Czechoslovak material aid to the Communist “Democratic Army of Greece” in the years 1948-1949

Abstract

One of the consequences of the 1948 communist coup in Czechoslovakia
and the incorporation of this country in the Soviet block was the involvement
of Czechoslovakia in granting material aid to the communist uprising in
Greece. Like in the other communist countries the strictly clandestine operation of deliveries for the DAG was controlled and regulated by the Central
secretariat of the CPCz considering the possibilities of Czechoslovakia’s
economy, the demands of the Greek rebel command and the commitments
undertaken at consultations of the representatives of the communist parties of
the Soviet block countries. In practical terms, however, it did not meet the
expectations of the Greek communists nor the resolve of the Czechoslovak
regime. Owing to a number of circumstances Czechoslovakia only delivered to
the DAG between the Spring of 1948 to its final defeat in August 1949 free
goods to the total value of a “mere” 750 millions Czechoslovak crowns, i.e.
the then value of 15 million USD. A considerable amount of the initially
promised supplies, including that which had already been dispatched from
Czechoslovakia (e.g. 10 aircraft) never reached the Greek rebels.