MACMILLAN Greece, 1941–49: From Resistance to Civil War: The Strategy of the Greek Communist Party (St Antony's)

Based on extensive research of recently declassified official archives, this book examines the strategy of the Greek Communist Party (KKE) during and after the period of the Resistance as well as the involvement of the British, Soviet and American governments in Greece. By deconstructing a number of right-wing orthodox and left-wing revisionist myths and polemics it offers a critical interpretation of the causes of the Greek Civil War. In the first part of the book the author examines the policies of the KKE during the inter-war and war period and considers the reasons for the dramatic rise in communist strength during the Occupation. He analyses the character and aims of the most powerful communist-controlled resistance movement (EAM/ELAS) and the circumstances that led to the clash between EAM/ELAS and the British in Athens in December 1944. This conflict came to an end with the signing of the Varkiza Agreement. In the second part of the book the author examines the reasons for the failure of this agreement and the outbreak of civil war in the summer of 1946. He explores the gradual intensification of the conflict during a period of mounting right-wing violence and outlines the objectives, dilemmas and errors of the British and Greek governments and of the communist party leadership. He gives an analysis of the motives behind the KKEs decision to boycott the parliamentary elections of 1946 and launch a "socialist revolution" and defines the extent of the intervention of the Soviet Union and the neighbouring communist states in the civil war and their share of the responsibility for the defeat of the KKE.