Greco-Turkish War

Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)

THE, a war which took place between Greece and Turkey in 1897. On Feb. 3, 1897, the Turkish troops in Crete wantonly pillaged and massacred a large number of Christians. About 15,000 Greek women and children fled to Greece, where the people had to provide for them. In the meantime the Cretans proclaimed their independence of Turkey, their union ece, and appealed to that coun- , with Greece try for help. This action led King George of Greece to send a small army to occupy the island, a movement which was opposed on the part of the Powers by whom the island was blockaded March 17, 1897. After a demand was made that the Greek troops be withdrawn from Crete, which was not co complied with, the Powers landed soldiers and occupied the island. Soon afterward a body of Greek Mirregulars " invaded Macedonia, where- " upon the Turkish Cabinet declared on April 17 that a state of war existed with Greece, and Edham Pasha, commander of the Turkish army, was ordered to take the offensive. This issue was promptly accepted by Greece, and hostilities were at once begun on the Grecian frontier, which soon developed into a general cannonading cannonad along the entire frontier of Thessaly, while operations were likewise initiated on the sea. The Greeks, fighting their Turkey and threatened Alassona, while the Turks swept down from Salonika through the mountain passes and invaded Greece, invaded thus forcing the Greeks to abandon Larissa, their principal source of supplies. In the meanwhile the Greek navy was active, having bombarded and destroyed a number of important towns along the Gulf of Salonika. During the latter part of April and the beginning of May the Greeks were mainly aly victorious. A Grecian army of 12,000, under General Smolenski, repulsed a Turkish force of 14,000, with heavy loss, near Velestino, on April 30, and held in check another movement May 2. The tide, however, was soon turned, for on May 5 the Turks, with 50,000 me men, compelled an army of 23,000 Greeks to withdraw from Pharsalos. The Greeks now became aware that they could not cope with the constantly increasing Turkish army, and this conviction, with the knowledge that the country was without funds, disheartened the soldiers and caused the army to collapse. On May 8 the Powers were informed that the Greek troops would be recalled from Crete, thus signifying that Greece was ready to be guided by the Powers. On May 11 a joint note was sent to the Greek minister of foreign affairs offering mediation, and on May 12 a request for an armistice was sent to the Turkish Government. Four days later that country replied that it would not allow an armistice except on the following conditions: Annexation of Thessaly; an indemnity of £10,000,000; abolition of the capitulations or treaties conferring privileges on Greeks in the Turkish empire; and a treaty of extradition with Greece. These harsh terms met with a protest from all Europe. The Czar of Russia now wrote a personal letter to the Sultan, with the result that hostilities immediately ceased, and on May 20 an armistice for 17 days was concluded. The question of the cession of Thessaly was referred to a military commission, which recommended no cession beyond the mountain summits on the Turkish frontier, which gave to Turkey a strategic boundary. Negotiations were finally concluded on Sept. 18, when a treaty was submitted to Turkey and Greece. The principal terms of this treaty were that Greece should pay Turkey about $15,000,000; permit a strategic reconstruction of the Thessalian frontier in Turkey's favor; and accept international control in financial matters. This treaty was signed at Constantinople, Dec. 4, 1897.