Coming this Sunday
The Great Idea and the Catastrophe Part 2: Why did the Greek campaign in Asia Minor fail, and could it have succeeded?
Kemal Atatürk arrives in Smyrna in September 1922, after his armies had torched the Greek, Jewish and Armenian quarters of the city
The Greeks landed in Asia Minor in May 1919, and for two years their campaign went well, defeating Turkish irregular forces and claiming territory. In April 1921, their fortunes began to change. While the Greek army fought valiantly throughout, its finances and supply lines dwindled, its experienced commanders were dismissed and the new government in Athens was diplomatically outflanked by envious former allies who switched to support the Turks instead. The result was the collapse of the Greek front, the fall of Smyrna and the destruction of Christianity in Asia Minor.
What were the Greek mistakes, and could the campaign have gone differently if they had been avoided, or was the entire Greek strategy doomed from the start?
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