Page 419 - 1992 - XVIII Congresso Internazionale di Storia Militare

THS U.S . .-11\.''.SY ISFLUtN'CE ON THE GUEK .-1111-IY 38)
ma t were formed on rhe decision of the revolucionary governmenc. and which mainly
consisced of foreign officers, che Philhellenes, who ca me from ali over Europe (es-
pecially from France, Great Bricain, ltaly and Germany) co assist rhe Greeks in
their scruggle for frcedom. Those officers, mosr of whom were French, became the
cadres of the rtrsr regular acmy which was formed in 1828. M:oreover. che fìrsr
Goveroor of Greece, Ioannis Kapodisuias, though he was a former Mìnisrer of
me Ts11r of Russia, asked France ro desparch a military mission ro organize che
new regu.lar army, while France undercook ro mecc the expcnces. This was me fìrst
serious efforc ro form 11 regular army, bue ir was nor complered because in 1830
che French offìcers were recalled ro F canee.
Between 1833 and 1864 a smaU army of some 8000 meo was formed. bue
ic was insuffìcienr co meer che countty's defensive needs. This army was influenced
by che Bavarians who carne wirh che first King of Greece, Ochon, a Bavari an Prince.
The Bavarian Jnfluence was remporary and lefr very few rraces. After 1864
che reorgaoizacion of che Army begao with che assistance -once more- of French
military missions which were senr from France. Uncil 1912, when rhe Balkan Wars
srarced, rwo milirary missions carne to Greece (rhe first in 1882-1887, che second
in 1911-1912) aod offered a l or ofbelp, especially the second one in 1911, cowards
che creation of an effecrive army which was desrined ro fighr continously for ren
years, unril 1922. At the same cime many officers, mosr of rhem high-ranking,
received furdler milicary training abroad, mainly in France bm also ar rhe German
War Academy. However. rhese influences could under no circumscances absorb,
or be fully assimilaced by. rhe Greek mi1irary sysrem aod Greek military chinking.
Tbe miJirary history and rradition of 3000 years, which che Greeks did nor forger,
eveo under che 400 years of Trukish occupation, was (an d sciU is) a hindrance to
the full acceptance of a foreign milicary system. Leooidas's sacrifice ac Thermopy-
lae, the vicrories of Milriades ar Marachon and Themisrocles ar Salamis, rhe cam-
paigos of Alexander che Grear and the Byzancine Emperors, imensely created a
milirary rradicion which direccly affecred training, doccrine and ouclook. Thus che
Greek miJitary chinkiog rook on a nacional form which is a mixmre of Greek tradi-
cions, French models and German iofluences. W i eh such a docrrioe Greece enrered
che Balkan Wars of 1912-1913.
From 1916 Greece participared in rhe First World War on the side of the
"enrente". A.llied forces, consisting of Frencb, Bririsb, ltalian, Serbian and Greek
troops foughr on che Macedonia n From under a French ComiDJlnder-in-Cbief. The
Greek forçes foughr alongside the Fren,ch Army and were armed and equipped wich
French equipmenr. They concinued ro use rhe same equipmenc for rhree more years
during che unsuccessfuJ campaing in Asia (1919-1922).
During rbe imerwa.r years, unii! 1935, the Greek Army maimained rhe french
influence- che French, for chat marter were the victors of che First Wodd War
- and yet anocher French milicary mission, which proved co be che lasr one, was
once more sem co Greece.