.
During the 18th and 19th centuries and until World War I, the Ottoman empire slowly crumbled. "The sick man of Europe" was unable to defend the frontiers. As a result, Hungary and the Balkan States broke away, Greece revolted, African dependencies were forfeited, and Egypt fell under British control.
During the period of weakening, reform and dissident elements formed
in the empire. In 1889, the Young Turks crystallized into a revolutionary
group and, after an abortive revolt in 1896, most were exiled to the provinces.
By 1908, the Young Turks had gained sufficient strength to demand and
receive a new constitution from the Sultan. In the meantime, the
European nations stood by like vlutures waiting to pick up the pieces of
the "Sick
Man."
By 1917, French, British, Italian, and Greek troops were occupying Turkish soil. Mustafa Kemal (later to be known as Ataturk) gathered an army about him and strove to drive the foreigners from Turkey. In 1922, Sultan Mehmet VI was deposed and fled Turkey in a British warship. With the Sultan and foreign troops defeated, the Turkish Republic was formed with Ataturk as first president.
Thrusting up from the midst of the southwest Ankara residential section
is one of the most remarkable features of the capital of Turkey. This massive
structure, which took almost 10 years to build, houses the remains of
Ataturk - Father of his country and first president of the Republic
of Turkey. The picture on the preceding page, looking toward the
tomb from the entrance to the promenade, belies the true size and magnificence
of
the overall monument - this promenade is more than 100 yards wide and
is some 285 yards long - and the mauseleum itself in the background rises
to a height of almost 100 feet.
ATATURK
Born in Salonika, Greece, in 1881, Ataturk received his formal education
atthe military academy in Istanbul. It was here that he received
the nickname "Kemal" meaning perfection. Before World War I, he took
part in the
Young Turk reform movement which obtained a constitutional government
in 1908 .
When World War I broke out, Kemal distinguished himself in the great German victory over the Allies at Gallipoli. When the smoke of war cleared, the Allies occupied Istanbul and other portions of Turkey. Kemal, seeing the weakness of the Sultan, gathered officers around him and began to move inland from Samsun organizing peasants as he went to repel the invaders. As eastern Turkey rallied to Kemal's standard, the French and Italians withdrew leaving only the Greeks. After much vicious fighting, the Greeks were defeated and the Sultan deposed.
Ataturk (Father of the Turks) was elected the first president in 1923
and served in that capacity until his death in 1938. The progress
under his administration was amazing - centuries of reform in a short time
span. He began the use of surnames to aid in taking a census.
He separated church and state and replaced Moslem Law with European codes.
Polygamy, harems, and the wearing of the fez and veil were forbidden.
The Latin
alphabet was substituted for the more difficult Arabic, and compulsory
education was instituted to teach the new language. He took the first
census and set up programs for public health and industrial progress. Ataturk
literally pulled Turkey up by its own bootstraps to found a modern nation.
Today, Ataturk is revered by his countrymen as "The Father of His Country."
RELIGION
Islam was the driving force which welded the Turkish empire and is still a potent factor in Turkey today. Virtually all Turks are Moslems; other sects are supported primarily by immigrants or families of immigrant origin.
Islam was founded by Mohammed in 622 at Mecca, in Arabia. In some
ways, it is similar to Christianity in that both have a common Semetic
root, are monotheistic, and were founded in the same geographical area.
Jesus is
considered by the Moslems to be one of their great prophets.
Others considered to be prophets are Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Mohammed,
the last and greatest. Religious teachings for Islam are found in
the Koran.
Outward evidence of Islam is to be seen everywhere in Turkey. The slender, picturesque minarets that sprout from Moslem mosques dominate every town and village. The Moslem is called to prayer five times a day by a crier from a platform on the minaret. St. Sophia of Istanbul, a former Christian church, is one of the most famous and beautiful mosques in the world. It is now a museum.
Many Moslems, like many Christians, profess their religion but do not engage in public worship. For example, during daily prayer the devout Moslem washes his hands and feet and faces Mecca. He then kneels and touches his forehead to the ground. During this ritual, he wears a hat that does not shadow his face. In actual practice, few Turks pray in this manner five times a day. Occasionally, however, you will see an individual praying in this manner in public places.
You will be allowed to visit mosques in Turkey such as the St Sophia
already mentioned and the Blue Mosque, both located in Istanbul.
As a nonbeliever, you must follow certain rules when visiting mosques.
Women must cover their heads and wear long-sleeved garments. In addition,
all persons must remove their shoes upon entering and wear the special
slippers provided.
| Three religious observances will come to your attention. Ramazan
is characterized by a month of prescribed fasting. During this period,
no food, drink, or tobacco passes the lips of pious Moslems - from
sunrise to sunset. Incidentally, Moslem also forbids eating pork and drinking alcoholic beverages. Ramazan is immediately followed by 3-day feast known as the Candy Festival
(Seker Bayrami). This
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THE TURKISH PEOPLE
The majority of the people you will see in Turkey will be the dark-haired, swarthy Mediterranean type. However, due to the many different people who have passed thru and settled in Turkey, blondes, brunettes, and freckled redheads are often seen. you will see great differences between the city Turks and the majority of the rural Turks who live near the base. For example, fashionable dresses and high heels in Istanbul give way to long black coats and low walking shoes in the rural areas.
About 80 percent of the Turks are engaged in agriculture. For
the most part, Turks live in tiny villages composed of 1- and 2-room cottages
huddled by a source of water. Cottage floors are probably covered
with a
handsome hand-woven rug, but the cottages usually have little other
furniture.
The average Turk is friendly and will go out of his way to help you if you are in need. Once you begin to master the Turkish language you will enjoy getting to know your Turkish neighbors. The Turk is a shrewd bargainer in any object or service he sells. The Turkish men are quite clannish and spend long hours in the many tea houses that dot every turn. The women are still restricted in many ways by custom. In rural areas they work long, hard hours and many continue to wear head coverings and long black coats all year around, altho wearing of the veil has been discarded in this area. At the beach, the paradox of the woman's status in Turkey is demonstrated by a Turkish woman in a bikini and one in a long black coat, sunning side by side.
DRIVING IN TURKEY
Perhaps this is an unusual heading compared to the previous ones; however, you will find that driving in Turkey presents some unusual problems. Basic traffic codes are similar to those in the US, but rules are rarely enforced. Many of the items below are peculiar to Turkey in general and to the area surrounding the base in particular.
Pedestrians enjoy unrestricted use of streets and highways and tend to ignore the danger of moving traffic.
An American lefthand turn signal in Turkey tells the driver behind you it is safe to pass. If your intention is to turn left and you do not look in your rear-view mirror, it is possible that you will turn into the path of a vehicle attempting to pass you.
You will not only need to beware of pedestrians, who are not accustomed to judging speeds and braking limitations because they have never driven, but also livestock and carts.
Damaged or inoperable vehicles are often left wherever disabled until
they can be repaired. This often means on the roadway itself, presenting
a major problem to those accustomed to "overdriving their headlights" because
disabled Vehicles are rarely illuminated.
Roads in the local area are not good and are often under repair. Traffic on good stretches of roadway is characterized by very high rates of speed which make them inherently dangerous. There are few banked roadways or divided highways in Turkey. Rough and narrow roadways are the rule.
Because of the difficulty of getting replacements, many Turkish vehicles are in bad repair. No lights, faulty steering mechanisms, old tires, and bad brakes are some primary examples of defects encountered on the roadways.
Alert defensive driving, a wise policy anywhere, is especially important
here. The Turkish authorities are aware of the many problems of driving
in this country and are taking steps to correct them. Good driving
on your
part will assist them.
TOURING TURKEY
WHAT TO SEE AND DO
You will have wonderful opportunities to see new and very different parts of the world during your assignment in Turkey.
The fabled city of Istanbul is a 2-hour ferry ride from Yalova. Guardian of the Bosphorus, Istanbul has been a metropolis for 2,600 continuous years. Ancient walls and aqueducts can be seen outside the city proper and modern hotels inside. Altho slaves are no longer sold there, the Grand Bazaar continues to interest all visitors.
A l-hour ferry ride from Yalova is the resort island of Buyukada. Much the architecture is Victorian; and this, coupled with no private vehicles on the island, places one back in a 19th-Century setting. Horse and carriage rides around this island are available for a modest fee. Excellent swimming is also available.
Burse is an ancient city located within a 2-hour drive of the base. Many tourist attractions are available including Mt Uladag, the winter sports center of Turkey.
About 6 hours from the base in the capital city of Ankara. Driving
thru the mountains on the way to Ankara, you can see villages constructed
entirely of logs. Half way to Ankara is Lake Abant, where one can
usually
catch mountain trout. Ankara itself is a modern city with many
tourist attractions of its own including the Hittite Museum and Ataturk's
Tomb.
Izmir is a full days drive from the base but is well worth the effort. The remains of a great Roman city stand in the ancient market place. Ephesus, 50 miles south of Izmir, is famed for St. Paul's visit and also the belief, officially supported by the Catholic Church, that the final home of the Virgin Mary exists there.
Athens, Greece, may be reached in about 24 hours driving time or a l-hour
flight from Istanbul or a short boat trip. Athens is a popular spot
for individuals stationed at Karamursel because of its tourist attractions
and
modern shopping areas.
Each year, one or two trips are sponsored by the base chapel or personnel services to the Holy Land. These trips generally include Beirut, Lebanon, and Syria. Altho costly (about $200), the price is small compared to rates from the United States.
Other areas of Asia and Europe are also within easy reach of Istanbul by air and there is the possibility of using military aircraft either one or both ways to Germany, Italy, France, and Egypt.
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TUSLOG DET 94
PAM 216-1 |
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| PATTI W. PARKER, 2d Lt. USAF
Chief of Administration |
