PERSECUTIONS OF THE GREEKS IN TURKEY SINCE THE ...

xiv INTRODUCTION
about Hellenism in Turkey are only too well known,
and that, further, the decisions about banishing to the
interior the Greek populations of the seacoast, were taken
only after coming to an understanding with the German
staff in Constantinople."
The truth of this conception is confirmed by a telegram
of Mr. Kallerges, the Greek Minister in Constantinople,
to Mr. Zalocostas, the Minister of Foreign Affairs,
dated March 28, 1917 (Ministerial Archives, No.
2338). According to this the Minister of Germany,
Count von Metternich, was recalled as a result of the
direct intervention with the Kaiser of Enver Pasha
and the German military circles in Constantinople, because
of his interceding in behalf of the Christians, thus
touching the pride of the Turks, as well as failing to
subserve German interests.
No doubt remained as to the guilt of Germany after
the evacuation of Cydonia (Aivali). The Grand Vizier
acknowledged to the Greek Minister in Constantinople
that the transfer of the Greek population was due to the
action of the commander of the 5th Corps, Commanderin-Chief
Liman von Sanders. The Ottoman government
originally objected to this and only yielded to the threat
of the Commander-in-Chief, who declared that only on
this basis could he assume responsibility for the safety of
the army. Even the Ambassador of Germany tried to
persuade the said Commander-in-Chief, for reasons of
political necessity, not to insist on his decision but the
latter was unwilling to yield, claiming that in time of war
military necessity takes precedence over political, and
that the great German Council of War, before which he
had set forth in detail the state of affairs, had already
given its consent.
What were these military necessities? Pretexts of
the danger of espionage by the people of Cydonia, who
had for a year and more been subjected to the strictest
blockade, were advanced as sufficient to justify the de-