British economic pressure on Greece

The British chronology of the war records under 6 December 1915, that is 23 November by the Julian calendar then used in Greece, that the British government brought economic pressure to bear on Greece by extending “export restrictions” to it. Goods from Britain and its possessions could now reach Greece only with the authorities’ permission, and Greek ships were detained in British ports, among them Malta. The exact text of the British order could not be found, but its effects are clearly visible in the diplomatic correspondence of the following days. Athens spoke openly of measures of coercion.

A second wave of pressure

This was not the first such step. In mid-November, when Prime Minister Stefanos Skouloudis declared that Allied troops retreating from Serbia would have to be disarmed and interned, the British detained ships carrying supplies for Greece at Malta and in Egyptian ports and withdrew export licences. After the note of the four powers and the Greek reply of 24 November the pressure eased. The New York monthly “Current History” noted that the Greek ships held at Malta had been released and telegraph communications for trade restored.

Athens’ general assurances did not, however, settle the matter that was most important to the Allies. On 26 November the French minister Jean Guillemin, supported by his British colleague Francis Elliot, demanded the withdrawal of Greek troops from Salonika, free use of the railways and the right to fortify the city. Skouloudis replied evasively that the way of carrying out these demands should be settled by the military of both sides. Meanwhile the French Army of the Orient was retreating from Krivolak down the Vardar, and the British and French were arguing over whether to stay in Salonika at all. At the Calais conference on 4 December the British government came out in favour of evacuation, while the French wanted to hold the base at all costs.

The Greeks knew well what awaited them. On 4 December King Constantine I told a correspondent of the American Associated Press that the Entente powers were treating him like “the king of some tribe in Central Africa”. “They hold up Greek ships, they ruin Greek trade,” he complained, “they want to take over our railways, and now they demand that we withdraw the troops guarding our frontiers.” He declared that he would not do it.

A country living on imports

The halt to supplies was dangerous for Greece. According to the British official history of the Macedonian campaign, even in peacetime the country imported grain, coal, textiles and manufactured goods, and exported mainly fruit, tobacco, wine, olive oil and some minerals. Since the end of September it had been maintaining a mobilised army, and its stocks of food and money were small. Being cut off from British coal and from grain shipped through Gibraltar and the Suez Canal struck the cities and the army at the same time.

The allies followed the British lead. On 9 December the Italian foreign minister Sidney Sonnino informed the minister in Athens, Carlo De Bosdari, that “to bring our conduct into line with that of the British and French governments” the authorities in Italy and on the Italian-occupied islands of the Dodecanese had been instructed to detain Greek ships and suspend permits for the export of goods to Greece. Sonnino was cautious, however, and preferred to leave the initiative in “measures of severity” to London and Paris.

The effects

Athens protested. In a note to Rome the Greek government called the detention of ships and the ban on exporting even essential goods “a flagrant violation of the most elementary principles of the law of nations”. In a circular to the Greek legations of 10 December Skouloudis complained that the powers had once again suddenly resorted to measures of coercion “without any credible reason”. The same day De Bosdari reported from Athens that the “serious effects” of the halt to supplies were beginning to be felt.

The pressure quickly had its effect. By the evening of 10 December the Entente ministers had agreed with Skouloudis the terms for the stay of Allied troops in Salonika, and in return the Greeks demanded the immediate lifting of the commercial blockade. The Allies promised that all difficulties would disappear as soon as the military put the agreement into effect.