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A CHRONOLOGY OF THE GREEK CRISIS

• 1935 After eleven years as a republic Greece again became a Monarchy, as the result of a plebiscite taken under a Government led by General Kondylis. In some districts, according to the Manchester Guardian, there were more Royalist votes than there were voters. 1936 General Metaxas, who became Prime Minister on the death of General Kondylis, assumed dictatorial powers with the consent of the Greek King, who waived the coristitution.

1939 • Greece was offered and accepted a British guarantee against Axis aggression. 1940 In October Italy demanded naval, military, and air bases from Greece and other concessions which would have meant in effect the surrender of the country. Greece regarded the ultimatum as a declaration of war, and, with aid from the R.A.F., resisted • the Italian invasion, which at once began. The Greeks forced the Italians back into Albania, from which they had attacked.

1 1941 On April 6th Germany came to the aid of Italy, invading both Yugo-Slavia and Greece. On the same day it was announced that British forces were already in Greece. To provide them Africa had been stripped, and Britain’s gains there imperilled. Within three weeks Greece had been overrun, and within another fortnight Crete had been lost. Soon also Britain had lost her Libyan gains, but she had made Syria and Iraq secure. It has also been suggested that the battles in Greece and in Crete delayed the German move against Russia, which was made on June 21st. 1942 Despite the tightening Nazi grip 'on Greece, individual acts of sabotage increased and resistance to the enemy was organized. Conditions grew worse as the Bulgarian, Italian, and German forces of occupation plundered the country. The Greek Government in exile began to train and equip a new army in the Middle East. 1943 The forces of resistance to the enemy gradually emerged. The two main organized groups were E.A.M. (National Liberation Front) with its armed force E.L.A.S. (Greek Popular Liberation. Army) and E.D.E.S. (Greek Democratic Liberation Army) led by Colonel Zervas. E.A.M. was under Communist leadership and had a Communist core, but included other elements, members of the Socialist Democrat and Agrarian Parties. E.D.E.S. was also Left Wing, although not Communist. E.L.A.S. operated on the Salonika side of the Pindus Ridge, which divides the mainland of Greece from end to end, and E.D.E.S. on the Adriatic side. Britain supplied both groups with arms ; the enemy supplied them with propaganda and sought to sow dissension between them. Clashes followed between the two patriot forces. 1944 February : A British Military Mission sent to Greece managed to put an end to the clashes between E.D.E.S. and E.L.A.S.

March : E.A.M. set up its own governmental Committee inside Greece and proposed collaboration with the Greek Government in Cairo. This offer was rejected by the Cairo Government on the ground that E.A.M. did not represent all political groups in Greece. E.D.E.S. remained loyal to the Cairo Government. Mutual suspicion complicated negotiations. It was feared in Cairo that E.A.M. was not so much concerned with fighting the enemy as with seizing power in a liberated Greece. E.A.M., on the other hand, considered that the Army in training in Egypt was intended not to free Greece, but to police the country after it had been freed. A revolt broke out in the Greek Army in the Middle East directed against what the Republican-minded troops considered was the Metaxist influence in the Greek Cabinet and among the senior officers of the forces. The Greek King issued a statement that a free vote would decide the future of Greece, monarchy or republic. April : A conciliatory move was made in Cairo by the reforming of the Government in exile under the leadership of M. Papandreou, a well-known politician and founder of the Republican Socialist Party ; he had been brought from Greece for the purpose at Britain’s suggestion. May : M. Papandreou called a conference of all the Greek political parties and resistance organizations in The Lebanon. Representatives of E.A.M. came from Greece to attend. A National Government was ' formed, but E.A.M. refused to join, making demands for a wider representation in the Cabinet than it was felt they were entitled to. September : E.A.M. withdrew its demands and accepted six seats in the Government. 1 October 8: British forces entered Greece. October 18 : The Greek Government returned to Athens. November 17 : The Mountain Battalion of the Greek Army in the Middle East arrived in Athens and paraded through the streets, singing Royalist songs. December i : The Government issued a decree calling for the disbandment of the E.A.M. police force. E.A.M. members refused to sign and left the Cabinet. They

demanded that the Mountain Battalion and The Sacred Brigade should also be disarmed. December 3 : In an atmosphere of mounting suspicion E.A.M. called for a mass demonstration of protest. At first permitted, the demonstration was later banned by the Government, but the demonstrators persisted. Shots were exchanged and a bad situation arose. Lieutenant-General Scobie, British Com-mander-in-Chief, made this statement : “ I stand firmly behind the present constitutional Government until the Greek State can be established with legal armed force behind it and free elections held. I 'will protect you and your Government against any attempt at a coup d’etat or acts of violence which are unconstitutional.” December 8 : General Scobie reported rioting by E.L.A.S. troops “in defiance of all orders both by the Greek Government and myself and the advance of E.L.A.S. troops towards the centre of Athens.” Soon there was full scale warfare. December 23 : Mr. Churchill and Mr. Eden arrived in Athens. December 30 : Archibishop Damaskinos' was appointed Regent by the Greek King, who added that he was

“ resolved not to return to Greece unless summoned by a free and fair expression of national will.” 1945 January 1 : General Nicholas Plastiras, an exile from 1933, assumed office as Prime Minister. Mr. Churchill received a memorandum from the Central Committee of E.A.M., which said : “ The Greek People experienced on the happy occasion of your coming to Athens a feeling of deep relief.” January 6 : The Socialist and Popular Democrat Parties disavowed the revolt. The Socialist Party published a resolution utterly condemning civil war, the Agrarian Party announced itself prepared to come to terms with the Government, and trade-unions expressed thanks for their deliverance and their confidence in the Government. January 8 : Athens had been cleared of E.L.A.S. troops. January 9 : Negotiations for a truce began. January 15 : “ Cease Fire ” sounded. February 12 : The Greek Government

and the E.A.M. concluded an agreement providing for a plebiscite on the monarchy and for a general election to be held this year.

This article text was automatically generated and may include errors. View the full page to see article in its original form.I whakaputaina aunoatia ēnei kuputuhi tuhinga, e kitea ai pea ētahi hapa i roto. Tirohia te whārangi katoa kia kitea te āhuatanga taketake o te tuhinga.
Permanent link to this item
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/periodicals/WWKOR19450212.2.13

Bibliographic details
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Korero (AEWS), Volume 3, Issue 1, 12 February 1945, Page 23

Word count
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1,103

A CHRONOLOGY OF THE GREEK CRISIS Korero (AEWS), Volume 3, Issue 1, 12 February 1945, Page 23

A CHRONOLOGY OF THE GREEK CRISIS Korero (AEWS), Volume 3, Issue 1, 12 February 1945, Page 23

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