Varkiza: Capitulation to the British?

Abstract

Three days after the signing of the Varkiza agreement, in an interview with the communist daily Rizospastis, George Siandos defended the decision of the KKE leadership to sign the agreement in the following way:

For us the Varkiza Agreement constitutes the continuation of the policy of the KKE and EAM for a smooth democratic development in Greece … For this reason although it was very easy for us to seize power at the time of the German withdrawal, we did not do so. On the contrary, we maintained exemplary order and security at a time when there was no government or British forces in Greece. We did not seize power because such a government, although it would have enjoyed the backing of the majority of the Greek people, would have been one-sided; it would have generated hatred on the Right and the mistrust of the Allies and especially of the British.¹