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CHAPTER 2 – HISTORICAL BACKGROUND 
38 
November 1914. In the later months of 1914 there was opposition among the 
refugees themselves to an exchange and public agitation for “something to be done” 
even in a military sense to protect the Christian population on the coast
30
. Unaware 
of Turkey’s secret commitment made in August to Germany, the Entente hoped to 
keep Turkey and Bulgaria neutral and consequently rebuffed Venizelos’s approaches 
to join the alliance. But even after Turkey entered the war at the beginning of 
November, Venizelos declined the temptation of offer of “a large part of Asia 
Minor” made by Russia on 6 November
31
. At that stage the thought of the 
accompanying territorial concessions to Bulgaria was unpalatable. Venizelos 
apparently explained to Rumania that a bargain, whereby Greece would surrender 
territory in the Balkans in exchange for territory in Anatolia, was not acceptable to 
Greece because the Greek population in the latter was too dispersed and the loss of 
space in the former would make it unavailable for settlement of refugees or would 
compromise security
32
.
However, within a few weeks Venizelos had stood on his head
33
. He induced and 
then vigorously supported the offer of “most important territorial compensation for 
Greece on the coast of Asia Minor” made by Britain on 23 January 1915 as an 
inducement to enter the war on the Entente side. In this he found himself opposed by 
men with whom he had worked closely during the Balkan Wars: Constantine, now 
30
Ploumidis, 143. 
31
Ploumidis, 144. 
32
Dalby, 56 and 167-8, n. 6 citing the 2004 publication by D. Michalopoulos of an undated letter from Venizelos 
to P. Psichas, then Minister in Bucharest. The letter makes sense against the background of events in November 
and December 1914 but the omission of any reference to it in the subsequently published and very detailed 
account of Ploumidis is disconcerting. 
33
Ploumidis, 144 attributes the change of heart to the news that the Entente were ready to award Smyrna as well 
as Adalia (Antalya) to Italy. 

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