REPUBLICAN PERCEPTIONS; TIME AND GÜLCEMAL

Abstract

REPUBLICAN PERCEPTIONS; TIME AND GÜLCEMAL

Abstract

Historically, Amcrican rcaction to ncw rcpublican or democratic
govcrnmcnls has bccn favorablc and cvcn enlhusiastic. Did this occur with
the cstablishmcnt of hc Turkish Rcpublic in 1923.
Two evcnts secm, at first gancc, to indicatc this may have bccn the
casc. Onc was the choice of Mustafa Kemal for the cover of an issue of Time
Magazine in 1923. The second was the visit of the Turkish-flag ship S.S.
Gülcemal to Ne w York in the carly 1920s.
Examination of general Amcrican press coverage of the Turkish war
for independcnce and the declaration of the Rcpublic indicates otherwise.
Negative attitudes tovvard the Turks abound. In the New York Times old
stercotypcs persist and enthusiasm for the new Repubic is almost complctcly
absent.
Nevertheless, careful analysis of the Time magazine story and press
coverage of the Gülcemal's arrival reveals a basis for a more positive
understanding of Turkey. Bolh the story and the coverage of the Gülcemal
hint at the importance "modernity" would have in improving American
pcrccptions of the Turkish Rcpublic and also illustrate the critical role public
symbols play in the ficld of diplomacy.  

Keywords

• REPUBLICAN PERCEPTIONS
• TIME
• GÜLCEMAL