The Effects of the Turkish-American Rapprochement on Ankara City Culture during the Early Cold War

In this paper, how cultural activities in Ankara were shaped, towards what direction the lives of the people who resided in Ankara were changed, and how individuals became influential within the scope of Turkish-American relations and in terms of social relations are examined in the post-war era which is regarded as a turning point of Turkish political history. This period not only witnessed radical changes in both foreign and domestic policies but also a deep change in cultural and social life. The radical change of political authorities, economic policies, and foreign relations brought a new dimension to urban life in Ankara, the capital of the country. Focused on the Turkish-American associations that were formed in Ankara in the post-war era, this paper explores how the Turkish-American rapprochement influenced social life in Ankara and how such associations and societies shaped Turkish-American relations. In addition to the activities of these associations and societies, through an examination of the individuals who became prominent members in the associations, a cultural analysis of Ankara in the early Cold War is also presented. In short, while this study takes up the urban life in Ankara from 1945 to 1955, which has been neglected by the existing literature, from a comprehensive perspective, it also argues that