American Influence in Greece, 1917–1929 (review)

256 Reviews Louis P. Cassimatis, American Influence in Greece, 1917-1929. Kent, Ohio: The Kent State University Press. 1988. Pp. xiii + 300. $25.00. It is generally agreed that the United States' decision in 1947 to intervene in the Greek civil war constituted a fundamental change in relations with a region that had previously been seen to lie outside the sphere of America's vital national interests. The author of this expanded doctoral dissertation concludes, however, that during the twelve-year period beginning with its entry into the first World War the United States expanded its previously marginal interests and influence in Greece in both the governmental and private realms in a way that prepared for its massive involvement in Greek affairs several decades later. Cassimatis offers a comprehensive account of U.S. economic and philanthropic activity in Greece during and immediately after the first World War, emphasizing the contribution of governmental agencies, voluntary relief agencies , and private citizens to refugee settlement and rehabilitation. He argues that the two major impetuses for greater American involvement in Greek affairs were the Tripartite Loan extended Greece by Britain, France, and the U.S. in 1918, the purpose of which was to help Greece become a viable ally in the war against the Central Powers, and the expulsion from Turkey of over 1.3 million Greeks in 1922, a situation that presented the Greek state with a monumental refugee problem. The author skillfully describes the extraordinary role of American philanthropy during the critical years 1922-23, a role undoubtedly comprising one of the brightest chapters in the history of Greek-American relations. On the other hand, drawing upon diplomatic records and a wide variety of secondary sources, he also examines the issues that cluttered the aftermath of the U.S.'s wartime tie with her small ally. Although they were few in number and of no major significance in America's larger scheme of things, they were important for this weak Mediterranean nation. For example, Cassimatis helps to explain why the State Department and the American Red Cross, although they had contributed to the conception of the Refugee Setdement Commission (RSC), eventually declined to participate in a permanent settlement scheme. U.S. withdrawal occurred because of the conviction that, except for emergency relief, no U.S. cooperation should be given that did not allow for appropriate U.S. supervision. The opportunity for suitable supervision was eliminated when the Nansen Committee was formed under the auspices of the League of Nations and when the American Red Cross left the Committee "lest it be responsible for the success of the RSC." The major obstacle, of course, was the disavowal of the League of Nations by the United States Senate. Another problem that dragged on until 1927 arose from residual obligations between the United States and Greece following the Tripartite Loan. This was exacerbated by still another problem: the Allies' refusal to recognize the Greek government following King Constantine's return after the plebiscite of December 1920. Irregular diplomatic relations owing to non-recognition of the government, added to prolonged wrangling over loan payments, con- Reviews 257 strained U.S. initiatives to advance public loans to Greece for refugee settlement . The Refugee Loan of 1924 did not come until recognition was extended to the Venizelos government established in January of that year. The U.S. also played a role in the Refugee and Stabilization Loan of 1928, a topic covered in detail, with thorough documentation, by the author. On the other hand, these difficulties did not prevent U.S. officials from intervening aggressively to champion American business interests. Cassimatis rightly underscores the fact that while U.S. policy toward Greece was inspired by humanitarian instincts, it was also moved by considerations of economic selfinterest in the eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East. Official backing for more aggressive entrepreneurial initiatives, commonly termed "dollar diplomacy," expanded U.S. governmental intercourse with Greece and led American commerce to surpass that of Great Britain in certain sectors of trade and investment. Clearly, the U.S. government's determination to promote and protect the interests of U.S. corporations in Greece reflected the intense rivalry between the United States and the...