Bearing Gifts to Greeks

Bearing Gifts to Greeks throws important new light on a hitherto neglected aspect of the occupation of Greece during the Second World War that brought savage Axis reprisals, the destruction of Greek Jewry, astronomical inflation, and famine. International efforts brought a partial lifting of the British blockade that had worsened the food supply problem. Topics covered include the nature of the famine; the complex diplomacy that led to a relaxation of the blockade; the role of the Greek-American community in mobilising pressure; the part played by Turkey, and later the Swedish Red Cross, in supplying food and medical aid; the Greek Red Cross's role in alerting international public opinion to the gravity of the situation; the role of Quakers in Greek relief; the initial steps of the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Agency on liberation in 1944; Yugoslav humanitarian assistance to the Greek left; and the relief activities of the Greek resistance and of the Orthodox Church.