The Ottoman Legacy and Soviet Engagement: Turkish Perspectives on Russian History, 1920–1950

Abstract

The collapse of the Ottoman Empire and the emergence of the Soviet Union reshaped regional dynamics in the early twentieth century. This article investigates how Turkish intellectuals, politicians, and historians engaged with Russian and Soviet history between 1920 and 1950. Drawing on Turkish-language newspapers, parliamentary debates, and academic writings, the study explores how Russia’s revolutionary transformation influenced Turkey’s own efforts at modernization and nation-building.
The findings show that the Soviet Union was perceived simultaneously as a partner and a threat. In the early 1920s, Soviet support for the Turkish War of Independence fostered narratives of solidarity and anti-imperialism. Yet by the late 1930s, rising tensions over the Straits and regional security shifted Turkish interpretations toward caution and suspicion. Turkish historians increasingly emphasized the historical rivalry between the Ottoman and Russian Empires, framing the Soviet Union as the latest manifestation of Russian expansionism.
The article argues that Turkish perspectives on Russia reveal the interplay between historical memory and contemporary politics. Ottoman-Russian conflicts of the nineteenth century were reinterpreted to explain Soviet policies, while revolutionary ideals were selectively appropriated to support Turkey’s own reforms under Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. By situating Turkish historiography in a transnational context, the study underscores how national narratives of history are shaped by regional geopolitics and cross-cultural exchanges.
Ultimately, this research demonstrates the significance of Russo-Turkish relations not only as diplomatic history but also as a field of cultural memory. It contributes to broader debates on how neighboring states remember and reinterpret each other’s histories in light of shifting alliances and conflicts.