ABSTRACT
Turkey had remained neutral during World War II, taking great care to avoid becoming caught up in conflict the way that the Ottoman Empire had been during World War I. Although it had indeed survived through the war without major catastrophe, the post-war era saw major changes and upheaval in nations around Turkey. Ties with the United States were expanded in a 1947 agreement that specified American intentions to secure Turkey and Greece against Soviet aggression: an important early phase of implementing the Truman Doctrine at the outset of the Cold War. Conflict between the two communities led to major crises in 1964 and again in 1967, during which Turkey and Greece both North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) members came to the brink of war. Izmir became NATO's headquarters for southeastern Europe, and the Turks permitted other NATO installations to be located in Turkey and allowed the United States to station troops there.
