Anglo-Greek relations during the Abyssinian crisis of 1935- 1936
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The Italo-Ethiopian war of 1935-1936 and the international crisis it caused
revived Anglo-Greek relations, as both Britain and Greece searched for ways to neutralize the Italian danger. Britain looked for friends in the Mediterranean to strengthen her weak position there, while Greece sought great power protection to ward off the threat posed by Italy. The revival of close Anglo-Greek relations was to a considerable extent due to King George II, whose return to Greece, though left much to be desired since it was forced and fraudulent, was desirable since his presence in Greece was expected to guarantee some degree of political stability and close relations with Britain. King George was pro-British, and could be trusted in an emergency to place Greece on the side of Britain. This connection made an alliance unnecessary : Britain was assured of Greek cooperation without the inconvenient commitments arising from an alliance with Greece, which alliance moreover was bound to offend Italian susceptibilities. In the years that followed, the British Government held fast to this relationship with Greece, while the Greek Government tried in vain to secure from Britain something more concrete than vague promises of support.
revived Anglo-Greek relations, as both Britain and Greece searched for ways to neutralize the Italian danger. Britain looked for friends in the Mediterranean to strengthen her weak position there, while Greece sought great power protection to ward off the threat posed by Italy. The revival of close Anglo-Greek relations was to a considerable extent due to King George II, whose return to Greece, though left much to be desired since it was forced and fraudulent, was desirable since his presence in Greece was expected to guarantee some degree of political stability and close relations with Britain. King George was pro-British, and could be trusted in an emergency to place Greece on the side of Britain. This connection made an alliance unnecessary : Britain was assured of Greek cooperation without the inconvenient commitments arising from an alliance with Greece, which alliance moreover was bound to offend Italian susceptibilities. In the years that followed, the British Government held fast to this relationship with Greece, while the Greek Government tried in vain to secure from Britain something more concrete than vague promises of support.
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