The most complete information guide about Athens, Greece
HISTORY OF ATHENS
The
First World War
In the years following the Balkan Wars, Athens lived in an atmosphere
of national pride thanks to the victory in the wars and to the
growth of Greece’s territory and population. However, disagreement
between Venizelos and King Constantine I about Greece’s
position in World War I, resulted in the so-called National Schism
(ethnikos dichasmos).
Despite
an official Greek stance of neutrality at the start of the First
World War, Venizelos favored an alliance with Britain, France
and Russia against Germany, Austria-Hungary and Bulgaria. This
stance was as much based upon an assessment of Allied domination
of the Mediterranean as a consideration of Greek interests. King
Constantine, a brother-in-law of Germany's Kaiser Wilhelm II,
opposed co-operation with the Allies.
Venizelos
came out strongly in favor of providing military assistance to
the Allies during the disastrous Dardanelles campaign. Continued
disagreement with King Constantine resulted in Venizelos' resignation
in March 1915. Subsequently re-elected by a landslide in the June
1915 general election, a result belatedly confirmed by the King
two months later, Venizelos once back in office ordered mobilization
of the Greek army, simultaneously requesting Allied assistance
in the defense of Serbia. By the time Allied forces reached Salonika
the King had dismissed Venizelos from office (ostensibly for endangering
Greece's policy of neutrality) and replaced him with a succession
of puppet premiers.
Settling
back in Crete from September 1916, Venizelos became the focus
for anti-monarchist sentiment. The following month he established
a provisional revolutionary government based in Thessalonica that
gained recognition from the Allied governments.
In
November 1916 skirmishes broke out between government forces and
those established by Venizelos (funded by the Allies). With the
political situation rapidly deteriorating and Venizelos preparing
to march on Athens, King Constantine finally reluctantly abdicated
in June 1917.
Returned
to power once again Venizelos oversaw the remainder of the Greek
war effort, now that the country had at last openly taken the
side of the Allies. Following the armistice Greece's expected
territorial gains materialized, chiefly
at the expense of Bulgaria and Turkey. Nevertheless, and in spite
of British support, Venizelos was unsuccessful in his bid to establish
Greek administration of Turkish Smyrna and the Greek army subsequently
occupied the region in 1919.
Venizelos'
political popularity dwindled during 1920, resulting in his defeat
at the general election of December 1920. Instead, the newly installed
pro-royalist government invited King Constantine to return from
exile; his restoration was brief however; Greece's disastrous
defeat in the 1922 war with Turkey brought about his renewed exile.