US Diplomacy Within Europe and NATO on the Greek Question

Karakatsanis, Neovi M.; Swarts, Jonathan

doi:10.1057/978-1-137-52318-1_6

Neovi M. Karakatsanis³ &
Jonathan Swarts⁴

185 Accesses

Abstract

In much the same way that the two US administrations faced opposition from domestic political opponents and public opinion to their modus vivendi with the Greek colonels, they also were forced to contend with significant opposition both from certain North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) allies and from European public more generally. This chapter addresses the difficulties the United States faced in dealing with these challenges. While some NATO allies (e.g., the UK, France, and West Germany) reconciled themselves to more or less friendly relations with the Greek regime, others (especially the Netherlands, Denmark, and Norway) were sources of vocal opposition to any accommodation with Greece. Containing, managing, and placating this opposition became a primary task of US diplomacy in Europe, with the US arguing the paramount need for NATO unity and cohesiveness in the face of ongoing Cold War threats.

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Notes

1.
On NATO toleration of the colonels, see Maragkou (2009).
2.
Treholt (1972, 210).
3.
US Mission NATO to State, Secret/LimDis, Telegram 74, 10/23/67, POL GREECE , 1967–69 SNF, RG 59, USNA. On European attitudes, see Becket (1970), Coufoudakis (1977), Pedaliu (2016), and Pesmazoglou (1999).
4.
North Atlantic Treaty Organization, “The North Atlantic Treaty ,” Washington, DC. 4 April 1949. https://www.nato.int/cps/ic/natohq/official_texts_17120.htm. Retrieved 28 November 2017.
5.
Treholt (1972, 210).
6.
Sisco to the Secretary and Under Secretary, Secret, Memorandum 8224, 6/5/70, DEF 19-8 US-GREECE , 1970–73 SNF, RG 59, USNA.
7.
Max van der Stoel , no date, “GREECE ,” Mogens Camre papers (private archive), Copenhagen.
8.
Foreign Office meeting, 3 May 1967, FO 800/968, Foreign Office Archives, The National Archives of the UK (TNA), quoted in Pedaliu (2011, 102).
9.
Quoted by Andreas G. Papandreou in a press conference in London, 7/24/68, Mogens Camre papers (private archive), Copenhagen.
10.
Athens to State, Secret/LimDis, Telegram 2444, 5/14/70, POL GREECE , 1970–73 SNF, RG 59, USNA; State to London/Bonn/Brussels, Secret, Telegram 63542, 4/28/70, POL GREECE , 1970–73 SNF, RG 59, USNA.
11.
State to Bonn/Brussels/London/The Hague, Secret, Telegram 125415, 8/4/70, POL GREECE , 1970–73 SNF, RG 59, USNA.
12.
Athens to State, Secret/LimDis, Telegram 2444, 5/14/70, POL GREECE , 1970–73 SNF, RG 59, USNA.
13.
Athens to State, Secret/LimDis, Telegram 2444, 5/14/70, POL GREECE , 1970–73 SNF, RG 59, USNA.
14.
State to all NATO capitals, Confidential, Telegram 178031, 10/29/70, POL GREECE , 1970–73 SNF, RG 59, USNA (emphasis added).
15.
State to Bonn/Brussels/London/The Hague, Secret, Telegram 125415, 8/4/70, POL GREECE , 1970–73 SNF, RG 59, USNA.
16.
Paris to State, Confidential, Airgram A-1586, 3/6/68, POL 15 GREECE , 1967–69 SNF, RG 59, USNA.
17.
Athens to State, Confidential, Telegram 4390, 8/10/70, POL GREECE , 1970–73 SNF, RG 59, USNA.
18.
Pedaliu (2011).
19.
Treholt (1972, 217).
20.
Pedaliu (2011, 105).
21.
Eliot to Crane, Confidential, Memorandum 2446, 2/13/70, POL GREECE , 1970–73 SNF, RG 59, USNA.
22.
State to London/Bonn/Brussels, Secret, Telegram 63542, 4/28/70, POL GREECE , 1970–73 SNF, RG 59, USNA.
23.
State to Rome, Confidential, Telegram 99114, 1/16/68, POL 23-9 GREECE , 1967–69 SNF, RG 59, USNA.
24.
Athens to State, Secret/LimDis, Telegram 2444, 5/14/70, POL GREECE , 1970–73 SNF, RG 59, USNA.
25.
Athens to State, Secret/LimDis, Telegram 2444, 5/14/70, POL GREECE , 1970–73 SNF, RG 59, USNA.
26.
US Mission NATO to State, Secret/ExDis, Telegram 1567, 4/25/70, POL GREECE , 1970–73 SNF, RG 59, USNA.
27.
State to Athens/US Mission NATO , Secret/ExDis, Telegram 56380, 4/16/70, POL GREECE , 1970–73 SNF, RG 59, USNA.
28.
Copenhagen to State, Secret/ExDis, Telegram 1677, 5/19/70, POL GREECE , 1970–73 SNF, RG 59, USNA.
29.
State to US Mission NATO /Athens/Bonn/Copenhagen/The Hague/London/Oslo/Rome, Secret, Telegram 73017, 5/13/70, POL GREECE , 1970–73 SNF, RG 59, USNA.
30.
Athens to US Mission NATO , Confidential/LimDis, Telegram 2393, 5/13/70, POL GREECE , 1970–73 SNF, RG 59, USNA.
31.
State to US Mission NATO /Athens/Bonn/Copenhagen/The Hague/London/Oslo/Rome, Secret, Telegram 73017, 5/13/70, POL GREECE , 1970–73 SNF, RG 59, USNA.
32.
State to Athens, Secret/ExDis, Telegram 78303, 5/21/70, POL GREECE , 1970–73 SNF, RG 59, USNA.
33.
Athens to State, Secret/ExDis, Telegram 2596, 5/25/70, POL GREECE , 1970–73 SNF, RG 59, USNA (emphasis added).
34.
State to US Mission NATO /Athens/Bonn/Copenhagen/The Hague/London/Oslo/Rome, Secret, Telegram 73017, 5/13/70, POL GREECE , 1970–73 SNF, RG 59, USNA.
35.
Athens to State, Secret/LimDis, Telegram 2444, 5/14/70, POL GREECE , 1970–73 SNF, RG 59, USNA.
36.
Sisco to the Secretary and Under Secretary, Secret, Memorandum 8224, 6/5/70, DEF 19-8 US-GREECE , 1970–73 SNF, RG 59, USNA.
37.
Sisco to the Secretary and Under Secretary, Secret, Memorandum 8224, 6/5/70, DEF 19-8 US-GREECE , 1970–73 SNF, RG 59, USNA.
38.
State to Athens, Secret, Telegram 82138, 5/28/70, DEF 19-8 US-GREECE , 1970–73 SNF, RG 59, USNA.
39.
State to US Mission NATO , Secret, Telegram 34802, 3/10/70, DEF 19-8 US-GREECE , 1970–73 SNF, RG 59, USNA.
40.
US Mission NATO to State, Secret/ExDis, Telegram 1881, 5/15/70, POL GREECE , 1970–73 SNF, RG 59, USNA.
41.
US Mission NATO to State, Secret, Telegram 3325, 9/17/70, DEF 19-8 US-GREECE , 1970–73 SNF, RG 59, USNA.
42.
State to Athens, Secret, Telegram 150171, 9/14/70, DEF 19-8 US-GREECE , 1970–73 SNF, RG 59, USNA.
43.
Letter from Krag to Baunsgaard, 4/10/70, Mogens Camre papers (private archive), Copenhagen.
44.
Kissinger to Nixon, Secret, 6/17/70, Nixon Presidential Materials Staff, National Security Council (NSC) Files, Country Files—Middle East, Box 593, USNA (emphasis added).
45.
Sisco to Rogers, Secret, Memorandum 12442, 9/12/70, DEF 19-8 US-GREECE , 1970–73 SNF, RG 59, USNA.
46.
Xydis (1972, 195).
47.
Treholt (1972, 218–225).
48.
Letter from Mogens Camre to Margaret Papandreou , 10/6/70, Mogens Camre papers (private archive), Copenhagen.
49.
Letter from Mogens Camre to Andreas Papandreou , 11/20/70, Mogens Camre papers (private archive), Copenhagen.

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Indiana University South Bend, South Bend, IN, USA
Neovi M. Karakatsanis
Purdue University Northwest, Hammond and Westville, IN, USA
Jonathan Swarts

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Karakatsanis, N.M., Swarts, J. (2018). US Diplomacy Within Europe and NATO on the Greek Question. In: American Foreign Policy Towards the Colonels' Greece. Palgrave Macmillan, New York. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-52318-1_6

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-52318-1_6
Published: 06 May 2018
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, New York
Print ISBN: 978-1-137-52317-4
Online ISBN: 978-1-137-52318-1
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