ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the role of communications in the American empire's history, particularly its interactions with the Middle East and Turkey during the early Cold War (1945–1960). Departing from technocentric studies, it adopts a holistic approach, viewing communications as a geopolitical, social, and economic force shaped by discursive and material factors. Emphasising a decolonial perspective, it unmasks colonial and imperialist features of communications, challenging West-centric narratives. It approaches the issue of communicative tactics in their dialectical relationship to communicative strategies. Whilst considering the militarisation of communications as a central strategy in US-led Cold War politics, the chapter examines how such strategies are countered by anti-imperialist, Third Worldist, and socialist communication initiatives. Utilising diverse primary and secondary sources, including Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) documents and Turkish archives, this analysis sheds light on the dialectical relationship between communication strategies and tactics in geopolitics.
