ABSTRACT
World War II had a different impact on the Middle East from World War I. It was not as devastating for this region in terms of lives lost, battles fought, and empires/nations dismantled or rearranged. However, its impact was still enormous, particularly given the far-reaching effects of the war in other parts of the world. The conflict's effect on European nations was felt quite strongly across the Middle East; particularly where European powers still had direct control. Although the experience of this was different in each country, events revealed that the imperialist approach long used there by France and the UK was swiftly being overshadowed by the activist diplomacy of the USSR and the United States: rising champions of communism and capitalism. Turkey, although still in close relationship with other parts of the Middle East, began to establish for itself gradually more and more European identity, a component of Ataturk's modernization programs.
