Papers written by Curzon on the Near and Middle East [‎25r] (49/348)

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[This Document is the Property of His Bntonmc Majesty’s
Printed for the War Cabinet. August 1919.
SECRET.
MY colleagues may have been much puzzled at the conflicting accounts which
have reached us of the incidents that followed upon the ill-starred landing of Greek
forces in Smyrna in May last. I have accordingly had the following summary drawn
up, which endeavours to distinguish between the parts played by the Greeks and Turks
respectively.
C. of K.
August 26, 1919.
Memorandum respecting the Greek Occupation of Smyrna.
Though full details are still lacking as to many important incidents, it is now
possible to draw up a resume of events in the Smyrna district since the Greek landing
at that town.
These events fall conveniently into two divisions :—
(a.) Smyrna; and South and West of Smyrna.
(6.) North and East of Smyrna.
(a.) Smyrna; and South and West of Smyrna.
May 15.—Greek troops, who landed at Smyrna on 15th May, disobeyed
instructions to avoid the Turkish barracks. On the plea that a shot was fired at them,
the Greeks attacked the barracks and the Government House, and arrested 3.00 Turks,
several of whom were subsequently butchered by their guard or by local Greek
civilians. The mob, including probably Greek troops, indulged in general pillage and
ill-treatment of the Moslems, and the Turkish governor and officials were subjected to
great indignities during their arrest by the Greeks. It is still doubtful how many lives
were lost, but Mr. Morgan, the representative of His Majesty’s High Commissioner,
reported on the following day that about 300 Turks and 100 Christians had perished.
While M. Venizelos maintains that only 78 Turks were killed out of a total number
of 163 deaths, the Turkish League of National Defence—probably with no less
prejudice—claim that of the total number of 10,000 Moslems who have been klled
throughout the province, 132 fell during the occupation of Smyrna itself.
The Greeks of the neighbouring villages and Greek exiles returning from the
iEgean Islands started to turn the tables on the Turks, by pillaging and murdering.
This occurred at Devili-Keui and Sevdi-Keui, and at the small coast town of Yurla.
Desiring, no doubt, to anticipate any Italian advance in the same direction, the
Greeks overstepped the limits laid down for them by the Peace Conference and
advanced up the Mseander valley, occupying Aidin without incident on the 27th May,
and Nazli subsequently. But between the 20th and 25th June, in deference to the orders
of the British Commodore, they evacuated Nazli and retired to Aidin. What happened
thereupon at Nazli and at villages on the line of the Greek retirement is variously
described by British officers, by M. Yenizelos, and by the Turks. The British account is
as follows:—
In Nazli itself. — Fifteen Greeks were killed and ten wounded by Turkish
irregulars, although the better-class Turkish residents tried to prevent this.
At the village of Akcheh. —Fifty Greeks, including a priest, were killed by Turkish
irregulars.
At Sultan Hissar. —Four Greeks, including a woman, were killed by Turkish
irregulars.
At Chiftch Han. —One Greek was killed.
At Keushk. —The Greeks shot in the public square nine Turks whom they had
carried off from Nazli as prisoners.
At Deirmenjik. — The Greeks killed five Turks.
At (Jermhsa and other villages. The Turks killed some Greeks and plundered houses.