Creating a Distinctive “Other”: The Perception of Turks as Asiatic or Mongol in U.S. Mainstream Media during the Cold War

Abstract

This article explores how Turks were portrayed as descendants of Asiatic or Mongolian heritage in American mainstream media during the Cold War era. It begins by discussing the broader Western view of Turks as historically Asiatic and nomadic people, then delves into how American print publications, including news outlets and magazines, contributed to this perception. Generally, in the West, Turks were often imagined as Asiatic nomads, a characterization that was also linked to notions of barbarism and violence. In the U.S., there was a tendency to depict Turks as fierce and combative, aligning with the broader trend of portraying them as violent. However, there were instances where Turks were praised, particularly in contexts such as their significant contributions during the Korean War as part of the Southern effort which saw Turkish and Western interests align. Through analysis, this study concludes that Turks in American media were often depicted as Asiatic or Mongolian along four main themes: as formidable warriors, racially Asiatic, geographically Asiatic, and as part of Eastern/Asiatic civilization (by contrasting them with Western civilization). The article concludes that the U.S. largely followed the European trend of viewing Turks as part of Asiatic civilization and descent.