FIGHTING IN THE STREETS OF ATHENS
On December 4, 1916, Lord Robert Cecil, War Trade Minister, said in
the British House of Commons that the situation was more serious than
it had ever been before. Despite assurances from the Greek king that
no disturbances would be permitted, a "most treacherous and unprovoked
attack was made on the Allies' detachments landed by the French
admiral on Friday." The British Government, Lord Cecil continued,
considered the responsibility of the king and Greek Government to be
deeply involved in this matter and Great Britain was considering, in
conjunction with her Allies, immediate steps to secure a radical
solution of the situation which had arisen. During these troubles the
Greek ministers at Paris and London and the consuls at London and
Manchester resigned, stating that they could no longer identify
themselves with the present Government of Greece.
By the following day the Allied forces had been compelled to withdraw
under the protection of their ships at Piraeus. Meanwhile, it was said,
the Greeks were intrenching on all the heights around the city. All
the citizens of the Allied nations had left the city and had taken
refuge in Piraeus. The diplomatic representatives of the United States,
Holland, and Spain entered a protest against the treatment being
accorded the Liberals. To this the Greek Government replied as
follows:
"The Royal Government from the first day had in view only the
reestablishment and maintenance of order in the trouble on Friday and
Saturday caused by revolutionary elements. This was done completely
with as little damage as possible.
"If, contrary to the orders given, there was some excess of tension
and indignation on the part of the population and the troops, who saw
in a movement so tragic for the fatherland agitators taking advantage
of the unhappy events of the day to take up arms against the country
and try to overthrow the established government, this must be taken
into consideration. This exasperation was particularly aroused by the
bombardment of the Royal Palace and the neighborhood thereof, in this,
an open city, at the very moment when, an armistice having been
concluded, it was hoped that peace would finally reign. Nevertheless,
the Royal Government is decided to punish every person guilty of
committing illegal acts and exceeding instructions, and a severe
investigation will be begun to this end so soon as acts of this nature
are brought to the attention of the Royal Government. In this
connection the Foreign Minister considers it his duty to recall to
your attention that by his note of November 28 he warned the neutral
powers of the tragic position in which the Greek nation was placed as
a result of measures taken against Greece and of the consequences
which the French admiral's insistence on obtaining Greek war material
might well have."
A further explanation of the Greek point of view, with special
reference to the street fighting in which the Allied troops were
engaged, was contained in a note sent to the United States Government,
on December 9, 1916. This communication was, in part, as follows:
"Please bring to the knowledge of the Secretary of State for Foreign
Affairs that the Royal Government, with two letters and several oral
declarations, had informed the French admiral of the impossibility of
delivering the war material they were summoned to give away. Despite
these warnings the admiral decided to land a certain number of
detachments which in several columns proceeded from Piraeus to the
capital, which was under military control. The detachments occupied
some of the outskirts and repulsed the royal army, which only at that
moment decided to defend themselves without any orders. After the
morning skirmishes between the Allied detachments and our troops, a
truce was decided upon, at the request of the admiral. Despite the
armistice, however, and after firing had ceased, the Allied warships
bombarded several parts of the city and fired not less than
thirty-eight shells, seven of which were directed against the Royal
Palace. There can, under these conditions, be no question of treachery
or of an unprovoked attack."
After the fighting and rioting had continued for some forty-eight
hours, quiet and order seem to have been reestablished in Athens. Then
followed a period of secret conferences between members of the Greek
Government, the king and the representatives of the Entente Powers,
the details of which were not made public. On December 16, 1916, it
was announced from Paris that Greece had accepted unreservedly the
conditions of the Allies. Regarding the disorders of the first few
days of the month, the Greek Government declared its desire to give
every legitimate satisfaction and proposed arbitration. A hope was
expressed, at the same time, that the Allies would lift the blockade
which had been in force ever since the disorders. Further details were
not given out; until the end of the month calm again prevailed in
Greece. But as yet there was no indication that permanent settlement
of the difficulties was in sight.