US Diplomacy Within Europe and NATO on the Greek Question

Abstract

In much the same way that the two US administrations faced opposition from domestic political opponents and public opinion to their modus vivendi with the Greek colonels, they also were forced to contend with significant opposition both from certain North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) allies and from European public more generally. This chapter addresses the difficulties the United States faced in dealing with these challenges. While some NATO allies (e.g., the UK, France, and West Germany) reconciled themselves to more or less friendly relations with the Greek regime, others (especially the Netherlands, Denmark, and Norway) were sources of vocal opposition to any accommodation with Greece. Containing, managing, and placating this opposition became a primary task of US diplomacy in Europe, with the US arguing the paramount need for NATO unity and cohesiveness in the face of ongoing Cold War threats.