TURKEY'S IMPORTANT ROLE
SEELY, Lt. Comdr. C. S.
Turkey's Important Role By Lt. Comdr. C. S. Seely ACCORDING to recent reports Turkey may shortly join the United Nations. This is good news, as Turkey would make a desirable and valuable partner...
...Advance in church and religious matters generally has been very important...
...Practically speaking the church there has been separated from everything but religion...
...It no longer is directly connected with politics, sociology or economics, and concerns itself almost entirely with the side of man devoted to an afterworld of gods, devils, heavens, hells, and the like...
...Should this happen the Nazis probably would arrive on the Dardanelles-Sea of Marmara-Bosporus line within a month afterwards...
...It goes without saying that any deal by which we can bring Turkey on our side will be a good deal, as it will shorten the war by months...
...The benefits we would gain far outweigh any possible disadvantages...
...This is good news, as Turkey would make a desirable and valuable partner for the nations now fighting Nazi-fascism...
...Will Help Shorten War It would be good strategy on our part to win Turkey to our cause by offering almost any sort of inducement...
...Modern Turkey is a progressive country, and with the sole exception of Russia has made more gains from a social and religious standpoint during the last 25 years than any other country in the world...
...Turkey is decidedly antifascist and always has been, but because of her vulnerability to attack from Hitler has had little choice but to remain neutral...
...It is true that Turkey is a poor country and has little to gain by joining us, but we should try our very best to get her to do so...
...Turkey's Position Turkey probably would join the United Nations immediately if she were convinced that we or the British could and would send her enough help to protect most of her European territory and save Constantinople from destruction...
...This, however, could hardly be done as the Nazis obviously are watching the situation closely and will strike hard for Constantinople the moment Turkey joins us...
...There the Nazis would be in an exceedingly strong position...
...But even should this happen the United Nations would gain enormously as they would obtain air bases in Asiatic Turkey from which to bomb the Rumanian oil fields...
...The opinions and assertions expressed above are the private ones of the writer and are not to be construed as official or reflecting the views of the Navy Department or the naval service at large...
Vol. 7 • December 1943 • No. 51
