^ PG 11 DA PAM 20-182 A POCKET GUIDE TO •v_ 11 A>AM 20-182 ■JUNE 1953 \ vjT OF THE DEPARTMENT fj^ , Washington 25 Dep£■^tI^fipt' of the Armj^ r%nii4ilet 20-18^ is the information an^ guidance of all concerned. [AG%6W14 Apr 58)] j^Y ORDBB OF THE SKcSeTARY OF THE AR \ \ Official WM. E. BERG],N , Major Oemral,j78A /-x q W The Adjutant General ' J r%. Distribution : None : Issue on requisition only. ARMY June 19S3 'published for TON COLLINS Staff, 'ed States Army For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U. S. Government Printing Office, Washington 25, D. C. - Price 30 cents. ARMED FORCES INFORMATION AND EDUCATION ^ ^ DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE The Turks are building a modern country. CONTENTS Page Introduction 1 The People 5 Empire to Republic 31 Geography of Turkey 36 Resources and Industry 40 The Armed Forces 61 Travel Tips 55 Places To See " 69 Well Done 81 Appendix: Money 82 Weights and Measures 83 Language Glossary 84 The Bosporus — ffutcway to the Black Sea. iv POCKET GUIDE TO TURKEY INTRODUCTION THE CROSSROADS "Crossroads" pretty well explains the importance of Turkey. It is a land bridge between Europe and Asia, and therefore occupies a key strategic location in the world. The ancient Persians under Darius and Xerxes went through here to fight the Greeks at Thermopylae and Marathon, and Alexander the Great came back this way to drive them home again. The Romans set up an empire on this bridge. Finally the Turks from Central Asia came and settled here, then pushed into Europe as far as Vienna. For the past two hundred years Russia has desired to get control of the gateway through Turkey to the Mediter- ranean. The water route from the Mediterranean to the Black Sea and the Soviet Union by way of the Turkish Straits (the Dardanelles and the Bosporus), has caused international unrest many times in the past. Shortly after the end of World War II the Soviet Union made demands on Turkey for a share in the control of 1 the Straits and for two Tiirkish provinces on its border. But Turkey, now as in the past, has stood firm against Russia's pressure to expand southward. This tlireat led to the Truman Doctrine of aid to Turkey — and that is where you come in. This pamphlet is intended to help you understand the Turkish people and their problems. For the past 30 years they have been doing a pioneer's job of building a modern country. That is something you, as an American, can appreciate. When you think of Turkey you may have mental pictures of sultans and harems, of men in bloomer trousers and red fezzes, of Turkish coffee and Turkish baths. If you do, forget them. You can still find the Turkish coffee and baths ; but the sultans, harems, bloomer trousers, and fezzes are gone. In the last 30 years, Turkey has turned its way of life upside down, so to speak. The vanished empire of the sultans has been replaced by a young, strong republic. New railways, new factories, new dams, even new cities have sprouted up on hills and plains that used to lie idle. But we're getting ahead of ourselves; Turkey's thrill- ing stoiy should start with you. 2 \ With U. S. aid Turkey is modernizing its armed forces. YOUR JOB IN TURKEY Of course Uncle Sam isn't sending yon to Turkey to observe social trends. You have a couple of jobs to do. Your bread-and-butter job is to teach the Turks all you can about American military know-how. That's plenty important. The Turks wouldn't have invited you over if they didn't think it was worth while — if they didn't feel that you knew your stuff. Your second and equally important job is to be what one observer calls a "grassroots ambassador." Probably no one asked you whether you wanted to be an ambassador, 3 but as an American serviceman in Turkey you're tbe flesh and blood representative of tlie people at home. Every time a Turk sees, hears, or thinks of you, that's the first thing he thinks of. In the Turk's eyes what YOU do and what YOU say is AMERICA acting and speaking. You're an American — BE one with all the courtesy, neatness, respect, intelligence, and genuine friendliness that make friends for you when you're in the United States. The Turks know quite a lot about your country. They see American movies; they listen to radios; many read translations of American magazines and books. They'll grasp at honest friendship. Since they know so much about the United States, they'll be surprised and hurt if you don't know something of their customs and way of life. This pamphlet will help you bridge that first obstacle. 4 THE PEOPLE Get acquainted with the people— you'll like them. The population of Turkey in the 1950 census was about 21 million. That's about as many people as California and Pennsylvania have together. Fundamentally, people are much the same the world over. That's true of you and the Turks, even though they speak Turkish and have a different religion from yours; even though some of their customs are strange and though they don't always do things the way you'd do them. Most Turks are somewhat dark-skinned and short, as are other Mediterranean peoples. But the wave of the 252615° — 53 5 Ottoman Empire engulfed other races, so you'll find varieties of complexions in Turkey as in the United States. There are plenty of blue-eyed, brown-haired Turks ; some blonds, and not a few freckled redheads. Of course there are many kinds of people in Turkey, just as there are in any other land. The greatest difference is between the city Turk and the country Turk. Because reforms and changes come more quickly in cities, where people can be reached more easily, the city Turk is much more advanced in modern ways of life. When you are in a city, you'll see that. The people will be dressed much like Americans ; you will find movies, modern stores and shops ; and Western customs will be followed. Traditional dress is still worn in parts of Turkey. 6 A Turkish city crowd looks much like an American one. In the country, where four out of five Turks live, change has been slower. Progress is rapidly reaching inland, yet in some of the rural districts you will not find sewer systems or electricity. You will find ox carts instead of trucks, some women still wearing traditional costumes, and a much stronger clinging to the older ways of life. Turkish peasants live in small, isolated villages. Their one- or two-room cottages are usually clustered around a source of water. The cottage may have a handsome, hand-woven rug on the floor, but little other furniture. The average Turk is home-loving and clannish, but friendly with his neighbors. He's also inquisitive. Like 7 most people, he'll rush to join a crowd. Because you are a foreigner, he may stand and stare at you. Walk up to him, offer j'our hand, then a cigarette, and he'll blossom out with as friendly a smile as you ever saw. The Turk likes to tell riddles and tall stories. Unlike some other people's, you'll find his humor remarkably like your own. But, like anyone else, a Turk doesn't want himself or his country belittled. His idea of courtesy is such that he doesn't want to hurt your feelings, either. So he will say the proper, polite thing. The average Turk is physically tough. He's a hard worker. His land is rocky and hilly, the climate is severe, and he has few animals or machines to do his chores. He's frugal. This doesn't mean he's tight. Usually he just doesn't have any money. He isn't accustomed to spending lavishly, and he will probably hold you in con- tempt if you squander your money. You make much, much more than he does, especially if he's an enlisted man in the army. In fact, you make roughly a thousand times as much. But don't rub it in by throwing your money around in his presence. These so-called "Turkish" traits fit a lot of Americans you know. The Turks aren't so different after all. If you use common sense, are polite, and don't rush things, you'll soon become adjusted to people who at first may seem strange. 8 ATATURK You cannot understand the modern Turk until you know the story of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk — known to the world simply as Ataturk. Ataturk was one of the world's great men. He was rough and tough at a time when force and decision were necessary. He jerked Turkey up out of the Middle Ages by her bootstraps and made her a modern republic. Your Turkish friends will be pleased if you show some knowl- edge of his life. Ataturk was named Mustafa when he was born about 1880 in Salonika, Greece, at a time when this city was the capital of a Turkish European province. The son of a poor government official, he was educated for the army at the military academy in Istanbul. Here he distin- guished himself in mathematics, for which he was nick- named "Kemal" meaning '"perfection." (The Turks, at this time, did not have last names.) Before World War I, he took some part in the Young Turk reform movement, which obtained a constitutional government for Turkey. He was one of the Turkish com- manders under a German general who defeated the Allies so thoroughly at Gelibolu (Gallipoli) in World War I. He fought against the Russians on the eastern front, and by the end of the war was fighting the British in Palestine. By this time he was a general ; hence the term Pasha, 9 which meant "general."' and you may have heard of him as Mustafa Kemal Pasha. After the war the Allies occupied Istanbul (formerly Constantinople) while they were deciding what to do with Turkey. In southern Turkey the French were moving in, and the Italians were eyeing the southwestern corner. Finally Greek troops landed at Izmir in May 1919. The future existence of Turkey was at stake. Mustafa Kemal soon saw that the Sultan and his gov- ernment were too weak to meet the situation. Breaking with his government, Mustafa Kemal and a group of na- tionalistic Turkish officers crossed the Black Sea to Sam- sun, and moved inland, organizing peasant resistance groups on the way. As most of eastern Turkey rallied to him, the French and Italians withdrew their forces. The Greeks, however, reinforced their army and it was not until 1922 that the Turks finally defeated them. Ataturk established a government at Ankara that deposed the Sultan in Istanbul. The following year the Allies negotiated with Ataturk's government the Treaty of Lausanne, which set up the borders of Turkey about as they are today. The former Arab provinces of the Ottoman Empire are today's inde- pendent nations of Syria"; Lebanon, Israel, Jordan, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia. Perhaps the most remarkable thing about the break-up of the Ottoman Empire is that most Turks feel neither 11 resentment nor regret. Turkey's foreign policy has been one of friendly relations with all the countries that were once part of the Empire. Having won the war for independence, the Turks went to work organizing their new state, which in October 1923 was proclaimed a republic. They elected a Grand Na- tional Assembly from among the people and drew up a constitution. Just as the American colonies before them had done, the Turks elected as their first President the commander- in-chief of the army that had won their independence. That is the reason why the Turks like to compare Ataturk with George Washington — each the father of his country. Ataturk became the first President in 1923, and was reelected three times. He died in 1938. In 1934 Mustafa Kemal decided that all Turks should have family names. Apparently the purpose of this decision was not only to make Turkey more Europeanized, but also to make easier the taking of the first Turkish census. The use of surnames, as in the case of Russia, was not known in Turkey. The National Assembly con- ferred upon Mustafa Kemal the surname of Ataturk, meaning "Chief Turk," or "Father of the Turks." Today, all public buildings, schools, and military installations display pictures of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of modern Turkey. Ataturk was a strong, hard man at a time when only 12 such a man could succeed. He used dictatorial methods. However, his purpose, unlike that of fascist and commu- nist dictators, was not power for its own sake, but the use of power to create a modern, progressive state out of a medieval one. His aim was to educate a backward, illiterate people in liberal, democratic ideas. Here are just a few of the things that Ataturk accom- plished in a few short years to change the whole life of Turkey : He separated church and state, and replaced the old Moslem law with European codes drawn from several countries. He gave women full political and social rights, and abolished polygamy and the harems. He pro- hibited wearing of the fez and ordered Western headgear for men. He adopted the Western calendar and time system. He substituted the Latin alphabet we use for the difficult Arabic alphabet. He took the first census in Turkey's history. He started a nation-wide system of compulsory education. He built a modern capital at Ankara. He reduced malaria and other diseases and epi- demics that used to kill thousands of people e;very year. He set up the beginnings of a modern industrial system, locating many of the most important factories in the interior of the country and out of reach of possible enemy guns. He established a foreign policy of friendship with neighboring nations. The Turks could justly boast on the tenth anniversary of their republic: "A Century of Progress In Ten Years !" 252615°— 53— — 3 13 When Ataturk died, in 1938, he was succeeded by his right-hand man, General Inonu, and not one of his reforms was lost. Although Ataturk had been, in a sense, a dictator, he had preached democracy and instituted the basis for a democratic regime. The government he estab- lished provided for a President, and representatives freely elected by the people. The government permitted an opposition party to l^e organized, which won the election in 1950. RELIGION Practically every Turk is a Moslem (from Muslim, which is Arabic for "one who submits to the will of God") . Moslems call their religion Islam. Only a very few Turks are of another religion. Among these are the Turkish- speaking Armenians, who are Christians. Islam was founded by Mohammed, who, at the age of 40, started preaching a divine revelation which he said had been given him by God through the angel Gabriel. All this happened at Mecca, Arabia, about the year 612. Through conversion and conquest the religion spread, vmtil today it has over 200 million followers throughout the world, but mostly in the Middle East and Asia. Most Turks know a great deal about your religion. Here's a little information about the Turk's religion and its influence on his customs ; but don't let it get you in- volved in religious discussion with your new friends. 15 The Koran, which for a Moslem corresponds to the Bible for us, teaches that there is only one God, and that he revealed himself to man through his prophets. Six es- pecially great prophets were Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Mohammed — the last and greatest of the prophets. ( "There is no God but Allah, and Moham- med is His Prophet.") The Koran teaches, too, many things found in the Old and New Testaments of the Bible. It teaches belief in the day of judgment and describes the joys of Heaven and the tortures of Hell. It also lays down detailed instructions about Moslems' everyday activities. You will see outward evidence of Islam everywhere in Turkey. The slender minarets that sprout from the Mos- lem churches (called mosques) dominate every town. The pious Moslem will be called to prayer five times a day from a platform on this minaret by the muezzin (the crier or hodja) of the mosque. However, you will notice, es- pecially in the large cities, that few people stop to pray in public at these calls. Many Moslems, like many Christians, do not always follow the outward forms of their religion. Some obey some requirements and not others. The Moslem who does follow the prayer ritual first must wash his hands and feet, then he must face toward Mecca. (The platform door on a minaret in Turkey al- ways faces toward Mecca.) Next he must stand, then 16 Interior of the Sultan Ahmed {Blue) Mosque in Istanbul. 17 kneel, then touch his forehead to the ground, all in a prescribed manner. He must wear a hat that will not shadow his face while doing this. You may be with a Moslem when he begins to pray, or, more likely, you will enter a small shop while the pro- prietor is kneeling in the corner at prayer. Respect his devotion by looking the other way and showing no curi- osity about what he is doing. In Turkey you will be permitted to enter mosques. Some are very beautiful, even in the poorer villages, and it is a privilege to see them. If you do enter a mosque, be sure to remove your shoes. That is the custom, simi- lar to customs in our own churches. In addition, the true Moslem is expected to wash his feet before entering, as part of the religious ritual, and all mosques have wells before their doors for this purpose. As a visitor, you will not be required to wash your feet, but there will be racks inside the door for your shoes, and probably carpet slippers to wear on the cold floor. (It is customary to leave the attendant a cash token of appreciation for this courtesy.) During the time you are inside a mosque, stand respectfully and talk only in whispers. Among other Moslem practices are circumcision and almsgiving. Circumcision is considered part of a boy's coming of age. Usually friends gather at quite a party, which is supposed to bolster the lad's courage. You may be invited to such an affair. In rural areas you'll some- 18 times see teen-age boys in dresses. Don't stare. They are just recent graduates of the ceremony. Islam, like Judaism, prohibits the eating of pork in any form, and this custom is observed by most Turks, whether they are conservative Moslems or not. It is more than a religious matter. The pig of ancient and medieval times was the village scavenger, and the frequent cause of dis- ease. To most Turks a pig is unclean. There are three religious observances that will come to your attention. The first is Ramazan. This is a month of fasting. It comes at varying seasons of our year, since its date is based upon the Moslem year of 354 days. Dur- ing this month no food, drink, or tobacco passes the lips of a pious Moslem from sunrise to sunset. Turkish sol- diers may be given special dispensation from this require- ment. It is a difficiilt ordeal for those engaged in hard mental or physical tasks, especially when Ramazan comes in summer, so you should understand why energy and efficiency may be much below par and tempers short at this time. Ramazan is followed immediately by a three-day feast- ing period known as the candy festival {Sheker Bayram). Two months and two days later comes the sacrifice festi- val (Kurhan Bayram). At this festival sheep are sacri- ficed in memory of God's gift of a ram to Abraham as a substitute for his son, whom he was about to sacrifice. Have your cameras ready, for you will see the sheep to 19 be sacrificed being led through the streets, their horns festooned with brightly colored cloth and paper streamers. In addition to the religious holidays, the following are popular Turkish holidays : New Year's Day ; 23 April, Independence Day (opening of the first Parliament, 1920) ; 1 May, Spring Holiday ; 19 May, Youth and Sports Day ; 30 August, Victory Day; 28-30 October, Republic Day (proclamation of the Republic, 1923). Every town of any size will have a parade on these holidays, so buy your film early. CUSTOMS You won't find all parts of the counti'y equally mod- ernized. You will still see villages where there has been little change, and where old customs are giving ground reluctantly to the modern spirit. Turkish Government literature will tell you that the women are free, that the veil is gone. It is true. Women can vote, and do ; they hold office in the National Assem- bly ; many are entering business and the professions ; all have more social freedom. But the habits of centuries cannot be broken overnight. The old protective customs continue to have some force. Turkish girls still lead sheltered lives. In the larger cities you may have a chance to meet them socially ; but remember that they are not accustomed to our American off-hand familiarity. If you try to be too friendly they may misunderstand and be offended. Don't speak to a 20 Turkish woman on the street unless you have previously been introduced to her. Don't stare at Turkish women and don't take their pictures unless they have given you permission to. Even at private parties or club dances, you don't ask a Turkish woman to dance. If you know her escort very well, the proper thing to do is to ask him for permission to dance with her. A veil-like headdress can still be seen in Turkey, for the older fashions have lingered longer in the eastern prov- inces and in the smaller towns. Men's fashions, too, may differ in small towns. You'll never see the traditional men's bloomer trousers, except in folk dance ceremonies ; but the young peasant frequently will wear a jodhpur type of trouser without boots, and his older relative will wear a trouser with a loose seat twice the necessary size. This droopy seat has some usefulness in providing a cushion for sitting on the ground in the fields. The average Turk is not a violent man. You'll rarely see rowdyism in the streets. Murder and other serious crimes are not common. Of course, the country has its share of toughs, all of whom carry knives. When a Turk declines an offer of a cigarette or other token, he may smile and put his right hand on his breast, meaning "Thank you, I don't care for one." The official Turkish calendar, unlike the Moslem calen- dar, is the same as ours. Sunday is the official day of rest, although Friday is the day on which the principal 252615°— 53 4 21 sermon is delivered at the noon mosque service. Military offices and other Government offices, as well as wholesale and industrial plants, close at 1 o'clock on Saturday. Retail stores generally remain open, but are closed on Sunday. Time is on the 24-hour basis — the system you are used to in your military life. There is a difference of seven hours in standard time between New York and Istanbul. At 12 noon in New York, it is 1900 hours in Istanbul ; at 8 o'clock Saturday evening on Broadway, it is 0300 Sunday morning in Istanbul. EDUCATION The Turks share with Americans a deep respect for education. They have worked hard during the 30 years of the Republic to overcome the country's high rate of illiteracy. When the Turkish Republic was established, only 10 percent of the Turks could read and write. Today nearly half can read and write. All children from seven to twelve must go to school — if they have one in their vicinity. However, Turkey has nearly 40,000 villages of from 25 to 300 families, and less than 17,000 of these have schools. Poverty is no barrier to getting an education, for poor boys and girls with ability may receive Government aid. In teacher training schools, medical schools, and agricul- tural schools, students of good scholarship may receive 22 tuition, room, board, clothing, books, and spending money from the Government. This Government assistance largely accounts for the fact that many responsible positions in Turliey are held by younger men. Under such an educational system, anyone of real ability has a chance to become a leader. One evidence of Turkey's feeling for democracy has long been its selection of leaders without regard to social standing. Even in earlier days, Grand Viziers as well as military leaders might come from the sons of slave wives. Much of Turkey's success in educating its people has A milage institute teacher lecturing. 23 been attained through the village institutes, whose aim is to raise the standards of farming, health, and education in the villages. There are 22 of these Government schools and they graduate 2,000 teachers each year. They are attended by the graduates of village primary schools who have passed a tough competitive examination. Boys and girls of ages 12 to 18 attend, but usually at separate schools. The graduate returns as a leader of his own village, where he must work as a teacher for 20 years in repayment for his education. He is given a house, land, and money to start operations. He teaches half the time, and the remainder he spends in developing a model farm and in helping improve his village. The chief link between the peasants and their Govern- ment is this teacher from their own village. No wonder the Turkish Government boasts that the teacher is "the human instrument that is helping to raise the standard of living of the village communities of Turkey." Turkey also has three universities : the University of Istanbul, the University of Ankara, and the Technical University in Istanbiil. Competitive scholarships are available for these colleges, and if the student is really good, he can continue his post-graduate work in other countries. For example, some of the 800 Turks now studying in the United States are on Turkish Government scholarships, while others are sponsored by the United States Government. 24 The United States has had some influence on Turkish education. Among interpreters and English-speaking Turks you'll find many graduates of Robert College, founded in Istanbul in 1863. Christopher Rhinelander Robert, a New Yorker, helped finance the school, which originally was a part of New York State University. Today most of the faculty is American, and classes are generally taught in English. LANGUAGE A major reason for the rapid spread of education in Turkey was the adoption of a new alphabet. Ottoman Empire Turks used Arabic script. You'll find old Turks who still use it in strictly private correspondence, for its use is forbidden by law. It looks like shorthand, and can be written as rapidly as you speak, but it is very difficult to learn. In 1929 Ataturk abolished the Arabic script, and put his professors to work on a new alphabet. They came up with a modified form of the Latin alphabet (the kind we use), which has only 27 letters — an even hundred fewer than the old alphabet. All the letters are pronounced, so it's not too difficult to handle. You'll find a glossary of useful expressions at the back of this Guide. 25 Wrestling is a national sport. 26 SPORTS Soccer is the national game, and is played in all the schools. It becomes big-time in the form of city and town teams, with regional champions, and finally national champions. Turkey's soccer teams show up well in Olympic competition. Wrestling, however, is the sport in which the Turks excel in Olympic Games. Turks have won a sizeable number of Olympic wrestling medals. In the 1952 Olym- pics, for example, Turkey won two first places and four medals in wrestling events. The people like gymnastics as a spectator sport. Vol- leyball and basketball are popular in schools, but Turks don't play baseball, nor do they understand American- style football. However, they'll be an appreciative audi- ence whenever you get up a game. Other sports are limited by facilities. Skiing is be- coming poi>ular. In Ankara there are two tennis clubs, one riding club, and one golf course. The only swimming pools are on private estates, although Izmir and Istanbul have good beaches. Hunting and fishing are excellent. Licenses are re- quired. Duck, pheasant, goose, partridge, quail, and dove 27 Soccer is also a national game can be found on any of the river deltas. Turkish quail are so large that the United States has imported them to Nevada to stock our western plains. In eastern Turkey you may have the thrill of hunting wild boar, wolf, and fox. "Thar's bear in them thar hills," too. A shortage of guns and the high price of ammunition keep hunting from being popular, and you'll find virgin territory in the interior. The same is true of fresh-water fishing; 28 and skiing is hecoming popular. for, while the Turk does lots of ocean fishing, he seldom works his rivers, and you'll find plenty of trout in the pools of isolated mountain streams. 232615°— 53- 5 29 EMPIRE TO REPUBLIC EARLY TURKS Out of Central Asia, keeping aliead of the Mongols, came a confederacy of Turlvisii tribes. One tribe, the Seljulv Tiirlvs, conquered Persia (now Iran) around 1050 and then moved into what is now Turlcey and set up tlie Seljulv Kingdom of Roum, with its capital at Konya. It was the Seljxiks who fought against Europeans in the seven Christian Crusades from 1096 to 1271. Meanwhile from Persia, fleeing before Genghis Khan, came another tribe of Turks. Their leader was Osman, and they became known as the Ottoman Turks. Within 50 years this tribe had taken control from the Seljuks, primarily because their chiefs knew how to lead an army and how to organize a government. In fact, for 10 genera- tions the Ottoman Turks were led by sultans of extraor- dinary ability. The Turks, operating from the capital they set up at Bursa (see map, page 46), soon cleaned the Byzantines out of Asia Minor and, bypassing Istanbul, spread out into Europe. They moved their capital to Edirne and subdued a sizeable portion of the Balkans before closing in on Istanbul and capturing it in 1453, 31 THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE The Ottoman Empire expanded rapidly following the fall of Istanbul. In 1520, Suleiman (See-LAY-man) the Magnificent came to power and soon brought his Empire its greatest glories. Before he died, the Ottomans had overrun Hungary and most of Austria, Persia, Algiers, Tunis, Tripoli, and Egypt. The Empire was the greatest military power in Europe and fringed three continents in an area as large as the United States. The last great military effort of the Ottoman Empire was the second siege of Vienna in 1683. This failed, and after that Turkey was increasingly on the defensive. When the Ottomans lost Hungary in 1699, Russia re- newed its long series of wars with Turkey. Russia w^as expanding and wanted an outlet to warm water ports through the Straits into the Mediterranean. Turkey naturally opposed the expansion of Russia into its terri- tory. Russia's age-old ambition for conquest is, of course, familiar to all of us. She is still at it. She has been at Turkey's throat for nearly 400 years, and this knowledge will enable you to understand why every Turkish school- boy hates Russia. You will meet many Turks who have had relatives and ancestors killed in wars with Russia. Other Turkish people have not forgotten that it was Czar Nicholas I . of Russia who sneeringly referred to Turkey as 'the sick man of Europe." 32 WORLD WAR I In World War I, the Turks and Russians again were on opposite sides. The sultans had long been friendly with Germany. In 1899 the Ottoman Empire had agreed to let Germany route a planned Berlin-to-Baghdad railway through Turkey. The German army had a military mis- sion training the Turkish army. Three months after the beginning of World War I, Russia declared war on Turkey. Of interest to you is the fact that, although the United States and Turkey were on opposite sides in World War I, neither country declared war on the other, nor did their forces fight each other. Turkey, however, did sever re- lations with the United States on 23 April 1917. Although Russia got out of the war at the time of its Revolution in 1917, the Allies kept up the pressure on Turkey, including cutting its Balkan contact with Ger- many. The British General Allenby routed a Turkish army at Megiddo ; then, joined by T. E. Lawrence and his Arabs, freed Lebanon and Syria, and captured Damascus. The Sultan's government surrendered on 30 October 1918. WORLD WAR II At the beginning of the war in 1939 Turkey signed a treaty of mutual assistance with Great Britain and France. The Turks did not declare war on Germany un- til 1945, but by mobilizing their armed forces, they effec- 33 tively discouraged Germany from advancing beyond Greece. TURKEY'S GOVERNMENT The new nation of Turkey that emerged from the ashes of the old Ottoman Empire has developed a political struc- ture as modern and enlightened as that of any government today. The Constitution of the Republic declares that all sovereignty belongs to the people. It gives its citizens practically the same protections found in our Constitution and Bill of Rights. It established an independent judi- cial system, including a body somewhat like our Supreme Court. The Grand National Assembly, elected by the peo- ple, exercises both executive and legislative authority. (Unlike our Congress, it is a owe-house legislature with 468 members.) The executive functions are performed for the Assembly by a President, who is elected by the Assembly from its members. The President appoints a Council of Ministers (cabinet), including the Prime Minister, who presides over the Council. The Ministers must also be members of the Assembly and may be dismissed by it at any time. By coincidence, Turkey's two largest political parties are known as the Republican and the Democratic parties. The Republicans had been in power since the founding of the Republic (27 years) until 1950, when they were de- feated by the Democrats. 34 There are 63 states or provinces (Vilayets) in Turkey, each having a governor, general assembly, and a council. The smallest governmental unit is the Village (a com- munity of less than 2,000 inhabitants). Here democracy exists in its purest form, for the Village is governed by the Village Council, composed of every man and woman who has lived there for six months or more. The Village Council elects a Headman and a Council of Elders. ALL ARE TURKS Turkey has a few small groups in its population that are not of Turkish blood. They are chiefly of Greek, Ar- menian, and Jewish origin. Most of them live in Istanbul. The rest are to be found in Izmir and Ankara. They are all Turkish citizens, with all the political, economic, and social rights guaranteed to Turks by their Constitution. 35 GEOGRAPHY OF TURKEY THE LAND Turkey is a peninsula pointing; away from Asia toward PJurope. Its coastline is three times the length of its land frontiers. Its area of 296,500 square miles makes it al- most as large as Texas and South Carolina comhined. Greece and Bulgaria face European Turkey,- On the north is the Black Sea. On the east are the Georgian and Armenian Soviet Socialist Kepublics, and Iran. On the south, Turkey is bordered by Iraq, Syria, and the Mediter- mtititmttm tt Turkey compared in size with the United States. 36 ranean Sea. The Aegean Sea, with its hundreds of Greek islands, is on the west. The entire waterway that connects the Aegean Sea with the Black Sea and separates European from Asiatic Turkey is called the Turkish Straits. The entrance from the west is through a narrow neck, called the Dardanelles, which is protected on the north by the Gelibolu (Gallipoli) Peninsula. Next in the Straits is the inland Sea of Marmara with its beautiful resort islands. The last water path is the Bosporus, which cuts the European- Asian land bridge. Istanbul is on the northern side of this channel. You can drive along the shore for the full length of its blue waters to its entrance into the Black Sea. From ancient times, the Straits have been an important thoroughfare of commerce. Today, as in the past, defense of the Straits against Russian designs to get them luider lier control has been of first importance to Turkey's independence. Turkey is a mountainous country with an extensive central plateau about 3,000 feet above sea level. The highest ranges are in the East, where IMt. Ararat of Noah's Ark fame rises to about 17,000 feet. The Kuzey Anadolu Mountains parallel the Black Sea, and the massive Toros (Taurus) Mountains border the Mediterranean. CLIMATE The barren, treeless nature of most of the country, together with its altitude, produces severe winters and hot 252615° — 53 6 37 summers. In winter, snow is frequent and stays on the ground for months. Generally, along the warm waters of the coast, it's warmer than at the same latitude in the United States. Istanbul will match New York fairly well ; Ankara will compare with Kansas City ; Erzurum with Butte ; while the southwestern area along the coast has a climate like our soutliern States. Adalar — "the islands"— are delightful resorts in the Marmara Sea. 38 Summer uniforms normally are worn from May to September, but in most places a blanket feels good at night during these months. You'll need all your winter clothes since it is customary to wear civilian clothing when off-duty. And the Turks do not heat their houses as warmly as we do. In the interior, the wind sweeps from snow-covered mountains, across treeless hills, and into the valleys with a penetration that will chill you to the bone.. Mt. Ararat, of Noah's Ark fame, rises aiotit 17,000 feet. 39 RESOURCES AND INDUSTRY AGRICULTURE Agricultiire is the backbone of Turkey's economy. Close to 75 percent of the people make their living from the land, although only one-fourth of it is suitable for cultivation. Farms average about 14 acres in size and 9 out of 10 of them are worked by their owners. Turkish law and custom decree that, on the death of the father, the land must be divided among the children. By law, no one person can own more than 1,200 acres. Primitive methods of agriculture are still the rule . . . 40 Nearly half of the cultivated land is in winter wheat. Bread is the staple diet of the country. Each Turk eats large amounts daily; for the poorer man, it may be his only meal. It is sold in long, hard-crusted loaves, about two pounds in weight, and is exceptionally nutritious. It sells for about 10 cents a loaf ; but if you're broke, most bakeries will cut a loaf in half for you. Most of Turkey's export crops — chiefly tobacco, cotton, raisins, nuts, and figs— are grown in the coastal regions. Turkish agricultural methods are primitive, by our stand- ards, but, with American economic and technical aid in . . . hut a start has been made toward mechanization. 41 Cid iiiy tobacco — one of Turkey's principal crops. recent years, the Turks have made great progress in Increasing production. ANIMALS One of Turkey's important industries — the production of mohair — is based on her most famous animal — the Angora (Ankara) goat. It differs from other goats in that its tleece is from seven to eight inches in length, is a transparent white, and has a lustrous appearance with the feel of fine velvet. Mohair is in demand through- out the world as coat cloth. 42 Turkey has other animals of commercial importance, including ordinary goats, mules, camels, sheep, and cattle. The meat industry is not adequately developed because of a lack of cold storage plants and refrigerator cars. You'll be able to find excellent lamb easily, but good beef is difficult to get. It is scarce because most of the cattle raised are used as work animals. The Angora (Ankara) goat is famous for its long, silky hair. 43 Turkey has important chrome and coal resources. MINERALS Turkey has considerable mineral wealth. A program of modernizing the mines has stepped up production of chrome, copper, coal, and iron. The Turkish Research Institute is making surveys to locate new mineral re- sources. Already chrome has been located in 117 dif- ferent places from Bursa to Guleman. Unexpected re- sources of sulphur and lead have been located at Konya, while salt is mined from nearby Tuzgolu in such form that it is packaged just as it comes from the ground. The Government has known of oil pools in the south- west area, along the border of Iraq, for some years, but 44 has lacked the capital and know-how to exploit them. It imports all of its petroleum needs. INDUSTRY It was over 30 years ago that Turkey, under Ataturk, started on the road to industrialization. The Govern- ment took the lead by organizing banks to provide the capital and operate State-ow^ned enterprises. The Sumer Bank, for instance, produces cement ; runs woolen, cot- ton, and silk mills ; operates paper mills ; manages the only iron and steel plant ; and controls a shoe factory. The Is Bank runs a glassware factory. The Eti Bank specializes in chromium, coal, and copper mining. There are even some banks that are in the banking business as we know the term! The newest of these is the Industrial Development Bank, which, aided by the World Bank, is lending over $50 million to private enterprises in Turkey. Through special agencies the Government produces cigarettes, sporting ammunition, alcoholic beverages, and salt ; it runs the railway system, air traffic, postal, wire, and telephone service, and some of the shipping. Yet private individuals and companies operate more than half of the country's industries. Flour mills, cotton gins, and factories turning out leather goods, soap and cosmet- ics, furniture, plywood, stationery, and rubber products are all privately owned. Nearly half of the textile and ce- ment plants are also run by private enterprise. The 252615°— 53 7 4S Government has done much to encourage this develop- ment. In 19dl a bill was passed to seek foreign invest- ments by guaranteeing the right, to take out of Turkey annual profits, dividends, and interest. Some ' large United States firms already have factories in Turkey. Turkey dramatizes her economic advancement by a couple of big fairs held each year. The first is at Istanbul during July. An international fair at Izmir runs from 20 August to 20 September. Manufacturers from as many as 22 different countries have been represented at the Izmir fair. In 1951, nearly 150 American firms entered displays. TRANSPORTATION For some years Turkey purposely neglected the develop- * ment of adequate roads, especially in the East, lest they should be used for invasion by Russia's mechanized forces. But lack of roads also hampered development of Turkey's resources and industries. Today Turkey is developing a modern, mechanized army and therefore needs good roads for military as well as commercial reasons. One of our most important contributions to Turkey's progress has been economic and technical aid for developing a new road system. Plans call for 14,000 more miles of roads by 1958. Turkey doesn't yet have enough railroads for her grow- ing industries, although it has doubled the mileage since becoming a republic. Within the next 15 years it expects to build 3,500 more miles. 48 49 All of the country's coast cities are connected by steam- ship service. Istanbul, Izmir, and Mersin are major ports for international trade. A coming port is Iskenderon, which Americans are helping develop. With a new high- way connecting it with Erzurum, it will have a major link with the interior. The Turkish Airways operate a fine domestic air service at very reasonable rates — for example, the flight from Istanbul to Ankara costs less than $20. Railroad station in Ankara. 50 THE ARMED FORCES Turkey kept 800,000 men under arms in World War II. It is capable of mobilizing two million. Right now it has about 400,000 in uniform. Among NATO nations, Turkey's forces are second in size only to those of the United States and of Great Britain. The Navy is small, with defensive craft for protection of the Black Sea coast and the Straits. The Turkish Air Force is designed to maintain the coun- try's air defense, and to support ground operations. It does not have a strategic bombing element. The Army is the largest of the forces. It is organized into three field armies, one in the East, one in European Tui-key, and one in the center of the country. "OSCAR" Universal military service is compulsory in Turkey. At 18, every man is legally liable for a three-year hitch, but the Government keeps him in uniform for only two years. He is paid the equivalent of 21 cents a montli. He doesn't have post exchanges, movies, laundries, or day rooms. He gets two uniforms and one pair of shoes a year — he has to maintain these himself. He sleeps on a board covered with a straw mattress in a drafty and often over-crowded barracks. In fact, this tough little asker ("Oscar" his American buddy calls him) neither expects, nor has, any frills. For 600 years his forefathers gave a 51 Tlic I'nrJcish soldier is famed for liis courage and, discipline. few of their years as a military obligation to their country. He considers it an honor to serve, he's proud of his uni- form and his army, and he asks no favors. When you see the way he tal^es to training and the willingness with which he'll accept any task, you can't help but admire him. No American fighting man will ever sell this Turkish sol- dier short. Draftees can become acting noncommissioned officers during their tour of duty. They wear red chevrons and are called "red-stripers." The professional noncommis- sioned officers are called "gold-stripers" and enlist for 15 years. Turkey was one of the first UN countries to offer in- fantry to back the United Nations' effort in Korea. It offered a full division, but we couldn't equip it at the time, so it settled for a brigade. For the first contingent of 1,800 men, 30,000 volunteered. Turkey has more troops fighting in Korea than any other UN country except the United States and the United Kingdom. You're acquainted with Turkey's brilliant record in Korea. Her brigade earned the Presidential Unit Cita- tion early in the war. Don't fail to notice it. You see, Turkey doesn't give ribbons, except one for the War of Independence, which you'll see now and then on the old- timers. All the other ribbons you will see were earned in Korea, and are mostly American decorations. The Turkish public doesn't know what these ribbons stand for, 53 so when you see one on a coat (the veteran in civilian clothes wears them, especially the Presidential Citation), be sure to stop, shake hands, and point to the ribbon. There's nothing like building up a guy's reputation in his own home town. Besides, you know that he earned it ; and he earned it fighting as much for your country as for his ! 54 TRAVEL TIPS MONEY Be sensible about your money. Your income is sub- stantially higher than that of Turkish people in the same station in life. Don't throw your money around. If you do, you will only contribute to inflation and breed hatred and contempt for yourself. Turkey is tough about currency. Remember that every time an American dollar gets into the black market, it's probably on its way to help the Soviet Union buy in the international market or finance Red undercover agents. That's one of the reasons it brings high prices. The Turks are out to protect their money and yours. You're expected to help them. Fooling around in the money black market is a quick way to get into well- deserved trouble. Declare all the currency in your posses- sion, including drafts and traveler's checks. The amounts will be entered in your i^assport, and this gives you author- ity to take the same amount out with you. You'll be paid in Turkish liras (TL) once you enter Turkey. The official rate is 2.80 TL for $1.00, or approxi- mately 36 cents per lira. The only dollars you'll receive in Turkey are for purchases at the Army Exchange and Army Post Office. You can cash dollars, traveler's checks. United States Treasury Checks, and United States Postal Money Orders with the American Finance Officer, but in 55 such cases you will receive only Turkish money. You also can cash American dollar instruments at the Is Bank, but only for liras. TRANSPORTATION The Turkish Government has made unusually generous reductions in travel fare to the members of its armed forces. These reductions are given to you as an American in uniform, provided you present your Turkish military identification book (known as the "Red Book"). Cari-y this book with you, and present it when you buy your rail or water ticket. It makes travel so cheap that you can't afford not to see the country ! There are three classes of travel on Turkish railroads. First class travel has compartments, usually for two. On long rides most expresses will have pullman and dining car facilities ; not always, however, so don't take them for granted. Buffet service is available, usually, but you won't regret having a candy bar or a can of food along with you. Keep your ticket. The conductor may not only look at it several times, but will take it from you at the end of your journey. The largest cities have taxicabs. Smaller towns have horse-drawn carriages. Don't think you're being gypped when you discover that the fare is double what the taxi meter reads. To save the expense of adjusting the meters, the city governments simply authorized the double rates 56 when inflation hit Turkey after the Korean war began. It is customary to give the driver a small tip. Istanbul, Izmir, and Ankara have good bus or streetcar systems. HOTELS Here you'll get a real break. Most Turkish first-class hotels employ at least one clerk who speaks English. Some have full-time English-speaking employees. These men not only know the language, but also American customs Celik Palace Hotel in Bursa. 57 and eating habits. Almost to a man, ttiey lionestly want to lielp you. Hotel rates are fixed by municipal governments. They are somewhat lower than similar accomodations in the United States. A first-class hotel in either Ankara or Is- tanbul will charge you about $5 for a single room with bath. All of the announced prices can be misleading. In win- ter, a charge of about 35 cents a day will be added to your bill for heating. If you don't have a private bath, you'll probably find that the community bath is locked and that you'll have to pay 50 cents each time the room maid draws a bath for you. In addition to all this, there's an obliga- tory 10 percent charge added to your bill for service. This last is also true of your restaurant charges. It is customary to add another 10 percent tip if the service has been satisfactory. The "personal service" tip is kept by the person who actually performed the service. Don't forget the English-speaking personnel, if you've used them much,' when you hand out tips. When you go into the interior of the country, forget about first-class hotels. You'll find it diflacult to get a room, baths will be rare, the rooms may be cold, there will be no running water, and probably no hot water. You'll have to furnish your own soap and towels, and you should have toilet paper with you because there may be none in either the hotel or the town. 58 RESTAURANTS Until you learn your way around, it's a good idea to get acquainted with Turkish food at the restaurants attached to the best hotels. Here you have the advice of the English-speaking employees of the hotel. You'll rarely find a restaurant open for breakfast. The best meal you can buy, wine and tipping included, will run about $4. In luxury restaurants a good three- course dinner will cost about $2. The "complete dinner" price does not include bread, drinks (including water, which must be ordered extra and comes in a cool soda water bottle), service charge, and tips. If you go to a restaurant where there's music, the prices will be about 25 percent higher. FOOD AND DRINK Every country has its own special dishes and Turkey has some of the best. Here are a few : Kebap means any small piece of meat, and appears in many forms on a menu. The two fundamental types of kehap are sis kebap (pronounced SHEBSH-kay-bahp) and doner kebap. Sis kebap is a row of pieces of lamb strung on a skewer and roasted over charcoal. Onions, tomatoes, and green peppers are often alternated with the pieces of meat. Doner kebap is made by stacking slices of seasoned meat and fat on a vertical spit, which revolves in front of a charcoal fire. 59 Dolma means anything stuffed with rice, pinenuts, currants, and meat. These dishes are served hot, or sometimes cold with lemon juice, as appetizers. Pilav is rice as it is prepared in Turkey — buttered and steamed rather than boiled in water. Yogurt is a kind of thickened milk. It is made by adding a certain bacillus to boiled milk, which turns it into a creamy custard. Since tlie milk that goes into it has been boiled, it is usually safe to eat. Fish is excellent in Turkey, especially in Istanbul. Try sword fish {kilic) kebap — pieces of swordfish strung on a skewer with onions, tomatoes, bay leaves, and slices of lemon, all broiled over a charcoal fire. Sweets in Turkey are very sweet. Baklava is a nut- filled pastry soaked in honey or sugar syrup. Elanek kadayif is a kind of l)read or cake, also soaked in syrup and topped with buffalo cream. Helva is made from a special root and sesame seed oil. In the shop it looks like a block of cement; a small piece will go a long way. Finally, there is the famous loknm or "Turkish delight," a sugar-covered, nut-filled, generally glorified gumdrop. Turkish chocolates of all kinds are also worth trying. Coffee, Turkish style, has little resemblance to the American variety. It is made from powdered coffee, which settles as a sediment to the bottom of the small cups in which it is served. Without sugar (sade) it 60 Is pretty bitter, but that is the way the connoisseurs take it. A taste for Turkish coffee must be cultivated. Amer- icans experienced in traveling in Turkey often carry their favorite brand of instant coffee with them. Tea in most tea shops is served in small glasses. It is made of bitter tea extract and water, sweetened with sugar, and is almost as popular as coffee. Milk. Some milk is not safe to drink, as many cows are not treated for tuberculosis and much milk is not pasteurized. Any cow's milk you drink should first be boiled. Alcoholic drinks are forbidden by the Moslem religion, but their moderate use is widespread. Rarely, however, will you see a drunk on the streets, and any exhibition of drunkenness is sure to make a bad impression. The manufacture of alcoholic beverages in Turkey is a monop- oly of the Government. The most common hard liquor is raki, a clear brandy distilled from grapes or tigs and flavored with anise seed, which gives it a slightly licorice taste. It is usually diluted with water, which turns it a milky color. It's potent stuff. HEALTH AND SANITATION Turkey is a fairly healthy country. If you take proper care of yourself by observing normal sanitation precau- tions, you'll have no trouble. 61 However, you're almost sure to get the "turkey trots." It'll probably be caused by the olive oil in your food. If you get rid of the diarrhea in three days or so, it will be nothing to worry about, but if it hangs on, you had better see a doctor. After the first round you should have no more trouble unless your sanitation isn't up to par. Be sure that the food you eat is well cooked and clean. Be careful when eating fresh fruit or uncooked vege- tables — always wash them well tirst. Water is a common source of trouble in Turkey ; in the interior, the bottled water can't be trusted. If pos- sible, drink only halazoned water, boiled water, or moun- tain spring water. There are many such springs, and the Government has protected them with built-in foun- tains. Tea, as the Turks brew it, is always safe to drink. They boil it well. It is impossible to purify water by adding alcoholic beverages. Malaria occurs on the coastal plains of the south and east, and in various marshy districts of the interior. Trachoma is a serious eye disease that is common in many areas. You can get the germs on your hands by touching anything infected with them, so avoid rubbing your eyes with your fingers before you have washed them well. Toilets in some areas may be primitive and unsanitary. Always carry your own toilet paper. 62 RECREATION The Special Services section of the Military Mission takes good care of you on games, extra decks of cards, and excellent circulating libraries. There's a library in the Mission, and the State Department also operates excellent "American Libraries" for everyone at Ankara, Istanbul, and Izmir. Most of the towns have movies that frequently show old British or American films with Turkish titles written across the bottom of the picture. If you're in Ankara, you'll find that the Military Mission shows recent Ameri- can pictures several times a week. Bring a radio, preferably a short-wave receiver, if you have one. By short-wave you can get the best in Ameri- can radio over the Armed Forces Radio Service, relayed from the Frankfurt, Germany, station. You can also re- ceive Voice of America and British Broadcasting Corpora- tion broadcasts. The "Big Lie" comes in clearly from Moscow also, if you can control yourself and not throw things at your own radio receiver. If you have a phonograph, it will certainly be fully used by you and your friends. You can't get 33%- or 45-rpm records in Turkey, so bring or mail your own. If you do bring a radio or electric phonograph, you should know that electric currents are not the same in all parts of Turkey, Istanbul uses 110 volts. Practically all the rest of the country is on 220-volt, AC, 50-cycle. The frequency 63 is rarely constant. This means that electric clocks won't usually work, record players will need a drive bushin;^ added to make them operate on 50 cycles, and your electric razor may give you trouble. The Army Exchange usually stocks small 100-watt transformers. A pleasant surprise will be the number of newsstands in Turkey that handle late American magazines. You will find beautif ul, liandmade souvenirs in the bazaars. 64 SOUVENIRS Modern stores and shops of the American kind, with fixed prices, have hirgely replaced the old bazaars, but you will find some of the latter in out-of-the-way places in the cities and in the rural districts. In these it is cus- tomary to bargain. Don't pay the first price quoted, for it is asked with the expectation that you will offer a low price and that you and the seller will eventually meet somewhere on middle ground. Keep two good rules in mind : Don't make an offer unless you intend to follow through if it's accepted, and don't lose your temper. Istanbul can furnish anything representative of Turkey or of the Middle East. Tliere are hundreds of shops to choose from. Whether to sightsee or to shop, you should visit the Grand Bazaar {Kapali Carsi). This is the huge, covered central market of old Istanbul filled with nu- merous corridors, each of which is divided into tiny shops. It is an excellent place to buy antiques, especially antique gold items. Turkish rugs are famous, as you know. Sumer Bank is the largest manufacturer of them. In its stores you can get a good idea of prices. There are also many small shops that deal in the older and more expensive rugs and carpets. These carpets are not cheap, and you had better ask someone who knows his rugs before you buy, Turkish non-fading dyes are used in the ceramics made at Kutahya. You can find hand-hammered copper plat- 65 ters and other vessels of all types and shapes. Many of these items are older than the United States. If your mother likes ivy in her home, don't overlook the opportu- nity to send her a Turkish copper bowl in which to grow it. Mohair, made only from the Angora goat, is just about the top textile for sweaters, felt, and blankets. A handwoven bed jacket or sweater would delight any American girl. Bursa has been a silk center for generations. The an- cient Turkish designs are still used in the modern prints. You can buy the goods by the yard in most cities, while in Bursa itself you'll be able to get hand-embroidered lingerie. In many out-of-the-way places, such as Diyarbakir, you can obtain, at comparatively little cost, hand-made table- cloths and napkins of laces or embroideries that would cost you a month's salary in the United States. At Sivas, skilled artisans turn out beautiful objects made of silver. The hand-made silver filigree work is inexpensive, and different from anything made in the United States. You'll need to go no farther than Eskisehir to please father if he's a pipe-smoker. Here is the world's largest supply of meerschaum. This mineral is taken from the ground in a soft, grayish-white form, exposed to the sun to dry, then carved into the desired shape, and polished with wax. Pipes that sell for about $40 in the United States will cost you not more than $10 in Eskisehir. Turkish meerschaum pipes are collectors' items. 67 Pottery is fashioned hy hand on the potter's toheel. 68 PLACES TO SEE To know and understand the Turkish people, you should visit several of the quaint little villages snuggled on the warm side of mountains or in the vicinity of good spring water. Most of them are composed of mud huts, although the better rural homes are made of heavy, roughly hewn rock, cemented together with mud, and locked at the roof with heavy, ax-hewn timber. The roofs of all the houses are covered with about six inches of clay, some- times sodded with grass. All have glass window panes, for glass is fairly cheap in the country. A common prac- tice is to cover the roof with the harvest wheat straw, for use as winter forage for the animals and to help keep the buildings warmer. Naturally, however, you will want to see as many of Turkey's famous towns as possible. Twelve Turkish cities haive a population of over 50,000 each. The newer sections of these are modern in every respect. You probably will be stationed in the vicinity of one of the following cities, and you will have week-end or leave opportunities to see some of the others. ANKARA The Turks are very proud of their capital. They have a right to be. Three hundred years before Christ, Angora, as the city was called, was a place of some size. Justin- 69 ian's Column and the Roman Baths are reminders of the days when the city was under the Roman Empire. To its protection fled the members of the first Assembly from Istanbul to reconvene and organize the Turkish Republic. It was at this small town that the National Pact — the Turkish Declaration of Independence — was drawn up in 1920. Americans of that day knew of Angora goats, cats, and rabbits, but few knew that there was a town of the same name. There was hardly a tree to be seen in the old Ankara. There was no decent water supply, nothing that would make it easy to build a great city. Then in 1923, the Grand National Assembly cliose Ankara as the capital Old and new Ankara: Tctnple of Augustus {left) and opera house. 70 Ulus Square {left) and Ataturk Boulevard in Ankara. of the new Republic. Ataturk hired a German city-builder to design a modern, western-type city. In five years, much of the old town was torn down, 3,000 western-style buildings appeared, streets were paved, electric lights were installed, modern drainage lines were laid, and out of a decadent Empire grew a city of the future, a metrop- olis of 295,000. You'll probably want to make a tour of the city. Here are a few places you should take in : The Roman Baths, the Lapidary Museum, Justinian's Column, the Temple of Augustus, and the Hittite antiquities in the Archaeological Museum. Also the Turkish National Theater where opera, ballet, and symphonies are scheduled from Novem- ber to April; the inner fortress; and the Inonu and Genclik parks. 71 A few miles west of Ankara is Ataturk's model farm and forest, where he tried to show what can be done with the land if the effort is made. Also on the farm are the Ankara brewery and beer garden, a favorite resort. You can get out there by ear or by train. Just ask for the Gasi Orman. Another popular excursion is to the great dam on the way to Cubuk, which stores the Ankara water supply. A restaurant and garden have been built below the dam. ISTANBUL Istanbul is the Turk's dream and joy. It is Turkey's largest city, located on one of the world's beautiful natu- ral city sites. For more than 20 years its population has been at least one million. It is truly cosmopolitan, the center of the country's commercial and cultural life, and the obvious crossroads of civilizations. All Americans have heard of the city, thousands have visited it. Your friends in the United States will think you haven't been to Turkey if you fail to see Istanbul. Istanbul is very ancient. It was first picked up in our history books as Byzantium, a colony of the ancient Greek free city of Megara. This was in the seventh century B. C. A thousand years later, Constantine the Great moved the seat of the Roman Empire to the city, which he modestly renamed Constantinople, "the city of Constantine." From whatever direction you approach the city, you 72 General view of Istanbul and the Golden Horn. will notice at once the many domes and minarets of the mosques that have become almost the trademark of Tur- key. The oldest of these mosques, Saint Sophia, really isn't a mosque at all. It was built in 347 by Constantine, who was the first Christian Emperor of Rome, as a great im- perial church. It was twice destroyed by fire before Jus- tinian the Great had it rebuilt in 552. When the Turks captured Constantinople 901 years later, they changed it to a mosque. In 1935 the building was turned into a museum and a great deal of work has been done to restore the old Byzantine mosaics. 73 The Suleymaniye Mosque was completed in 1557. It is illuminated by 138 windows and is slightly smaller than St. Sophia. Another mosque, the Blue Mosque, is over 300 years old. Its name comes from the beautiful colored tiles that line the interior. It is the only mosque in the world with six minarets. You will also want to see some of the city's museums such as Topkapu, Bvkaf, and the Museum of Antiquities. St. Sophia in Istanbul was built 1,400 years ago. 74 The last has the pink marble sarcophagus unearthed near Izmir (Smyrna) that is supposed to have contained the body of Alexander the Great. Other stops might include the Beyazid Tower, whose 180 steps lead you to a perfect view of the entire area, including the Hippodrome and the fine aqueducts with the large undergound cisterns. The land walls are worth a special trip. They stretch for 5 miles across the Takslm Square and Oalata Bridge in Istanbul. western end of the city and are still in an impressive state of preservation — except where they were battered down by Turkish cannon when Istanbul was conquered in 1453. While at Istanbul take a boat ride up the Bosporus, famous as one of nature's beauty spots. Half-way up, at the point where Europe and Asia are separated by only 550 yards, you will see Rumelihisar Castle. In 3 months in 1452, Mehmed the Conqueror built this fortification, then proceeded to lock the channel with a chain stretched over to another still-standing fortification on the Asiatic side. With this as a base, he then conquered Istanbul. Another pleasant boat trip is to the pine-covered Adelar ("islands") in the Marmara Sea, where open-air cafes serve excellent food. There are also good swimming 76 At Istanbul you can sirhn or take a ferry ride on the Bosporus. beaches in the vicinity of Istanbul, the best beinj; at Plorya, about l.j miles from the city. If you want to shop, orient yourself on Taksim Square, the Times Square of Istanbul. You'll find the best shops, restaurants, theaters, and night clubs along Istiklal Cad desi (Avenue) in the Beyoglu district, but don't overlook the unforgettable Grand Bazaar. Istanbul may confuse you at one point— the Golden Horn. The Horn is an inlet on the European side of Is- tanbul, which pretty well divides the old and new parts of the city. It is spanned by two bridges. Sometimes visitors think they are crossing to Asia over this bridge, but just remember that the Bosporus has not been bridged. 77 BURSA If you should want to see an old Turkish town and at the same time take a genuine Turkish bath — or in the winter do a little bit of skiing— take a trip to Bursa. Bursa is located on the slopes of TJlu Dag (also called Mt. Olympus, but it is not the mountain famed in Greek legends ) . It was the Ottoman Turk's capital before they crossed into Europe and moved to Edirne (Adrianople). Several of the early Turkish sultans are buried here near the beautiful mosques they built. Here also are the famous old Turkish baths, which use the hot mineral waters that gush from the side of the mountain. IZMIR This city is the second largest in Turkey, with a popula- tion of 322,000. As the chief port on the Aegean Sea, it is even more important than Istanbul as an export center. It is now NATO headquarters for the Eastern Mediterranean. Izmir is modern Smyrna, whose history is known back to a thousand years before Christ. The second chapter of the Book of Revelation in the New Testament identifies it as the seat of one of the "seven churches of Asia." EASTERN TURKEY Ersurum is the largest city in eastern Turkey, and the center of military activity for this region. It is about 6,000 feet above sea level, situated on the side of a moun- 78 Izmir, ancient Symrna, is the second largest city in Turkey. tain range at the eastern end of a long valley surrounded by rugged mountain peaks. Erzurum is surrounded by ancient earth walls of great thickness. You'll probably be interested in knowing that the Turks consider life so rugged in this area that they assign their oflScers here for only one three-year tour in a 30-year career ! If you get as far as Erzurum, by all means make the trip down to the Iranian border, then drive north along the Aras River by way of Igdir. Across that river is the Soviet Union, so keep on the road, although you'll be in- terested in seeing that the Iron Curtain actually does exist and that all along the route on the Russian side are two rows of barbed wire fence covered at regular inter- vals by tall watch towers. 79 Don't overlook beautiful Mt. Ararat at the corner where Turkey, Iran, and the Soviet Union meet. Not that you are likely to miss this 17,000-foot peak. Genesis (8:4) states that Noah's Ark came to rest on this mountain after the Deluge. Few Americans have seen these Biblical mountains, and if you're willing to rough it, you can make the round-trip to the mountain and along the Soviet bor- der in 3 days from Erzurum. Mt. Ararat only dramatizes the many points of histori- cal interest in Turkey. You'll have to do a lot of reading to locate all of them. You and your friends probably would want to make a tour of one or two such places. For instance, the famous Gallipoli (modern Gelibolu) battleground of World War I can be reached by either car or boat from Istanbul. Troy is an interesting place to see, if you remember the story of the Trojan War, the beautiful Helen who caused it, and the wooden horse the Greeks used to end it. By now you should have the idea. Don't ever make the mistake of saying there was nothing to see in Turkey. The people who know better will laugh at you. WELL DONE It's easy to earn a "well done" in Turkey. You have friendly and intelligent people to work with. What's more, you have people who believe strongly in the free world, and who have neither respect for nor fear of the Russians. This Guide has given you an idea of what the Turkish land and people are like. Of course you're not on a sight- seeing junket at Uncle Sam's expense. You have an im- portant job to do for your country. But this pamphlet has suggested things that should keep you from feeling that there's nothing to see or nothing else to do in Turkey. It has given you a background that will help you make lifetime friends among the Turkish people. THE TURKS ARE WITH YOU ! GO TO IT ! 81 APPENDIX MONEY Money, weights, and measures in Turkey are on tlie decimal system. One lira (leer-a) is wortti 100 kurus (kur-ooz), just as 100 cents make one dollar in American currency. The official rate of exchange is 2.80 TL (Turkish Lira) for one United States dollar. You'll soon learn to estab- lish relative values in your mind. For instance, the smallest Turkish bill, the Iki Buriik (2^2 TL) is worth about one dollar (actually 90 cents), and the 25 kurus piece is worth a dime (actually 9 cents). Here is the Turkish money now in circulation, with its approximate value in American money : Bank Notes 1000 llras $360. 00 500 llras 180. 00 100 (yii?) liras 36.00 50 (elli) liras 18.00 10 (on) lira§ 3. 60 5 (be?) liras. 1.80 2\