Greek foreign policy and strategy, 1939-1941

Abstract

In the years 1939-1941, British support and protection, more than association with the Axis powers, was the basic premise of Greece’s foreign relations. In this respect, General Metaxas’ policy was more “traditional” than either his apologists or his critics would be prepared to concede, in the sense that he tried to align Greek foreign policy with that of the Great Powers considered at the time to be predominant in the Mediterranean. This policy, however, did not move in line with Greek strategy, particularly after the Italian attack on Greece in October 1940, when Greek strategic requirements and Britain’s inability to send adequate assistance to Greece strained relations between the two countries and sealed the fate of the campaign against the German invaders in April 1941.