“The French Categorically … Refuse to Fight”: The 1919 Greek Military Campaign in Ukraine and the Burden of French Policy

Abstract This study examines Greece’s involvement in the 1919 military campaign in Ukraine as part of the Allied intervention in the Russian Civil War. Despite Greek Prime Minister Eleftherios Venizelos’ strategic commitment of troops to bolster Greece’s diplomatic standing, the expedition was hindered by poor Franco-Greek cooperation. Greek troops, initially to be assigned auxiliary roles, were drawn directly into combat under adverse conditions, facing both Bolshevik resistance and the condescension of their French allies. The campaign highlighted the significant challenges of coalition warfare and the resulting chaos within the Allied forces in Southern Russia. Utilising overlooked Greek primary sources and military memoirs, this study illustrates a mostly forgotten chapter of military history, marking the first overseas campaign since the Greek state’s founding. The Ukrainian campaign ultimately served as a prelude to Greece’s ill-fated Asia Minor campaign, revealing key military and diplomatic challenges that shaped Greece’s post-war aspirations.