Far from a Popular Movement: The National Defense Coup d'État in Thessaloniki, August–October 1916

Abstract:During the First World War, Greek society became sharply polarized around the figures of Liberal Party leader Eleftherios Venizelos, who supported intervention on the Allied side, and King Constantine, who favored neutrality. This rift, known as the National Schism, eventually resulted in the country's split in 1916–1917 with the formation of the pro-Allied "National Defense" regime in Thessaloniki while the official government in Athens remained neutral. The limited historiography on the National Defense putsch has generally prioritized high politics and diplomacy, disregarding the political dynamics on the ground in Thessaloniki and Greek Macedonia. A perspective "from below" shows that the coup enjoyed only modest popular support. The National Defense regime's unpopularity helps illuminate the later evolution of the National Schism.