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The King of the Hellenes (George II) to President Roosevelt 60a
The tragic vicissitudes the Greek people are going through today and mention of my name in connection with the news relative thereto compel me to bring to the attention of the President of the United States, the following elements pertinent to the situation:
In whatever I was able to accomplish as the leader of my people during the present war, I had not and do not now have any desire other than to bring the Greek people back to a normal political life, so that they might enjoy in full freedom the blessings of the peace. With this in view, I declared from the first moment that I too, would abide by its sovereign will. I agreed not to return to my country without previously consulting my Government, though I had the happiness of leading Greece to victory through so many difficulties. I further agreed not to raise the issue of my return at a moment when the entire Greek people were celebrating their freedom. And I agreed also to form all my cabinets in exile from persons well known for their anti-monarchical opinions, in the hope that I would contribute to the general appeasement. Instead of this, unfortunately, an organized minority to whom the Allies had furnished arms in order to fight the Germans, used them immediately upon the liberation of the country, aiming at the violent usurpation of authority, and disruption of the Government composed of all parties, after the agreement of Lebanon.60b All the political parties of the land backed by a huge popular majority, with the exception of the Communists, are today confronting the rebels. The British forces, which from the very first declared their intention not to interfere in our internal rifts, were compelled, in the face of Communist refusal to surrender their arms, to intervene reluctantly in order to protect the legitimate government and to preserve order in an Allied held territory. Consequently the present contest is waged not about any person or party, but as to whether or not the guerrilla groups, which had been armed by the Allies themselves to fight the enemy, have the right to impose by force the government and the country and to remain armed as an independent power within the State; whether in other words, democratic freedom is to be real or not. I do not wish to express an opinion as to whether or not Allied policy [Page 164] should secure to the liberated countries the reestablishment of their real freedom. But concerning Greece, there is a special obligation which cannot be overlooked, namely, that the guerrilla bands were armed by the Allies, themselves, while the rest of the people for obvious reasons, remain unarmed. It is not, therefore, permissible for these people to be left at the mercy of the minority armed by the Allies. The President will readily understand my deepest disappointment when I hear of the charge expressed here and in the United States that both I and the British Government are seeking to impose a definite form of government in Greece. I agree to whatever assurance or guaranty may be asked for the ascertainment of the genuine will of the Greek people. But that which no true democrat can accept is that an armed minority impose in advance its will upon the government of the country or on me. I am ready to make any personal sacrifice, provided it is for the benefit of my people and is freely asked by them. Today all the major political parties are on my side in this policy, and Mr. Sophoulis, leader of the Liberal party, who is known for his anti-monarchical stand, notified me a while ago that he seeks my intervention for the exercise of my constitutional prerogatives for the settlement of the political situation. I intend, on the termination of the present crisis, to form an all-party government, for a plebiscite and free elections.
I bring these matters to the attention of the President in the certainty that his personal prestige will assist me and my country in dispelling the misunderstanding which I find existing in the United States, to the detriment of the national policy which I am endeavoring, in the midst of infinite difficulties, to put into operation in Greece.
- Transmitted by the Greek Ambassador (Diamantopoulos) to the White House under cover of Note 4599, December 19, 1944; forwarded by President Roosevelt to the Secretary of State on March 9, 1945. The Secretary in a memorandum of March 15, 1945, recalled that the President on December 28, 1944, sent a telegram to King George (post, p. 177) which could be regarded as constituting an adequate reply; Secretary Stettinius further recommended that the Greek Ambassador be informed of the December 28 message.↩
- May 20, 1944; see pp. 100–112, passim. ↩