ABSTRACT
The Greek army expanded dramatically after the Balkan Wars of 1912-13 and assumed an active role in politics during the National Schism of Venizelists and anti-Venizelists in the 1910s. During the inter-war years, control of the army was an important aspect of the Greek domestic scene.1 However, more internal crises occurred in 1941-52. During the Second World War, the old Venizelist and anti-Venizelist officers – roughly, the old Liberals and Conservatives – converged in an anti-Communist attitude, in view of the rise of the Communist-led EAM forces in occupied Greece. Anti-Communism led to the homogenization of the army during the civil war years. In 1949-51, when Papagos was Commander-in-Chief, the army acquired a great measure of autonomy from political control.2 In May 1951, when Papagos announced his resignation from the army, some of his followers staged a coup, which was suppressed thanks to the reaction of King Paul and of Papagos himself; this incident brought to the forefront the issue of the existence of IDEA, a secret organization of officers who looked to Papagos for leadership.3
