The most remarkable information in this book--and there is a great deal of remarkable information here--is the revelation that Kemalism established the "Turkification of Gobineau's theory of the racial, and therefore civilizational, superiority of the Aryans."
Ataturk established the Turkish Historical Thesis (Turk Tarih Tezi) and the Sun Theory of Languages (Gunes Dil Teorisi). The former holds that the history of Turkey as known today doesn't consist merely of Ottoman history, but is much older and in fact dispersed culture to all nations, including the Greek classical nation, the Hittites, the Chinese, the Romans and all European nations. The latter holds that Turkish was the first language ever spoken by humans, and is the foundation for all other languages, be they classical Greek and Latin, Romance languages or even Anglo-Saxon tongues.
By way of these theories, the Turkish educational system still, today, teaches that Turkish society is supremacist, and that it is from Turkish history and language that all other culture and languages flow. One can according to these theories allow that there was, for example, a beautiful Greek civilization, but at the same time, one holds that this was not independent, but a derivative of the Turkish culture and history.
What is even more astounding is that there are those historians, including Bernard Lewis, who make apology for this supremacist line.
Since the European Union is now considering whether Turkey should join its ranks, it would be highly beneficial for all European citizens--but especially European officials--to read this short but powerful book. To the extent that the racist teachings exposed herein are still taught today in Turkey, and are still regarded as truth by the mass of educated Turks, this book is a warning against Turkish admission to the EU.
--Alyssa A. Lappen
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