Relations between Greece and Britain

The second major factor, which played a decisive role in the exercise of Greek foreign policy during the period of the German-Italian occupation, was the attitude and activities of the exiled Greek government. After the flight of the Tsouderos government and of King George II from Crete on 23 May 1941, the official Greek political leadership continued to be in close contact with the British government from Alexandria, London and Cairo. The strengthening of British influence upon the exiled Greek government was an extension of the already developed political and military contacts between the two states in the last years of the 1930s and, especially, during the Balkan war.

However, the increasing ability of British officials to intervene in Greek affairs during the period of the Occupation cannot be interpreted only as a result of the traditionally pro-British orientation of Greek foreign policy or of the presence of George II, with his close ties with London. The role of the British government in supporting the Greek exiled government, and the increasing tendency of the latter to seek assistance of the British authorities in order to deal with the mounting domestic problems, attest to a specific geopolitical and ideological choice by the Greek political leadership. This choice of orientation was to become an important factor in the postwar political development of Greece.