What were US-Ottoman Relations like during the First World War?

by Goat_im_Himmel

It seems that while the US entered the war against the Austro-Hungarians and Germany, no state of war existed between the US and the Ottoman Empire.

So what exactly was going on between the two for 1917 and 1918? Were diplomatic relations totally severed, and just no formal declaration, or was there any level of contact maintained?

And of course... why not?

AristoPhilosor

The US recalled its ambassador Abram Elkus thus severing official contact, though Elkus did remain in Constantinople for a few months because he was recovering from an illness at the time. The Ottoman Empire collapsed and the US did not establish a formal diplomatic relationship with Turkey until 1927.