3rd Place Research Paper: The Descent Unseen: Greece’s Unappreciated Place in British Political History

For hundreds of years, Great Britain possessed an empire and military that gave it an almost unrivaled power in international politics. However, as World War II drew to a close, it became increasingly evident that Great Britain no longer possessed the power it once had. In Greece, communist protest, and eventually insurrection, began as a result of disagreements in regards to the place of King George II of Greece and the future of free elections in the country after the departure of the German forces. “The Descent Unseen: Greece’s Unappreciated Place in British Political History” examines the time from outbreak of violence on December 3, 1944 and the end of June, 1945, Prime Minister Churchill’s last full month in office. As the communication between Allied leaders at the time suggested, negotiations continuously centered on how each World War II ally possessed influence, and how each party could help or hurt Great Britain’s ultimate goal of a free and democratic Greece. This project will examine how, the six-month time period witnessed the fall of Britain as a primary power in international politics, and how the influences of these nations affected the politics of Great Britain in Greece.