Greco-Turkish War 1897

The Greco-Turkish War 1897 (also called the Thirty Days War) took place against a background of growing anger among the Greek populace over treatment of Christians in Crete, which was still part of the Ottoman Empire. The 1896 uprising on Crete, fomented in part by the secret Greek nationalistic society called Ethniki Etairia, appeared to present Greece with an opportunity to annex the island. By the beginning of 1897, large consignments of arms had been sent to Crete from Greece and there was renewed civil unrest on the island. On January 21st the Greek fleet was mobilized, and on February 15th, 1897, Greek troops deployed on the island, and union with Greece was proclaimed. Greek and Turkish forces on Crete fought a full-scale battle on February 19th. In March, the European powers (including Austria-Hungary, France, Germany, Italy, Russia and the United Kingdom) imposed a naval blockade upon Greece to prevent assistance being sent and militarily intervened on Crete; by the end of March organized combat on Crete had ceased.

Thwarted in their attempt to assist their compatriots in Crete, the Greek irregulars crossed in Ottoman territory on the mainland during March seeking to provoke rebellion. The Greek army then launched an attack on Thessaly (on the mainland), on April 17th. The war consisted of a series of defeats of the Greek armies at the hands of the superior Turkish forces. By May, the Greeks, who were inadequately prepared for war, had been overwhelmed by the Turkish army, which had recently been reorganized under German supervision. The Greeks then yielded to pressure from the European powers and withdrew their troops from Crete. Greece also agreed to an armistice on the mainland on May 19, 1897.

The Treaty of Constantinople, signed on December 4th, compelled Greece to pay the Ottoman Empire an indemnity, to accept an international financial commission that would control Greek finances, and to yield some land in Thessaly to the Ottoman Empire. The European powers intervened to compel the Turks to return most of the Greek territory conquered during the war. The Ottoman Empire also granted autonomy to Crete and withdrew Turkish troops from the island the following year. Crete became an international protectorate, and an autonomous government under Prince George, the second son of the Greek king, was formed there 1898. The Greek determination to annex Crete persisted.

Notes

[1] By convention, the events in Crete are not incorporated into the war even though the same states were engaged concurrently. Correlates of War lists an intra-state war (631: March 10, 1897 to February 14, 1997) concerning fighting on Crete before Greek intervention and an inter-state war (76: February 15, 1897 to May 19, 1897) concerning fighting between Greeks and Ottomans. The latter period reflects the actual period of warfare more so than only the later mainland warfare.

References

Clodfelter, 333; COW76; EB - Greco-Turkish Wars; Kohn, 196.

Category

Inter-State War

Region

Eastern Europe

Belligerents

Greece, Ottoman Empire

Dispute

Territory

Initiation Date

February 15, 1897^[1]

Termination Date

May 19, 1897

Duration

94 days

Outcome

Negotiated Settlement
(Ottoman victory)

Fatalities

Total: 2,000
Greece: 600
Ottoman Empire: 1,400

Magnitude

3.3