The historiography of Turkish-American relations has focused on the post-World War II period, during which relations between the two countries intensified because of a new, U.S. policy of containing the Soviet Union. According to this account, the origin of U.S. interest in Turkey can only be explained if approached through the framework of U.S. policy toward the Soviet Union. Thus, this approach cannot speak of a U.S. "Turkish policy" prior to the declaration of the Truman Doctrine. This paper shows that, contrary to prevalent historiography, the foundations of the tight post-war Turkish-American relations were laid during the war, not only because of the Soviet threat, but because of a new U.S. global policy defined before the advent of the Cold War. U.S. postwar awareness of the Middle East in general and Turkey in particular derived not only from the events of the period 1945-1947, but also from U.S. experience accumulated during the war in the region. Events and conditions of the conflict itself resulted in American military and civilian specialists producing a mass of reports and strategic plans for the postwar Middle East, in which Turkey occupied a crucial position. The foundations of the new U.S. Turkish policy can be summarized in three themes: a new U.S. international trade policy; the American desire to extend its hegemony in the Near and Middle East; and the installation of bases overseas. These three elements were closely related: the U.S. policy of international trade and installation of overseas bases depended on American desire to extend its hegemony in the Near and Middle East. A very important point is how the United States was perceived by the state and people of Turkey. Turkey's history, the Ottoman experience of the First World War and the occupation of Turkish territory by European powers at the end of the war were all factors that influenced the perception of the United States by senior Turkish leaders. The Turks believed that U.S. capital and aid were innocent, unlike that of the others, and that the greatest of great powers was not driven by the selfish interests that Britain entertained in the region. In addition to this positive image of the United States, there was also the urgent need of Turkey for the technical and financial assistance of the United States. Thus the elements necessary to forge an American-Turkish alliance were in place in both countries.