British Policy In Greece 1944 1947 PDF Download

The object of this thesis is to trace the evolution of British policy toward Greece from April 19 until February 19 7. Emphasis will be placed on an analysis of the impact of British policy on Greek internal affairs. Greece's economic problems will be described in lesser detail, and only in so far as they directly impinged upon the course of her internal political development. Greece's international predicament, that of a stumbling block in East-West relations in the first years of the "Gold War," also will be treated as a secondary theme. -- The objective of the British Governments between April 19 and February 19 7 vas to secure a non-Comniuiii s t Greece governed on Western democratic lines -- non-Communist, to safegxiard Britain's strategic position in South East Europe and the Middle East; and governed in a manner accountable to the will of the people, in order that the country shcmld be stable, for an ally internally rent by oppression arid civil strife would be more a liability than an asset. This objective was to be realised in a free plebiscite and elections, to be conducted in Greece following her liberation from the Germans. -- The possibility of conducting a free plebiscite and elections proved to be so remote from the reality of Greek political life, however, that the successful implementation of British policy carne to depend to a grave degree on British, intervention in Greek internal affairs. Britain intervened against extremists of the Left and 'Right, but could not create a .Centre of sufficient strength to lead the Greeks to political stability. Her policy thus ended in failure, the failure of an industrial democracy's attempt to erect in a less developed nation a system of democratic governance beyond that nation's social and political capacity to sustain.