The Turkish History Thesis (Türk Tarih Tezi) is a pseudohistorical study which posited that the Turks migrated in several waves from Central Asia to China, India, the Balkans, the Middle East, northern Africa populating and bringing civilization to the areas they have moved to. The theory developed within the context of pre-Nazi scientific racism, placing Turks as one of the "Alpine subgroup" of the Caucasian race. The intent of the theory was a rejection of Western European assertions that Turks belonged to the "yellow or mongol" race. Mustafa Kemal Atatürk took a personal interest in the subject after he was shown a French language book that claimed Turks "belonged to the yellow race" and were a "secondaire" people.