Turkey was on Hitler's invasion list, report reveals

ISTANBUL

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A Turkish researcher has revealed the military report on Turkey which was allegedly prepared for Hitler's plans to occupy Turkey, daily Milliyet reported today.

Researcher Şenol Şahin Çörekçi said Hitler had prepared reports with detailed information about countries he planned to occupy, including Turkey.

Çörekçi reportedly obtained the 217-page report "Militargeographische Angaben über die Türkei" (Military and geographical information about Turkey) from relatives of a retired military officer.

Çörekçi said the report was prepared by the German intelligence agency in Berlin between 1935 and 1941.

The document reportedly includes detailed information about Turkey's borders, political characteristics, weather conditions, diseases in geographic regions, earthquake regions, rivers, agricultural areas, crops grown, airports, ships, traffic, communication lines, mines, language, military areas and more.

Hitler's biggest plan was to acquire the Arabian Peninsula, oil reservoirs in Azerbaijan and boron mines in Turkey, according to Çörekçi.

"Hitler had to give up his occupation plan due to fears about Muslims who were supporting Germany and other facts about Turkey, according to the data we have," Çörekçi said.