Triumph and Tragedy (The Second World War) (62 page)

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hope is however that the conference which begins here
this afternoon in Athens will restore Greece once again
to her fame and power among the Allies and the peace-loving peoples of the world, will secure the Greek
frontiers from any danger from the north, and will
enable every Greek to make the best of himself and the
best of his country before the eyes of the whole world.

For all eyes are turned upon this table at this moment,
and we British trust that whatever has happened in the
heat of fighting, whatever misunderstandings there may
have been, we shall preserve that old friendship
between Greece and Great Britain which played so
notable a part in the establishment of Greek independence.

General Alexander added a sharp touch that Greek troops should be fighting in Italy and not against British troops in Greece.

Once we had broken the ice and got the Greeks who had done such terrible injuries to each other to parley round the table under the presidency of the Archbishop, and the formal speeches had been made, the British members of the conference withdrew.

I was glad to get back to the Embassy, where there were a few oil stoves lent by British General Headquarters for the duration of my visit. While we were awaiting news from the conference and dinner I sent the following telegram to my wife, towards whom I felt penitent because of my desertion on Christmas Eve:

Prime Minister to

26 Dec. 44

Mrs. Churchill

We have had a fruitful day, and so far there is no
need to give up hope of some important results. H.M.S.

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Ajax is very comfortable, and one can get a view of the
fighting in North Piraeus at quite short range. We have
had to move a mile farther away, as we were getting
too many of their trench mortar bombs in our neighbourhood. I went into the Embassy up that long road
from Piraeus to Athens in an armoured car with strong
escort, and I addressed all the plucky women on
Embassy staff, who have been in continued danger and
discomfort for so many weeks, but are in gayest of
moods. Mrs. Leeper is an inspiration to them.

2. You will have read about the plot to blow up H.Q.

in the Hotel Grande-Bretagne. I do not think it was for
my benefit. Still, a ton of dynamite was put in sewers by
extremely skilled hands and with German mechanism
between the time my arrival was known and daylight. I
have made friends with Archbishop, and think it has
been very clever to work him in as we have done,
leaving the constitutional questions for further treatment
later.

3. The conference at Greek Foreign Office was
intensely dramatic. All those haggard Greek faces
round the table, and the Archbishop with his enormous
hat, making him, I should think, seven feet high, whom
we got to preside. The American, Russian, and French
Ambassadors were all very glad to be invited. You will
hear speeches on radio no doubt, or see them printed
in Wednesday’s papers. E.L.A.S. arrived late, three in
all. Thanks were proposed, with many compliments to
us for coming, by the Greek Government, and
supported by E.L.A.S. representative, who added
reference to Great Britain, “our great Ally”— all this with
guns firing at each other not so far away.

4. After some consideration I shook E.L.A.S.

delegate’s hand, and it was clear from their response
that they were gratified. They are the very top ones. We
have now left them together, as it was a Greek show. It
may break up at any moment. We shall wait for a day
or two if necessary to see. At least we have done our
best.

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Bitter and animated discussion between the Greek parties occupied all the following day. At 5.30 that evening I had a final discussion with the Archbishop. As the result of his conversations with the E.L.A.S. delegates it was agreed I should ask the King of Greece to make him Regent. He would set about forming a new Government without any Communist members. We undertook to carry on the fighting in full vigour until either E.L.A.S. accepted a truce or the Athens area was clear of them. I told him that we could not undertake any military task beyond Athens and Attica, but that we would try to keep British forces in Greece until the Greek National Army was formed.

Just before this talk I had received a letter from the Communist delegates asking for a private meeting with me.

The Archbishop begged me not to assent to this. I replied that as the conference was fully Greek in character I did not feel justified in agreeing to their request.

On the following morning, December 28, Mr. Eden and I left by air for Naples and London. I had no chance to say good-bye to M. Papandreou before leaving. He was about to resign, and was a serious loser by the whole business. I asked our Ambassador to keep in friendly touch with him.

I sent the following telegram to the Chiefs of Staff:
Prime

Minister

28 Dec. 44

(Athens) to General

Ismay, for C.I.G.S.

and C.O.S.

It is clear to me that great evils will follow here in
Athens, affecting our position all over the world, if we
cannot clear up situation quickly — i.e., in two or three
weeks. This would entail, according to Alexander, the
moving in of the two brigades of the 46th Division,
which are already under orders and standing by. On the
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other hand, the military situation in Western Apennines
is such that any serious weakening of the reserves of
Fifteenth Army Group might be attended with danger.

2. In these circumstances I wish you to consider and
be ready to discuss with me on my return allowing the
leading brigade of 5th Division to proceed from
Palestine to Italy on schedule arranged before 4th
Division was diverted to Greece. It would be a great
convenience if we could have a reply to this tomorrow,
Thursday. I do not leave Caserta until after midnight.

This of course would mean that no violent action could
be taken in Palestine, irritating the Jews, such as the
search for arms on a large scale, until the situation is
easier all round.

Just before leaving Athens I also sent the following telegram to the President, from whom I had had a kindly inquiry:

Prime

Minister

28 Dec. 44

(Athens)

to

President Roosevelt

Many thanks for your message, which encouraged
me amidst many difficulties. Ambassador MacVeagh
called yesterday and we had a resumed talk. Like
everyone else here, he is convinced that a Regency
under the Archbishop is the only course open at the
moment. I have seen the Archbishop several times, and
he made a very good impression on me by the sense of
power and decision which he conveyed, as well as by
his shrewd political judgments. You will not expect me
to speak here of his spiritual qualities, for I really have
not had sufficient opportunity to measure these.

2. The Greek conference, of which you will have had
from other sources full account, was unanimous in
recommending a Regency. This was strongly supported
by E.A.M. However, I do not consider Archbishop is at
all Left Wing in Communist sense. On the contrary, he
seems to be an extremely determined man, bent on
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establishing a small, strong executive in Greece to
prevent the continuance of civil war.

3. I am therefore returning with Anthony to England
to press upon the King of Greece to appoint the
Archbishop Regent. Effect of this, if King agrees, will of
course mean that Archbishop will form a Government of
ten or less of the “best will.” I gathered that he would
make Plastiras Prime Minister, and that Papandreou
would not be included. Naturally I could not probe too
far while all these matters are hypothetical.

4. On our return we shall advise our colleagues, who
are already inclined to this course, that we should put
the strongest pressure on the Greek King to accept
advice of his Prime Minister, M. Papandreou, who
changed his mind about three times a day but has now
promised to send a telegram in his own words.

5. If Ambassador MacVeagh’s report should on
these matters correspond with mine I should greatly
hope that you would feel yourself able to send a
personal telegram to the King of Greece during the next
few days supporting the representation we shall make
to him, of which we shall keep you informed. My idea is
that the Regency should be only for one year, or till a
plebiscite can be held under conditions of what is called

“normal tranquillity.”

The Archbishop has left this matter entirely in my
hands, so that I can put the case in most favourable
manner to the King. Of course if after these difficulties
have been surmounted and Archbishop is Regent you
felt able to send him a telegram of support that would
make our task easier. Mr. President, we have lost over
one thousand men, and though the greater part of
Athens is now clear it is a painful sight to see this city
with street-fighting raging now here, now there, and the
poor people all pinched and only kept alive in many
cases by rations we are carrying, often at loss of life, to
them at the various depots. Anything that you can say
to strengthen this new lay-out as the time comes will be
most valuable, and may bring about acceptance by E.L.

A.S. of the terms of truce set forth by General Scobie.

For the rest we are reinforcing as is necessary and
military conflict will go on. The vast majority of the