More Than Diplomacy: Ideological Significance of Menderes's 1959 Visit to Francoist Spain

The aftermath of World War II represented a pivotal moment for Turkish foreign policy, during which the country reoriented its international position in light of emerging Cold War tensions. As the global landscape shifted toward a rigid bipolar configuration after the war, defined by the intensifying competition between Western liberalism and Soviet communism, Türkiye’s room for maneuver in pursuing a balanced foreign policy was substantially reduced. Confronted with growing strains in its relationship with the Soviet Union, Türkiye progressively aligned itself with the Western bloc and embraced a pronounced anti-communist posture. This study explores how anti-communism functioned as both a foreign policy principle and a domestic political tool, with Adnan Menderes’s 1959 visit to Francoist Spain serving as a focal point. The visit, backed by military symbolism and reinforced in press narratives, revealed Türkiye’s active role in Cold War politics and higlighted how anti-communist alliances shaped foreign relations and public discourse. Through an exploration of archival records and press narratives, the study demonstrates how Türkiye’s foreign engagements were strategically framed to reinforce its identity as a loyal member of the anti-communist ‘free world’.