-11- #669, Eighteenth, from London             
 
                                                            
 
 
had also a strong local faction. We had furnished these men 
      for several years with arms in considerable quantities in the 
      hope that they would fight against the Germans. They accepted 
      the arms and they kept them and other arms they procured from 
      the Italians and the Germans in their retreat - captured or bought 
      or otherwise obtained - and they kept them with a plan to seize 
      the power of the Greek state in Athens once the Germans cleared 
      out and went away. (Interruption) I cannot guarantee to carry 
      unanimous opinion with me at every stage in the discussion of 
      what is admittedly the most controversial matter of the hour 
                        in British policy.                  
 
                                                            
 
 
I must speak a little about these Greek Communists among whom 
      Macedonian and Bulgarian elements are also found possible with 
      territorial ideas of their own. They are a very formidable people. 
      They have a theme and/a policy, which they pursue by merciless 
      methods while all sorts of other people in these regions have 
      only been trying to keep body and soul together. I have been 
      told that I made a mistake in under-rating the power of the Communist-directed 
      Elas. I must admit that I judged them on their form against the 
      Germans. I do not wish to