British foreign policy towards Greece during the second world war 1940-1945

Abstract

Britain became increasingly involved in Greek affairs as a result of the outbreak of the Second World War and the Italian attack on Greece. The British failed in their efforts to form a Balkan front in order to forestall the Germans but nevertheless they decided to send a small Expeditionary Force to Greece. This however did not prevent the Germans from overrunning the country. The King and his Government after an initial stay in Egypt moved to London, but were finally established in Cairo in the spring of 1943. In the meantime the Government was twice reconstructed, the last time as a result of a left-wing mutiny in the army which brought venizelist politicians in the Cabinet. The British Government recognised and supported the King and his Government as legally reprenting Greece. At the same time they were well aware that the King and his Government were unpopular to the Greek people and to,the most important of the resistance movements, the left-wing EAM/ELAS; the British feared that EAM/ELAS would seize power in Greece at the time of liberation. The changing political and military situation in Greece and the Balkans towards the end of 1943 prompted the British to readjust their policy towards Greece without,however, abandoning its basic principle. After failing in this,due to the negative attitude of the King, the British attention was focused on the formation of a National Government while a serious army crisis in April 1944 resulted in the resignation of the Tsouderos Government. The National Government under Papandreou was formed early in the summer after the conclusion of the Lebanon Conference. EAM decided to participate in the Government in August. At the same time the Government moved to Italy where at Caserta it was agreed that ELAS and EDES would come under the orders of General Scobie, the Commander of the British forces which would be send to Greece. Athens was liberated ôn October 12, 1944 and the Greek Government moved in a few days later.