Peleus

Studien zur Archäologie und Geschichte Griechenlands und Zypern
Herausgegeben von Reinhard Stupperich und Heinz A. Richter

Band 73

Heinz A. Richter, The Greek-Turkish War 1919-1922
212 pages,125 photos, 16 maps in the text, 1 folded map in the back, Hardcover, 30 Euro, 2016; ISBN 978-3-447-10671-9 online bestellen

Ever since the creation of the modern Greek state the Greek elite had been dreaming of reerection of the Byzantine Empire. This dream was called the Megali Idea. In World War I the allies offered Greece the possession of Smyrna and hinterland if Greece entered the war on the side of the Allies. As Greece did not do this she did not receive any written agreement that she would receive this area. Quite in contrast to all other participants of the Paris Peace Conference Venizelos thus appeared with empty hands.
The Italians infuriated US-President Wilson and thus a Greek policing mission was sent to Smyrna which the Italiens were out to occupy. Venizelos saw a chance to realize the Megali Idea and occupied the whole area. This caused the Greek-Turkish war (1919-1922) which Greece had to fight without any ally. The Turkish side was helped by the Italians and French. Thus the war ended in the "Asia Minor Catastrophe", the expulsion of all Greeks from Asia Minor.

CONTENT

INTRODUCTION
TERRITORIALE BACKGROUND 1900-1918: Facts, Plans und Dream
Ottoman territorial losses 1900-1914
Entente’s plans for partition
The Megali Idea of the Greeks

POLITICAL BACKGROUND 1914-1918
The Ottoman Empire 1914-1918
Greece 1914-1918

ON THE EVE OF THE PEACE CONFERENCE October 1918 - January 1919
Venizelos’ journey to Paris und London October-November 1918
The situation of the Greeks in the Ottoman Empire
The sitiation of the Greeks in Asia Minor after the Armistice
Venizelos’ journey to Paris to the Peace Conference
The preparations of the conference January 19199

GREECE AT THE PEACE CONFERENCE February - May 1919
Venizelos and the negotiations 1919
Fiume and Smyrna

DEVELOPMENTS MAY - DECEMBER 1919
The Greek Landing in Smyrna
The internal Turkish developments
The expansion of the Greek landing zone
The inter-allied commission of investigation
The Tittoni-Venizelos-Agreement
Mustafa Kemal’s ascension
The old boy is done
The Peace Treaty of Neuilly
Churchill and Smyrna

DEVELOPMENTS IN 1920
The Conference of London 12 - 14 February 1920
Turkish internal developments
The San Remo Conference
Operations against Filadelfia (Alasehir), Usak und Bursa
The Peace Treaty of Sèvres
Political Oscillations
The elections of 14 November 1920
Change of the regime in Greece
Developments on the Turkish side in autumn 1920

1921: ON THE WAY INTO A HISTORICAL CUL-DE-SAC
The new Greek Government
The armed reconnaissance towards Eskisehir in January 1921
The Conference in London February 1921
The Spring Offensive 1921
Developments on the Turkish side
The Summer Offensive June - July 1921
The battle on the Sakarya River
Reaktionen to the Victory at the Sakarya River
Developments in Autumn and Winter 1921/22
Movements of the Amyna of Asia Minor

1922: THE YEAR OF CATASTROPHES
Seeking a diplomatic solution
New activities of Amyna of Asia Minor
Greek entanglements
On the way into the catastrophe
Developments on the Turkish side
The Catastrophe
The evacuation of Smyrna by the Greek mainlanders
Reasons for the Defeat

SMYRNA 1922
Occupation of Smyrna by the Turks
The great fire of Smyrna
The Evacuation
Reactions of the American Press

THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE DESASTER
The Revolution of 1922
The armistice of Mudanya
The second wave of refugees
The trial of the six
The fate of the Pontian Greeks

THE PEACE OF LAUSANNE 1924
CONCLUSIONS
APPENDICES
BIBLIOGRAPHY
INDEX OF NAMES