Page 421 - 1992 - XVIII Congresso Internazionale di Storia Militare

TliE U,S. AR.MY INflUl~CE ON THS GUEK ARMY 387
lnitially tbc Greek Army was organized and equipped by rhe British and it
was craioed according ro rhe Bricish doetrine of conducring warfare, bur serious
problems a rose because of the narure of the mounrain warfare that had ro be waged
against the communisc forces.
After 1947 rhe burden was shouldered by the Americans. The Greek Army
replenished ics needs in arms a.nd equipment and .readjusred ics organization m
the conditions of the country and the demands of the warfare ir was waging. The
Btitish equipmcm was gradually replaced by American, and the Greek Army be·
gan to becomc acqua.inred with che American milirary thinkiog.
The civil war was finally won by the Greek National Army in 1949. As far
asl know, from 1945 on Greece has been rhe only country which has managed
ro face a guerrilla warfare of this cype su<!cessfully. Her vicrory was the resulr of
the determioarion and che sa.crifìces of che Greek people and Army, but it is also
owed much ro the assisrance of our Allies, and especially the America ns. The Tru-
man Docrrine, the Marshall Pian and che American tnilirary assisrance were deci-
sive facrors. This, of cource, by no means diminishes rhe vaJue of rhe British
assiscance. At rhis poinr ir is necessary to emphasize some crucial faccs regarding
allied milirary assistance and its influence;
- thc milirary operations were planned and carried our by che Grcek Army. There
were no "a!Hed advisors" arrached ro combac ururs, and n or a single American officer
or soJdier cook parr in che operations;
- che American milirary mission worked and co·operared with the Greek Army
at a high leve! and offered valuable assisrance regarding supplies and rhe organiza-
cion of che Army. In parricular, the con.aibution of generai James V an Fleet, head
of the 1\merican mission during the last rwo and most cricicaJ years of the war
( 1948-49). was decisive. Understanding the peculia.rciries of the country a od the na·
rure of the warfare be was waging, generai Va n Fleer helped ro esrablish the a p·
propria re srrucrure of the army and ro dca w up a policy which was based on American
models, and yer was both realiscic and suitable ro Greek condirions. Indeed ir is
worth mentioning thar a few momhs ago, when genera! Van Fleec celebrared his
lOOth birthday, the Greek Army senr a delegati an of offìcers ro convey to him irs
besr wisbes. Greece has never forgotten those who srood by her side in difficulr times.
Today the American milirary mission remains in Grecce in order ro assise her
with the procuremenr of miHrary supplies whicb are offered ro the Greek Army
by the United Srares mainl.y through the r .M .S. loans. The America n military m.is·
sion also arranges the rechnicalities for the rransfer of the cadres who are selecred
by the Greek Generai Sraff ro reccive milirary training in rhe Unired Sraces.
Tholl$ands of Greek Army officers ha ve received furthe.r tnilitary training in
the Unired Srares, an through rhem the Greek Army is familiar with America n rnili-
rary rrunkingand sysrem.s. Ar rhe same time the Greek Army is suhjecr ro Ameri·
ca n influence rhrough Naro more or less ro rhe same extenr that Ame.rican influence
is exercized o n rhe other Naro member-srates. Thus the organization of the Greek