The Cold War: Country Trends--Greece

Figure 1.--Greece was devestated by World Wat II and even before the Germans withdrew (1944), another war had begun when the Communist partisans attempting to seize control of the country. The Greek economny was near collapse when the British arrived and the British wwere unable to provide adequate support to either support vthe economy or to defeat the Communist guerillas. This photo was taken in Greece after World War II (probably in 1946). It was taken in Karamoula, a village in the mountains near Agrinion. It was in these motaneous areas that the Communist insurection was the strongest. Mote that two boys are wearing leg warmers. (We suspect that they are knee socks with the feet cut off because their parents could no longer afford shoes.) This means that the photo was taken in cold weather. Note that all the boys were barefoot. They came to school barefoot despite the cold weather. Obviously they didn't own any footwear.

Greece became an early battleground of the Cold War. The struggle for Greece began even before the Germans had wihdrawn. The British after the German withdrawl landed and orevented the partisans from seizing power. Eventually the partisans effort to use their military strength to seize power would lead to the Civil War (1944-49). The deteriorating situation in Greece was one of several contentious issues that were raised at the Potsdam Conference (1945). President Truman was less willing to accomodate Marshall Stalin than President Roosevelt had been. Truman was in fact disturbed by the Stalin's refusal to cooperate, especially in Poland. Difference on the future of Germany surfaced. Stalin was determined to impose heavy reparations on Germany. Stalin for his part accused the British of supporting a reactionary monarchy in Greece and a Fascist regime in Trieste. Greece was devestated by the War. The economy was near collsapse when the Allies arrived and having to fight a war against Soviet-backed guerrillas was beyond its capacity. Observers may disagree about the program advocated by the Government and the partisans. What is indisputable is that the political parties participating in the Government were willing to take the debate to the people and settle the issues in democraric elections. It is sometimes difficult to cut through the fog of ideologally based debate, but one ujndeniable fact is that Communists do not like competing in free elections and once in power hold either sham elections or no elections at all. The Communist guerillas wanted to settle the issue of Grece's future by force of arms. Britain supported non-Communist forces in Greece against the Soviet-directed Communist guerillas. The combined impact of the cost of World War II and Atlee's Labour Government's socialist policies undermined the British Economy. The British had to retain war-time rationing long after the War ended. The Atlee Government announced it could not continue financial and military aid to the enatteled Greek government (February 24, 1947). At the same time, the communist guerillas were receiving military assistance from Yugoslavia and the Soviet Union. Seeing it important to prevent Greece from falling behind the developing Iron Curtain, President Trumsan decided to act and proclaimed the what has come to be known as the Truman Doctrine (March 12, 1947). He proclaimed thsat "it must be the policy of the United States to support free peoples who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressure." The Soviet Union beginning with its policy in Poland had begun fighting the Cold War before the end of World War II (1944). This was the first major American action in the Cold War. It was in essence a declaration of war upon Soviet efforts to subvert democratic governments in Europe. The President backed up the tough language in his speech with massive military and economic assistance to both Greece and Turkey, another country under Soviet pressure.

Created: 3:37 AM 9/14/2009
Last updated: 3:37 AM 9/14/2009