Bu kitap 1922 yılının Eylül ayında İzmir'e gelen YMCA (Genç Hıristiyanlar Cemiyeti) sekreteri Asa Kent Jennings'in hikâyesini anlatmakta. Jennings'in İzmir'e vardığı tarih İzmir'in Yunan işgalinden kurtarıldığı tarihtir. Uzun yıllar Türkiye'de yaşayacak olan Asa Kent ve oğlu Asa Will Jennings, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk ve silah arkadaşlarının Türkiye Cumhuriyeti'ni inşa etme çabalarına birinci elden tanık olacak ve Cumhuriyet'in kurucu liderleri ile bizzat tanışacaklardır. Baba-oğul Jenningsler aynı zamanda Ankara'daki Gazi Çiftliği'ne saf kan damızlık inek hibe edilmesi, çocuklar için oyun bahçeleri kurulması, kütüphanelerin kurulması, Amerikan üniversitelerinde eğitim görmeleri için Türk öğrencilerine burs temin etme, Himaye-i Etfal Cemiyeti'ne yardım etme gibi birçok sosyal faaliyetlerde bulunacaklardır. Asa Kent Jennings 1930 yılının Temmuz ayında The American Friends of Turkey (Türkiye'nin Amerikalı Dostları) cemiyetini tescil edecek ve faaliyetlerini bu cemiyet vasıtasıyla devam ettirecekti. Jennings aynı zamanda YMCA cemiyeti ile Türk Ocakları Reisi Hamdullah Suphi Tanrıöver arasında cereyan eden ve Amerikalı sanayici Arthur Nash'ın cemiyetin Merkez Binası'nın Ankara'da inşası için Türk Ocakları'na önemli bir meblağı hibe etmesiyle sonuçlanan müzakerelerde de hazır bulunacaktır.Türk-Amerikan ilişkilerinin şimdiye kadar hiç bilinmeyen bir yanını inceleyen ve ilk kere gün ışığına çıkan arşiv belgeleri ve Jennings ailesinin özel arşivinden yararlanılarak hazırlanan bu çalışma Cumhuriyet'in ilk yirmi yılına birinci elden tanıklık yapmakta.
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PREFACE
INTRODUCTION
I- MISSIONARY AND YMCA ACTIVITIES IN TURKEY
- a) The Start of ABCFM Activities in Turkey
- b) ABCFM Schools in Turkey
- c) The Origin of the YMCA and Its Mission
- d) YMCA Activities in Turkey
- e) Asa Kent Jennings Arrives in Izmir
II - THE GREEK REFUGEES PROBLEM
- a) The General Political Situation
- b) The Calm Before the Storm
- c) The Turkish Army Enters Izmir
- d) The Problem of Evacuating the Refugees
- e) Edward Hale Bierstadt Criticizes the State Department
- f) Asa K. Jennings Praised and Honoured
- g) Exchange of Prisonersof War
- h) Asa K. Jennings Decides to Stay in Istanbul
- i) Asa K. Jennings' Account of the Evacuation
III- THE ANATOLIAN PROJECT
1) Signature and Ratification of the Turkish-American Treaty
- a) The Turkish - American Treaty of Amity and Commerce
- b) The Question of Ratifying the Turkish-American Treaty
- c) The Cultural Aspects of Turkish - American Cooperation
2) The Turkish - American Clubs Project
- a) Preliminary Talks
- b) The Project is Submitted to the YMCA
- c) The Proposal of Asa K. Jennings
- d) Rear Admiral Mark L. Bristol's Reaction to the Proposal
- e) Asa K. Jennings Submits His Plan to YMCA
- f) Asa K. Jennings Returns to Turkey
- g) First Meeting with Hamdullah Suphi Bey
- h) John R. Mott & D.A. Davis Arrive to Istanbul
- i) Visits to the Ministry of Education
- j) Agreement with the Minister of Education
3) Arthur Nash - YMCA - Türk Ocakları Joint Project
- a) A Sketch of the History and Activities of the Turk Ojak
- b) Asa K. Jennings Returns to New York and Visits Potential Donors
- c) Asa K. Jennings Cultivates Relations with Hamdullah Suphi Bey
- d) Asa K. Jennings Meets the Universalists
- e) Arthur Nash and his Golden Rule Service Fund
- f) Contributions of Arthur Nash to the Project
- g) Press Coverage of the Arthur Nash Announcement
- h) Asa K. Jennings Returns to Turkey - First Meeting With Hamdullah Suphi Bey
- i) John Bayne Ascham Arrives to Turkey - Meetings with Hamdullah Suphi Bey
- j) A Resident American Committee is Established
- k) Agreement Reached between Arthur Nash, YMCA and the Universalist Trustees
- l) Asa K. Jennings Meets Again Hamdullah Suphi Bey
- m) The Agreement Between Arthur Nash and YMCA is Dissolved
- n) Why the Project Failed?
- o) End of the Story - The Erection of the Türk Ocakları Headquarters Building
4- The Smyrna Welfare Council Project
- a) Funding the Project
- b) Asa K. Jennings Returns to Turkey
- c) The Council is Established
- d) Activities of the Welfare Council
- e) The Smyrna Welfare Council is Dissolved
- f) Reaction of Asa Will Jennings
- g) Liquidation of the Council
IV- THE AMERICAN FRIENDS OF TURKEY
1 - The "Special Committee" of the Children's Protection Society
- a) Asa K. Jennings Decides to Terminate his Relation with YMCA
- b) The Anatolian Project Starts
- c) A Resident Office is Established in Ankara
- d) Basis of Cooperation and Program of Activities
- e) The Playgrounds Project
- f) Plans for the Future
2 - The American Friends of Turkey Incorporates
- a) The Decision to Incorporate
- b) AFOT Incorporates
- c) Reactions
- d) Asa K. Jennings Visits Ankara
3 - The Welfare Society (Hayır İşlerine Yardım Cemiyeti)
- a) Its Establishment
- b) By-laws of the Society
- c) The Mixed Commission
4- Projects of the Mixed Commission
- a) Gifts of Pure Bred Cattle to the Gazi Farm
- b) The Ankara Day Care Center of Children's Protection Society
- c) The Library and Translation Project
- d) Collaboration with The Society For Aid to Assist Destitute Women
- e) The Playground Projects
- f) The Working Boys Club Project
- g) Dental Clinics
- h) Cooperation with the People's Houses
- i) Cooperation with the Turkish National Sports Federation
- j) Assistance to Turkish Studentsand Future Scholars
- k) Cooperation with the Turkish Educational Society
- l) Prison Reform and Juvenile Delinquents
5) Difficulties and Problems
- a) Problems with the Children's Protection Society
- b) Problems Related to Xenophobia
6) Effects of the Great Depression
7) Death of Asa K. Jennings
8) The Future of AFOT
- a) The Situation After Asa K. Jennings' Death
- b) Ted Gannaway advises Asa Will Jennings
- c) AFOT decides on its Future Course
9) Celebration of the Tenth Anniversary of the Turkish Republic Day
- a) Preparations for the Celebration
- b) Celebration of the Tenth Anniversary of the Turkish Republic
10) The Last Years of AFOT
11) Activities During World War II
V - THE AMERICAN TURKISH SOCIETY
CONCLUSION - WHAT DID THE AFOT ULTIMATELY ACCOMPLISH?
CHRONOLOGY OF IMPORTANT EVENTS
ANNEXES
- ANNEX I- THE VENTURE TO FORM THE TURKISH AMERICAN FRIENDSHIP ASSOCIATION
- ANNEX II- A REPORT ON TURKEY's FIRST PUBLIC PLAYGROUND
- ANNEX III- RECREATIONAL DEVELOPMENTS IN TURKEY DURING THE PAST YEAR
- ANNEX IV- "A CONFIDENTIAL STATEMENT REGARDING THE PERSONALITIES OF TURKISH OFFICIALS WITH WHOM WE HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT IN THE PAST"
- ANNEX V- REPORT TO THE AMERICAN FRIENDS OF TURKEY BY THEIR EDUCATIONAL ADVISER ON WORK IN TURKEY
- ANNEX VI - ORGANIZATION CHART
- ANNEX VII - PAMPHLET OF AMERICAN FRIENDS OF TURKEY
BIBLIOGRAPHY