Greek Summer Offensive

Greek Summer Offensive 1920
	Part of theGreco-Turkish War (1919–22)
	; Greek soldiers advancing.
Date	June–September 1920
Location	Western Anatolia, southern coast of theSea of Marmara
Result	Greek, British and Ottoman victory Greek and British forces penetrate eastwards; Capture ofPanormos,Mudanya,Izmit,Bursa,Uşak;
Belligerents
Greece; United Kingdom; Ottoman Empire;	Ankara Government
Commanders and leaders
Leonidas Paraskevopoulos; Dimitrios Ioannou; George Milne; Süleyman Şefik Pasha;	Ali Fuat Pasha;
Strength
101,625 men; 30,000 men; 2,000 men;	10,200 men
Casualties and losses
Unknown	Unknown

TheGreek Summer Offensive of 1920was an offensive by theGreek army,assisted by British forces, to capture the southern region of theSea of Marmaraand theAegean Regionfrom theKuva-yi Milliye(National Forces) of the provisionalTurkish national movementgovernmentin Ankara.Additionally, the Greek and British forces were supported by theKuva-yi Inzibatiye(Forces of Order) of theOttoman governmentin Constantinople, which sought to crush the Turkish nationalist forces. The offensive was part of theGreco-Turkish Warand was one of several engagements where British troops assisted the advancing Greek army. British troops actively took part in invading coastal towns of theSea of Marmara.With the approval of the Allies, the Greeks started their offensive on 22 June 1920 and crossed the 'Milne Line'.^[6]^[7]The 'Milne Line' was the demarcation line betweenGreeceand Turkey, laid down inParis.^[8]Resistance by the Turkish nationalists was limited, as they had few and ill-equipped troops in westernAnatolia.^[8]They were also busy on theeasternandsouthernfronts.^[6]^[8]After offering some opposition, they retreated toEskişehironMustafa KemalPasha's order.^[8]

Prelude

In May 1920, theKuva-yi Inzibatiye,backed by the British, had been sent to seize the area ofGeyveandİzmit,but they were repelled by the Turkish irregular forces. Subsequently, British aeroplanes bombed the Turkish positions inİzmitwith little outcome.^[9]3regimentsfrom theKuva-yi Inzibatiyeentrenched themselves at the outskirts ofİzmit.Behind them were 2-3 Britishbattalionsand furthermore they were backed up by several Britishbattleshipsfrom the sea.^[9]On 15 June, the Turkish nationalists tried to advance towards theOttomanandBritishpositions, but they made little progress, as Britishbattleshipsand planes started to bomb them on 16–17 June.^[9]On this occasion, the British15-inch naval gunssaw their first action by bombing Turkish positions.^[10]^[11]

Map showing the advance of the Greek army in Eastern Thrace and Anatolia during the Summer of 1920.

Offensive

Since they couldn't depend on the Kuva-yi Inzibatiye as the situation was a stalemate, the fighting around İzmit was key to the British deciding to bring in theGreek armyfor assistance and to punish the attacks on their troops.^[9]^[12]The Greeks, meanwhile, were eager to conquer theirhistorical homeland.The British military staff together with the Greek military staff planned the offensive for the southern coastal area of theSea of Marmaraand theAegean Region.^[9]With these plans the Greek army started its offensive on 22 June 1920.

During the offensive, British and Greek troops jointly captured the followingtowns,some of these towns were invaded bynaval landing forces:^[13]^[14]Akhisar(22 June);Kırkağaç,SomaandSalihli(24 June);Alaşehir(25 June);Kula(28 June);Balıkesir(30 June);Bandırma,KirmastiandKaracabey(2 July);Nazilli(3 July);GemlikandMudanya(6 July);Bursa(8 July);Karamürsel(11 July);İznik(12 July);GedizandUlubey(28 August);Uşak(29 August);Simav(3 September). During the offensive against these areas, several clashes occurred between the advancing British-Greek troops and the defendingTurkish irregular forces.For example,Mudanyahad been tried to be captured as early as 25 June bynaval landing forces,but stubbornTurkishresistance inflicted casualties onBritishforces and forced them to withdraw. On 6 July a British fleet of 12 ships bombed the town for three hours which killed 25Turkishsoldiers during the bombardment. After the bombardmentBritishtroops landed and took control of the town. There were many instances of successful delaying operations of small Turkish irregular forces against numerical superior enemy troops. Such as inSavaştepewhen a Turkish irregular unit of 200 men delayed a Greekdivisionof 10,000 men for one day.^[15]

By reachingUşakon 29 June, theGreek armyhad advanced some 201 km (125 mi).^[16]Apart from these major settlements, several other smallersettlementswere captured during the offensive.

Aftermath

The Turkish nationalists started a smallcounter-attack in the area of Gediz,but it wasn't successful.

Gallery

Greek troops inMudanya.
British landing at Mudanya, 25 June 1920.
A captured nationalist Turkish soldier on board HMSRoyal Sovereignduring the assault on Mudanya, 6 July 1920.
HMSRoyal Sovereign's 6-inch guns in action bombarding Mudanya, 6 July 1920.
Burning caused by the bombardment, 6 July 1920, Mudanya.
The return of HMSRoyal Sovereign's seaman after forced landing under heavy machine gun & rifle fire. (Mudanya, July 1920)
Royal Marines landing at Mudanya.
Greek and American troops landing at Bandirma (Panormos).
General Paraskevopoulos withKing Alexanderin Panormos.
Turkish prisoners captured at Izmit by the British forces. The three men standing together at the front were accused to be the ringleaders and they were subsequently executed in June 1920.
Execution of a Kemalist Turk, by the British forces in Izmit.
Turkish man who was accused of spying for the Turkish army is executed by Greek troops.
British officer inspecting Greek troops and trenches.

References

^Erdem, Nilüfer (2010).Yunan tarihçiliğinin gözüyle Anadolu harekatı 1919-1923[The Anatolian Operation 1919-1923 According to Greek Historiography] (in Turkish). Derlem Yayınları. p. 242.ISBN 978-6058853614.(=3,443 officers and 98,182 soldiers)
^Umar, Bilge (2002).Yunanlilarin ve Anadolu Rumlarinin Anlatimiyla Izmir Savasi[The Izmir Battle According to the Narrations of the Greeks and the Anatolian Greeks] (in Turkish). İnkılâp. p. 62.ISBN 978-9751018267.(=3,443 officers and 98,182 soldiers)
^BRITISH IN TURKEY MAY BE INCREASED,New York Times, 19 June 1920.
^Sinan Meydan, 2010, page 217.
^O. Zeki Avralıoğlu:Buldan ve yöresinin tarihçesi,1997,page 119.(in Turkish)
^^a ^bStanley Sandler:Ground Warfare: H-Q,ABC-CLIO, 2002,ISBN 1576073440,page 337.
^Olivier Roy:Turkey Today: A European Country?,ISBN 1843311720,page 123.
^^a ^b ^c ^dMichael Brecher:Study of Crisis,ISBN 0472108069,University of Michigan Press, 1997, page 363.
^^a ^b ^c ^d ^eSinan Meydan, 2010, pages 342-344
^BRITISH USE 15-INCH GUNS,The Mercury, 22 June 1920.
^British 15-inch Naval Guns - Imperial War Museum, Lambeth, London, UK,waymarking
^Butler 2011.
^Ahmet Nural Öztürk:Kula, Katakekaumene (Yanık yöre): 2000 yıl önce Strabon'un adını koyduğu yöre,Öğrenci Basimevi, page 137-138.(in Turkish)
^Münir Sayhan:Milli Mücadele'de Çivril, (1919-1922),Kitsan, 2006,ISBN 9758833227,pages 15-18.
^Nurettin Türsan, Burhan Göksel:Birinci Askeri Tarih Semineri: bildiriler,1983,page 42.
^Geoffrey Jukes, Peter Simkins, Michael Hickey:The First World War: The Mediterranean Front 1914-1923,Osprey Publishing, 2002,ISBN 9781841763736,page 13.

Butler, Daniel Allen(2011).Shadow of the Sultan's Realm: The Destruction of the Ottoman Empire and the Creation of the Modern Middle East.Potomac Books, Inc.ISBN 9781597975841.Retrieved26 June2020.

External links

British to fight rebels in Turkey,New York Times, 1 May 1920.
British to defend Ismid-Black Sea line,New York Times, 19 July 1920
Greeks enter Brussa; Turkish raids go on,New York Times,11 July 1920
Turk Nationalists capture Beicos,New York Times, 7 July 1920
TURKISH REBELS MOVE TOWARD DARDANELLES,New York Times, 13 May 1920.
British Warships Shell Kemal Pasha's Troops Nearing Intrenchments on Marmora Sea,New York Times, 7 June 1920.
BRITISH INDIAN TROOPS ATTACKED BY TURKS; Thirty Wounded and British Officer Captured--Warships' Guns Drive Enemy Back,New York Times, 18 June 1920.

Sources

Sinan Meydan:Cumhuriyet Tarihi yalanları: Yoksa siz de mi kandırıldınız?...,İnkılâp, 2010,ISBN 9751030544,pages 332–352.(in Turkish)

[1] Erdem, Nilüfer (2010).Yunan tarihçiliğinin gözüyle Anadolu harekatı 1919-1923[The Anatolian Operation 1919-1923 According to Greek Historiography] (in Turkish). Derlem Yayınları. p. 242.ISBN 978-6058853614.(=3,443 officers and 98,182 soldiers)

[2] Umar, Bilge (2002).Yunanlilarin ve Anadolu Rumlarinin Anlatimiyla Izmir Savasi[The Izmir Battle According to the Narrations of the Greeks and the Anatolian Greeks] (in Turkish). İnkılâp. p. 62.ISBN 978-9751018267.(=3,443 officers and 98,182 soldiers)

[3] BRITISH IN TURKEY MAY BE INCREASED,New York Times, 19 June 1920.

[4] Sinan Meydan, 2010, page 217.

[5] O. Zeki Avralıoğlu:Buldan ve yöresinin tarihçesi,1997,page 119.(in Turkish)

[sandler-6] Stanley Sandler:Ground Warfare: H-Q,ABC-CLIO, 2002,ISBN 1576073440,page 337.

[7] Olivier Roy:Turkey Today: A European Country?,ISBN 1843311720,page 123.

[brecher-8] Michael Brecher:Study of Crisis,ISBN 0472108069,University of Michigan Press, 1997, page 363.

[sinan-9] Sinan Meydan, 2010, pages 342-344

[10] BRITISH USE 15-INCH GUNS,The Mercury, 22 June 1920.

[11] British 15-inch Naval Guns - Imperial War Museum, Lambeth, London, UK,waymarking

[FOOTNOTEButler2011-12] Butler 2011.

[13] Ahmet Nural Öztürk:Kula, Katakekaumene (Yanık yöre): 2000 yıl önce Strabon'un adını koyduğu yöre,Öğrenci Basimevi, page 137-138.(in Turkish)

[14] Münir Sayhan:Milli Mücadele'de Çivril, (1919-1922),Kitsan, 2006,ISBN 9758833227,pages 15-18.

[15] Nurettin Türsan, Burhan Göksel:Birinci Askeri Tarih Semineri: bildiriler,1983,page 42.

[16] Geoffrey Jukes, Peter Simkins, Michael Hickey:The First World War: The Mediterranean Front 1914-1923,Osprey Publishing, 2002,ISBN 9781841763736,page 13.

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