The Colonels' Coup and the American Embassy: A Diplomat's View of the Breakdown of Democracy in Cold War Greece

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An ADST-DACOR Diplomats and Diplomacy Book The opinions and characterizations in this book are those of the author and do not necessarily represent official positions of the United States Government, the Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training, or DACOR. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Keeley, Robert V. The colonels’ coup and the American embassy : a diplomat’s view of the breakdown of democracy in cold war Greece / Robert V. Keeley. p. cm. (ADST-DACOR diplomats and diplomacy series) Includes bibliographical references and index. Summary: ‘‘A first-hand account, by a U.S. diplomat, of the 1967 military coup in Greece, and of how U.S. policy was formulated, debated, and implemented during this period. Explores Greek-U.S. relations within the larger historical framework of the Cold War’’—Provided by publisher. isbn 978-0-271-03758-5 (cloth : alk. paper) 1. United States—Foreign relations—Greece. 2. Greece—Foreign relations—United States. 3. Greece—History—Coup d’Ètat, 1967 (April 21). 4. Greece—Politics and government—1967–1974. 5. Democracy—Greece—History—20th century. 6. Diplomatic and consular service, American—Greece—History—20th century. 7. Cold War—Diplomatic history. 8. Keeley, Robert V. I. Title. e183.8.g8k44 2010 327.730495—dc22 2010029013 Text copyright 䉷 2010 Robert V. Keeley Prologue copyright 䉷 2010 Penn State University Press All rights reserved Printed in the United States of America Published by The Pennsylvania State University Press, University Park, PA 16802–1003 It is the policy of The Pennsylvania State University Press to use acid-free paper. Publications on uncoated stock satisfy the minimum requirements of American National Standard for Information Sciences—Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Material, ansi z39.48–1992. This book is printed on Natures Natural, which contains 50% post-consumer waste. To all those who maintained their faith in democratic ideals, and particularly to the political prisoners, exiles, and other victims of the regime of April 21, this book is dedicated. Of the virtues for which their classical ancestors were renowned, they displayed especially these: bravery, sacrifice, pride, endurance. . . . and to the memory of GEORGE SEFERIS, 1900–1971, Greek, poet, diplomat, linguist, critic, democrat, gentleman, teacher, interlocutor, friend. Wherever I travel Greece wounds me. —George Seferis, ‘‘In the Manner of G. S.’’ (1936) It is almost two years since a regime was imposed upon us utterly contrary to the ideals for which our world—and so magnificently our people—fought in the last World War. It is a state of enforced torpor in which all the intellectual values that we have succeeded, with toil and effort, in keeping alive are being submerged in a swamp, in stagnant waters. I can well imagine that for some people these losses do not matter. Unfortunately this is not the only danger that threatens. We have all learnt, we all know, that in dictatorial regimes the beginning may seem easy, yet tragedy waits at the end, inescapably. It is this tragic ending that consciously or unconsciously torments us, as in the ancient choruses of Aeschylus. The longer the abnormal situation lasts, the greater the evil. —George Seferis, public statement of March 28, 1969 ...