Salient. An Organ of Student Opinion at Victoria College, Wellington, N.Z. Vol. 7, No. 8. August 9, 1944
Greece
Greece
"Mutiny in the Allied Camp! Communiques from the Greek Government in Cairo tell of unrest among the Greek forces there. What is the story behind all this? Have we among our allies people who favour Hitlerism? New Zealanders who in their short stay in Greece came to know the people are incredulous. In the following article our special correspondent covers briefly the story of modern Greece.
Greece in the past few centuries has been a far, far cry from the "glory of ancient Greece." The Acropolis still stands between earth and heaven, a record of past genius, but the prized liberty has faded.
There's a war on in the Balkans
—won't you come?
All you need is ammunition
—and a gun!
And what then? This country, liberated by one of the most heroic struggles in history, became enmeshed in power politics—a pawn in the hands of Austro-Hungary, Turkey and Czar-ist Russia. By 1914 the Balkans were the happy hunting-ground of gunrunner and spy, and liberty hardly won by unity was jeopardised by internecine wars. In the Great War Greece remained neutral until the British occupied Salonika in 1915.
Post-war Greece, after she was defeated by Turkey in 1922, had a million and a half refugees from Asia Minor in a seven million population. Greece had a predominantly (69%) peasant population; minor land reforms of 1917 and the twenties failed to help the backward, poverty-stricken rural communities. I.L.O. statistics on wage levels give Greece 33 (as compared with Great Britain 100 and U.S.A.190). £14,000,000 British capital was invested in Greek public utilities and merchant shipping, and with France and U.S.A. held 83% of the public debt. Dr. Schacht's visit in 1936 proved fruitful to Nazi Germany, who by 1938 was Greece's largest customer.
From 1928-1934, under a republican constitution, there was a measure of Parliamentary democracy, but in 1935 under the dictator Kondylis, after a faked plebiscite. King George returned, and in 1936 appointed Metaxis dictator. In that year Goebbels stated that Metaxis had "rendered a great service to civilisation" by averting the communist menace. A Falange of fascist youth was formed. In 1936 in one month alone 6,000 workers and intellectuals (including world-famous professors) were jailed. Czechoslovakia fell; Chamberlain guaranteed Greek territorial intergrity. Nevertheless in 1940, when Greece refused to fight with Hitler, Italy attacked from Albania. The Greek army proved a match for them until on April 6th a Nazi blitzkreig swept south on Greece, assisted from within by fifth columnists high in the army. In spite of British promises only 60.000 men were available with inadequate material. The Nazis conquered Greece.
The first confusion resultant from occupation past, the progressive parties—Radical Liberal, Communist, Agrarian and Socialist, organised the E.A.M. or National Liberation Front with its army, the E.L.A.S., designed to fight invaders and quislings, to ensure a democratic post-war government and to fight the common enemy alongside other national groups. Strikes and partisan activity have been successfully organised. Its importance was recognised in the Allied Military Mission to Greece (1 E.K.K.A., 1 E.D.E.S, 4 E.A.M. delegates). The Greek government has endeavoured to discredit the E.A.M. and back E.D.E.S. —led by Zervas, a parallel to the Yugoslav government recognition of Mika-hilowhich, with whom Zervas has been in contact. A guerilla agreement of April this year to units against the Germans has not been kept.
The Greek government actually endeavoured to stop partisan activity and has six local leaders under arrest. Tsouderos resigned the Premiership after suppressing a movement among M.E. Greek forces in favour of unity with E.A.M, Navy, merchant marine, the first brigade of the army and the Greek civil population were concerned. A delegation of officers was elected at Alexandria, to request the government to support E.A.M. The King temporised and then court-martlalled these officers. By the beginning of May a thousand officers and men were in concentration camps in Palestine and Tripolitania. Arrests were carried out by Allied troops who were not informed about the situation.
Another Athens shall arise—Shelley. It would seem strange that we are assisting a semi-fascist government to impress on its people a decision which would favour the Nazis in this war for the liberation of Europe. It is in our interest to watch the situation as it develops. Many of our soldiers fought for Greece, and may do so again. Let us be sure that we are in the right.
Note.— It may be of interest that four noted professors from Athens University— Svolost Tsatsos, Angeto-popus. and Sotyriou-Kouzis— have recently joined E.A.M., which incident' ally already includes within its ranks two archbishops.