November Events

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The November Events (Noemvriana) took place during the First World War.

Background

Greece had been deeply divided over the issue of entering the war to the point that two rival governments were set up: One in Thessaloniki, under Eleftherios Venizelos, which favoured the country's entry into the war on the side of the Entente Allies and the other in Athens under politicians loyal to King Constantine I, which favoured strict neutrality in the conflict.

Allied landing

On November 18, 1916 (OS) - December 1 (NS) - 3,000 French and British troops landed in Piraeus and marched on Athens to collect weaponry that the Athens government had agreed to surrender to the Allies. Lying in wait however, was a force of 20,000 Greek recruits, under officers loyal to the King, who attacked the Allies. In the ensuing street battles, 194 allied troops were killed and wounded as were 82 Greeks.

Pogrom

The Allies withdrew, though their ships bombed targets near the Royal Palace, forcing the King to compromise. After their withdrawal, a pogrom broke out by the royalists against those known to have Venizelist sympathies.

35 persons were killed, dozens were wounded, many stores were ransacked, newspapers were shut down.

Eventually, the Allies forced King Constantine I into exile and a re-united Greece entered World War I on the side of the Allies. However, the great chasm between Royalists and Venizelists was to remain a factor in Greek politics for many years to come.