Facing the Colonels: How the British Government Dealt with the Military Coup in Greece in April 1967

Abstract

This article defines and explains British foreign policy towards the Greek colonels immediately after the military takeover of 21 April 1967 in Greece. More particularly, the article questions Britain's knowledge of the colonels' coup, examines the influence of other countries in the formation of British policy towards the military dictatorship in Greece, and concludes that, as soon as the British realized that the colonels were firmly in control, they decided to enter into a working yet frayed relationship with the regime in order to influence it over the issues that were most vital for their national interests.