ABSTRACT
The present chapter examines the naval importance of Greece between the outbreak of the First World War and Greece’s intervention in this war. The conclusion that emerges is that Greece and its navy remained important factors. Indeed, both European groups desired naval co-operation with Greece. This desire was, however, expressed in different ways and with varying intensity. During the first six months of the war both British reluctance to antagonise Bulgaria and Greek sympathies for, or fear of, Germany ruled out close naval co-operation between Britain and Greece although low-level naval collaboration between the two countries did take place. British interest in a Greek alliance increased in the early part of the Dardanelles campaign. However, military considerations together with Greek reluctance to assist Russia in obtaining Constantinople prevented King Constantine from committing Greece to the campaign. Throughout the following two years British naval interest in Greece was more negative than positive since use of Greek war anchorages by the Entente could not be denied by the Greek government. Britain would therefore restrain itself to forestalling any increase of German influence in Greece. This goal was pursued by maintaining a naval mission to Greece and by applying naval coercion upon it whenever this was required of shipping in the Near East and for the security of the Entente armies.
