Amerikan Perspektifinden Erken Cumhuriyet Dönemi Sınır Politikası: Gaziantep-Halep Hattı (1923-1938)

Year 2026, Volume: 9 Issue: 1 , 1 - 24 , 31.03.2026

Mehmet Alpaslan Eşki

https://doi.org/10.59886/tsbder.1866998

https://izlik.org/JA35UG64FM

Abstract

1923-1938 yılları arasında Gaziantep-Halep sınır hattında yaşanan dönüşümler, Amerika Birleşik Devletleri’nin diplomatik yazışmaları ve konsolosluk raporları üzerinden incelendiğinde; sınırın sadece siyasi hat değil, aynı zamanda iktisadi, idari ve kültürel boyutlarla yeniden tanımlandığı inşa süreci olarak değerlendirilmektedir. Gaziantep’in asırlık ticari hinterlandı olan Halep’ten koparılmasının ardından bölgede gözlemlenen iktisadi daralma, yerel sermaye yapısının tarımsal ticaretten sınaî üretime yönelmesine zemin hazırlamıştır. Amerikan ticaret raporlarında tecrit ve ticari sıkışıklık olarak nitelendirilen bu süreç, şehrin iktisadi genetiğinde meydana gelen yapısal değişimin ve günümüz sanayi yapısının tarihsel belirleyicileri arasında kabul edilmektedir. Sınır hattındaki aşiret hareketliliği, kontrol dışı nüfus geçişleri ve idari boşluklar, Ankara’nın güvenlik odaklı politikalarının taşradaki uygulama süreçlerini ve modern sınır rejimi doktrinlerinin kurumsallaşma aşamalarını somutlaştırmaktadır. Gaziantep’in sınırın ötesine yönelik modernleşme modeli olarak kurgulanması; alfabe, sağlık hizmetleri ve kıyafet düzenlemeleri üzerinden sınırın iki yakası arasında belirgin sosyo-kültürel mesafe oluştururken, dönemin dış politika stratejileriyle uyumlu yumuşak güç aracı niteliği taşımıştır. 1934 İskân Kanunu ve beraberindeki nüfus pratikleri ise sınır güvenliğini demografik tahkimatla desteklemeyi ve bölgede merkezi otoriteye sadık toplumsal yapı inşa etmeyi amaçlamıştır. Netice itibarıyla Gaziantep-Halep hattı, imparatorluk sonrası ulus-devlet inşası sürecindeki kurumsal pratiklerin, küresel sermaye hareketlerinin ve sınır kentinin edilgen uç noktadan bölgesel stratejik merkeze dönüşme aşamalarının gözlemlenebildiği analitik kesit sunmaktadır.

Keywords

Gaziantep-Halep Sınırı , Amerikan Raporları , İktisadi Dönüşüm , Güvenlikleştirme , Nüfus Politikaları.

The Early Republican Border Policy from an American Perspective: The Gaziantep-Aleppo Line (1923–1938)

https://izlik.org/JA35UG64FM

Abstract

The diplomatic correspondence and consular reports of the United States reveal that the transformations along the Gaziantep-Aleppo border from 1923 to 1938 are assessed as a construction process, wherein the border was redefined not only as a political demarcation but also through economic, administrative, and cultural aspects. The economic decline in the region after Gaziantep's detachment from Aleppo—its long-established commercial hinterland—facilitated the transition of the local capital framework from agricultural trade to industrial manufacturing. This trend, described in American trade reports as isolation and commercial congestion, is recognized as a historical factor influencing the structural alteration of the city's economic framework and its current industrial composition. Tribal mobility along the border, unregulated population crossings, and administrative voids exemplify the provincial execution of Ankara's security-focused policies and the institutionalization phases of contemporary border regime ideologies. The development of Gaziantep as a model of modernization across the border established a notable socio-cultural divide between the two regions through alphabet reform, healthcare services, and clothing regulations, while concurrently serving as a soft power tool consistent with the foreign policy strategies of the era. The 1934 Settlement Law and related population policies sought to enhance border security by demographic reinforcement and to establish a social framework in the region aligned with the central authority. Thus, the Gaziantep-Aleppo corridor offers an analytical cross-section illustrating institutional practices in post-imperial nation-state construction, global capital flows, and the evolution of a border city from a passive periphery to a regional strategic hub.

Keywords

Gaziantep-Aleppo Border , American Reports , Economic Transformation , Securitization , Population Policies.

References

• American Chamber of Commerce for the Levant. (1933). Levant Trade Review (Vol. 21). Istanbul.
• Gillespie, J. E. (1931). Report on frontier security measures and economic pressure on villages [Diplomatik rapor]. Records of the Department of State relating to internal affairs of Turkey (Record Group 59, Decimal File 867.00). National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), Washington, DC.
• Gillespie, J. E. (1933). American commercial interests in the Near East [Ticari rapor]. Records of the Department of State relating to internal affairs of Turkey (Record Group 59, Decimal File 867.50).
• National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), Washington, DC.
• İskân Kanunu. (1934, Haziran 21). Resmî Gazete (Sayı: 2733).
• MacMurray, J. V. A. (1937). Confidential telegram regarding military buildup in Gaziantep [Diplomatik telgraf]. Records of the Department of State relating to political relations between Turkey and Syria (Record Group 59, Decimal File 767.83). National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), Washington, DC.
• U.S. Department of Commerce. (1930, Ekim 6). Commerce reports: A weekly survey of foreign trade (No. 40). U.S. Government Printing Office.
• U.S. Department of State. (1924). Report on the migration of Armenians from Gaziantep to Syria [Diplomatik rapor]. Records of the Department of State relating to internal affairs of Turkey (Record Group 59, Decimal File 867.4016). National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), Washington, DC.
• U.S. Department of State. (1925). Despatch regarding the settlement of Muslim immigrants (muhacirs) in border provinces [Diplomatik rapor]. Records of the Department of State relating to internal affairs of Turkey (Record Group 59, Decimal File 867.4016). National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), Washington, DC.
• U.S. Department of State. (1927). Report on economic effects of the border division [Konsolosluk raporu]. Records of the Department of State relating to internal affairs of Turkey (Record Group 59, Decimal File 867.50). National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), Washington, DC.
• U.S. Department of State. (1928). Despatch regarding the enforcement of the Hat Law and social conditions in border provinces [Diplomatik rapor]. Records of the Department of State relating to internal affairs of Turkey (Record Group 59, Decimal File 867.40). National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), Washington, DC.
• U.S. Department of State. (1929a). Despatch No. 512 regarding the adoption of Latin characters and its impact on cultural relations [Diplomatik rapor]. Records of the Department of State relating to internal affairs of Turkey (Record Group 59, Decimal File 867.42). National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), Washington, DC.
• U.S. Department of State. (1929b). Despatch No. 382 regarding tribal movements and border control [Diplomatik rapor]. Records of the Department of State relating to internal affairs of Turkey (Record Group 59, Decimal File 867.00). National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), Washington, DC.
• U.S. Department of State. (1930). Correspondence regarding foreign capital and customs regulations [Diplomatik yazışma]. Records of the Department of State relating to internal affairs of Turkey (Record Group 59, Decimal File 867.50). National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), Washington, DC.
• U.S. Department of State. (1933). Report on MacAndrews & Forbes operations in Aintab-Kilis sector [Konsolosluk raporu]. Records of the Department of State relating to internal affairs of Turkey (Record Group 59, Decimal File 867.5017). National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), Washington, DC.
• U.S. Department of State. (1934). Report on road construction and transportation costs in the Gaziantep region [Konsolosluk raporu]. Records of the Department of State relating to internal affairs of Turkey (Record Group 59, Decimal File 867.50). National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), Washington, DC.
• U.S. Department of State. (1935). Report on the settlement of Balkan immigrants along the southern frontier [Diplomatik rapor]. Records of the Department of State relating to internal affairs of Turkey (Record Group 59, Decimal File 867.4016). National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), Washington, DC.
• U.S. Department of State. (1936). Report on social reforms and westernization in Gaziantep [Diplomatik rapor]. Records of the Department of State relating to internal affairs of Turkey (Record Group 59, Decimal File 867.40). National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), Washington, DC.
• U.S. Department of State. (1938a). Report on military movements in Gaziantep and the Hatay crisis [Diplomatik rapor]. Records of the Department of State relating to political relations between Turkey and Syria (Record Group 59, Decimal File 767.83). National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), Washington, DC.
• U.S. Department of State. (1938b). Despatch regarding Turkish press and propaganda activities [Diplomatik rapor]. Records of the Department of State relating to internal affairs of Turkey (Record Group 59, Decimal File 867.9111). National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), Washington, DC.
• U.S. Department of State. (1938c). Report on social and sanitary conditions in Gaziantep [Konsolosluk raporu]. Records of the Department of State relating to internal affairs of Turkey (Record Group 59, Decimal File 867.40). National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), Washington, DC.
• U.S. Department of State. (1944). Foreign relations of the United States, 1929, Vol. III: The Near East and Africa. U.S. Government Printing Office.
• U.S. Department of State. (1945). Foreign relations of the United States, 1930, Vol. III: The Near East and Africa. U.S. Government Printing Office.
• U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). Record Group 59: General Records of the Department of State, Central Decimal File (1910-1963). College Park, MD.
• Altuğ, S. (2011). The Syrian-Turkish border, 1921-1946: Modernity, citizenship and state formation. S. Z. Al-Qattan (Ed.), New perspectives on recent Middle East history içinde.
• Anderson, B. (1991). Imagined communities: Reflections on the origin and spread of nationalism. Verso. Aras, N. G. (2005). Gaziantep sağlık tarihi. Gaziantep Üniversitesi Vakfı Yayınları.
• Atılgan, S. (2008). Gaziantep Halkevi ve faaliyetleri (1932-1951). Gaziantep Büyükşehir Belediyesi Kültür Yayınları.
• Başpınar Dergisi. (1934-1949). Gaziantep Halkevi Yayını.
• Biçici, M. (2020). Gaziantep’te siyasal yaşam (1923-1950). İksad Yayınevi.
• Bozdoğan, S. (2001). Modernism and nation building: Turkish architectural culture in the early republic. University of Washington Press.
• Buzan, B., Wæver, O., & de Wilde, J. (1998). Security: A new framework for analysis. Lynne Rienner Publishers.
• Çağaptay, S. (2006). Islam, secularism, and nationalism in modern Turkey: Who is a Turk?. Routledge. Donnan, H., & Wilson, T. M. (1999). Borders: Frontiers of identity, nation and state. Berg Publishers.
• Evered, K. T., & Evered, E. Ö. (2011). Governing population, public health, and malaria in the early Turkish Republic. Journal of Historical Geography, 37(4), 470-482.
• Gingeras, R. (2009). Sorrowful shores: Violence, ethnicity, and the end of the Ottoman Empire 1912-1923. Oxford University Press.
• Güçlü, Y. (2001). The question of the Sanjak of Alexandretta: A study in Turkish-French relations. Turkish Historical Society.
• Keyder, Ç. (1981). The definition of a peripheral economy: Turkey 1923-1929. Cambridge University Press.
• Köroğlu, E. (2004). Türk edebiyatı ve Birinci Dünya Savaşı (1914-1918): Propagandadan millî kimlik inşasına. İletişim Yayınları.
• Lewis, B. (1999). The emergence of modern Turkey (3. bs.). Oxford University Press.
• Mardin, Ş. (1991). The just and the unjust. Daedalus, 120(3), 113-129.
• Metinsoy, M. (2021). The power of the people: Everyday resistance and dissent in the making of modern Turkey, 1923-38. Cambridge University Press.
• Öztan, R. H. (2020). The Great Depression and the making of Turkish–Syrian border, 1921–1939. International Journal of Middle East Studies, 52(2), 311-326.
• Pamuk, Ş. (2014). Türkiye'nin 200 yıllık iktisadi tarihi. Türkiye İş Bankası Kültür Yayınları.
• Scott, J. C. (1976). The moral economy of the peasant: Rebellion and subsistence in Southeast Asia. Yale University Press.
• Sharkey, H. J. (2017). American evangelicals in Egypt: Missionary encounters in an age of empire. Princeton University Press.
• Shields, S. D. (2011). Fezzes in the river: Identity politics and European diplomacy in the Middle East on the eve of World War II. Oxford University Press.
• Soysal, İ. (1983). Türk dış politikası incelemeleri. Türkiye İş Bankası Kültür Yayınları.
• Tekeli, İ. (1990). Türkiye'de yerleşme ve nüfus dağılımı. DPT Yayınları.
• Tekeli, İ. (1998). Türkiye'de modernleşme ve ulusalcılık. Tarih Vakfı Yurt Yayınları.
• Tekeli, İ. (2011). Göç ve ötesi. Tarih Vakfı Yurt Yayınları.
• Tekin, M. (2016). Hatay basın tarihi (1918-1939). Hatay Keşif Yayınları.
• Tezel, Y. S. (1982). Cumhuriyet döneminin iktisadi tarihi (1923-1950). Yurt Yayınları.
• Toprak, Z. (2017). Türkiye'de milli iktisat: Milli burjuvazi, devlet ve girişimcilik (1908-1918). Türkiye İş Bankası Kültür Yayınları.
• Trask, R. R. (1971). The United States response to Turkish nationalism and reform, 1914-1939. University of Minnesota Press.
• Üngör, U. Ü. (2011). The making of modern Turkey: Nation and state in Eastern Anatolia, 1913-1950. Oxford University Press.
• Vander Lippe, J. M. (2005). The politics of Turkish democracy: Ismet Inonu and the formation of the multi-party system, 1938-1950. State University of New York Press.
• Watenpaugh, K. D. (2014). Bread from stones: The Middle East and the making of modern humanitarianism. University of California Press.
• Yılmaz, F. (2013). Gaziantep'te kentsel gelişim ve mimari doku (1923-1950). Gaziantep Üniversitesi Yayınları.
• Zürcher, E. J. (2004). Turkey: A modern history (3. bs.). I.B. Tauris.