Greek Junta

## The National Schism (1910-1921)

The **National Schism** (Εθνικός Διχασμός/*Ethnikós Dichasmós*), sometimes called **The Great Division**, was the splitting of society, political order, governing & military powers of Kingdom of Greece during the period of 1910–1927 between two radically opposed political camps supporting the respective parties of World War I: the western Allies of Entente versus the German-led Central Powers, headed by Prime Minister Eleftherios Venizelos, and the King Constantine I respectively. Venizelos wanted Greece to join the war the soonest in Entente's side and claim any new territories won, while the pro-German King wanted Greece to remain neutral, which would limit Entente's mostly naval forces to attack Central Powers in the Eastern front, prospecting for Germany's protection of Greece's newly won territories in the Balkan Wars a couple of years earlier, should the Central Powers won.

In September 1915 the King unconstitutionally forced Venizelos to resign for a second time within that year with the pretext of Venizelos's invitation to Entente forces in Thessaloniki to defend against Bulgaria, since the later had just entered the war against Serbia (an ally to Greece at that time), establishing a direct involvement of the Palace in Greece's government, for the next 2 years. In exchange for Entente's presence in Thessaloniki, the King unconditionally surrendered fort Roupel in May 1916, and in August 1916 arranged the capturing of the 4th Army Crops stationed in Macedonia by Central forces, resulting in the 2nd occupation of eastern Macedonia by the Bulgarian Kingdom. The schism intensified when army generals loyal to Venizelos, along with Entente support, set up a rival state in Northern Greece, the Provisional Government of National Defense, with the aim of joining the war and reclaiming the lost regions in Macedonia, effectively splitting Greece into two governing entities.

A provisional government under the supreme leadership of a triumvirate comprising himself, General Panagiotis Danglis and Admiral Pavlos Koundouriotis (the "Triu

mvirate of National Defence", Τριανδρία της Εθνικής Αμύνης). On 29 September, Maj Gen Emmanouil Zymvrakakis was appointed Army Minister (replaced on December 6 by Maj Gen Konstantinos Miliotis-Komninos) and on October 3 Nikolaos Politis was appointed Foreign Minister. On 6 October other ministries, euphemistically called "General Directorates" were established:

·              Themistoklis Sophoulis, Interior Minister

·              Miltiadis Negrepontis, Finance Minister

·              Thalis Koutoupis, Minister of National Economy

·              Dimitrios Dingas Justice Minister

·              Georgios Averof, Education Minister

·              Alexandros Kassavetis, Transport Minister

·              Leonidas Embeirikos, Minister for Supply and Food Distribution

·              Spyridon Simos, Minister for the Refugees

·              Andreas Michalakopoulos, Minister for Public Estates and Resettlement

·              Vasili Vagenas, Minister of Industrial Development

·              Theodoros Giannioulas, Ministry of Research and Experiment

The first tasks of the new government were the establishment of an "Army of National Defence" to fight alongside the Allies, and the consolidation of its rule in as much of Greece as possible. The Provisional Government declared war on the Central Powers on 24 November 1916, and set out to recruit divisions for the Macedonian Front, something which was achieved with speed and often ruthlessness. Despite calls by some officers to abolish the monarchy and declare a Republic, Venizelos chose a more moderate path. He had declared: "we are not against the King, but against the Bulgarians".

The State of National Defense established control in Greek Macedonia, Crete and the northern Aegean islands; lands that were just recently liberated during the Balkan Wars. The reluctant and uneasy coexistence of the two Greek states was not destined to last, as the *Noemvriana* riots against Venizelists in Athens clearly illustrated that a rapprochement was now impossible. Early in 1917, the Venizelist state took also control of Thessaly, after clashes against the royal army of Constantine.

The division of the country lasted for 9 months. After intense diplomatic negotiations, Noemvirana in Athens between Entente and royalist forces, and the subsequent five-month naval blockade upon the Greek kingdom (southern part of Greece), Venizelos returned to Athens on 29 May 1917 as head of a superficially reunified Greece--the king was forced to abdicate on 11 June 1917, and left his second son Alexander in his place.  On 11 June 1917 an Allied ultimatum forced King Constantine to abdicate in favor of his second-born son, and with the rest of his family leave the country for Switzerland. Greece now unified, officially joined the war on the side of the Allies, emerging victorious and securing new territory by the Treaty of Sèvres.

Alexander controversially married the commoner Aspasia Manos in 1919, provoking a major scandal that forced the couple to leave Greece for several months. Soon after returning to Greece with his wife, Alexander was bitten by a domestic Barbary macaque and died of sepsis on 25 October 1920. The sudden death of the sovereign led to questions over the monarchy's survival and contributed to the fall of the Venizelist regime. After a general election and a referendum, Constantine I was rejected in favor of the unborn child of Alexander and Aspasia, to be crowned upon the child’s 40 days.