868.00/805
Memorandum by the Chief of the Division of Near Eastern Affairs (Murray)
According to information received yesterday afternoon from Mr. MacVeagh, our Minister at Athens, the Greek revolt appears to be definitely crushed. Former Prime Minister Veniselos, the leader of the revolt, his wife and staff are reported to have landed at Cassos, one of the Dodecanese Islands, and the cruiser Averoff and all other insurgent vessels are now in Government hands. According to the Press, Mr. Veniselos proceeded from Cassos to Rhodes, the most important island in the Dodecanese group.
At an ovation in Athens on March 12th General Kondylis, who led the Government troops against the rebels in Macedonia and Thrace, stated that he would continue to obey the orders of Mr. Tsaldaris, the Prime Minister, whose conduct of affairs he praised, thus dispelling rumors that the General desires to set up a dictatorship.
Emergency restrictions are being gradually lifted but martial law still holds while the Cabinet is split over the question of severity or moderation in the treatment of prisoners. It will be recalled that when the Veniselists overthrew the Monarchist Government in 1922, after the Anatolian disaster, a bloody vengeance was wreaked on the members of the overthrown government and five Cabinet members, including the Prime Minister, were executed.1 If that precedent is followed the present turmoil and disorder in Greece will be perpetuated for a long time to come.
In a telegram from our Consul General at Athens sent last night at 11 p.m.,2 we received the reassuring information that Vice Consul McGonigal had just telephoned from Kavala, which was bombarded during the revolt, that all Americans there are safe. The Glenn Tobacco Company suffered about $1,000 damage to its warehouse and garage. Many shells fell in the town and killed twelve civilians.
[Page 492]The Vice Consul reports that Americans and their property in Drama are unharmed.
The Vice Consul has learned from reliable sources that Americans in Xanthe are safe, but he will proceed there today, if necessary, to confirm these reports.
In view of the above situation we can now forget about the Greek revolt as far as American interests are concerned.
- See Foreign Relations, 1922, vol. ii, p. 412.↩
- Not printed.↩