ABSTRACT
Military sociologists and some of their sweeping typologies will invariably provoke the dismay of scholars who grapple with the subtleties of historical research. Yet, the influence of certain theoretical concepts on social actors sometimes acquire the force of a self-fulfilling prophecy. The few instances of military involvement in domestic politics were masterminded by politicians. The Greek officers only began to stage autonomous coup d’etats between the two great wars – a period of a general parliamentary crisis in Europe. By 1949, the Greek Army had become an enclave of American influence and members of the US mission often set a negative example for their military protegees by expressing their disdain with Greek politicians and members of the Government. The enforcement of certain institutional alterations in the command structure of the armed forces were indicative of the Colonels’ determination to preserve an enclave of military autonomy even after the return to some form of civilian rule.
