Turkism and the Soviets : The Turks of the World and Their Political Objectives (Routledge Library Editions: Soviet Foreign Policy)

Turkism and the Soviets (1957) uses Turkish, Russian and Western sources to present a remarkable study of the Turkish world and its importance in international relations. It thoroughly examines the two factors which give this huge ethnic group its great importance – the strategic position of their territories and secondly their homogeneity and common objectives. Throughout this book the role of the Turkish peoples is examined as an issue intimately connected with the problem of the USSR and Communism. The southern border of the Soviet Union divides the Turkish world into two halves and partially cuts through the living area of the Turkish people. This is the area which contains the most important Soviet oil fields. The section of the book which deals with the splintering away of the Turkic portions of the USSR is of vital importance.