I’m not sure ‘forgotten’ is the right word and it was their government who did that but your point is well taken.
I went high school in Turkey in the 70’s. The cities were quite westernized at that time and continued to be for years then things started getting weird and American dependents were no long allowed. That might have been the beginning of Erdogan’s time but I’m not sure.
The countryside was still quite backward though. It was like going back in time quite literally.
All I needed to know about Turkey, I learned from “Midnight Express.”
That must have been interesting. Iran was pretty modernized also, until the Islamists took over. Whenever the Islamist take over the country Goss back to the seventh century. Erdogen believes he is the next Caliph and has been taking Turkey from secular to Islamic. He has plans to take over Europe exactly the way it’s happening.