The increasing role of the United States in world politics after their involvement in World War I on the side of the British, the French and their allies versus the Central Powers of Germany and Austria-Hungary, was the topic of the Roundtable Discussion that took place on Tuesday May 9th at the "Kostis Stephanopoulos” Conference Hall of the European Public Law Organization (EPLO) in Kolonaki, Athens.
The event entitled “World War I and the increased U.S. role in world politics", organized by the Institute for Mediterranean of the EPLO in collaboration with the U.S. Embassy in Athens, Greece.
Welcome speeches were given by Mr. Mike Snyder, Cultural Attaché of the US Embassy and by Professor Spyridon Flogaitis Director of the EPLO, while the Ambassador Mr. Sotirios Varouxakis, Director of the Institute for the Mediterranean was the coordination of the discussion.
The main speakers included: Mr. Edward G. Lengel, American historian and author, Chief Historian of the White House Historical Association that was founded in 1961 by the First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy with a mission to protect, preserve, and provide public access to the rich history of America’s Executive Mansion along with Professor Evanthis Hatzivassiliou of the Department of History at the University of Athens.
Mr. Lengel mentioned that the U.S. Army played a significant role to the outcome of the war, especially when numerous American soldiers under the direction of General John Pershing, Commander-in-Chief of the American Expeditionary Force, were involved on the Western Front in the summer of 1918. The victory was achieved a few months later, on November 11 of the same year. As he said, despite the high casualties, Americans boosted the morale of Europeans and strengthened the U.S. influence in European countries.
Professor Evanthis Hatzivassiliou focused on the most important events in the Balkans during World War I and especially in the crucial -for the future of Greece- decision of Eleftherios Venizelos to join the Allies (British, French and American forces). Venizelos comes into conflict with the Greek Crown but Greece was among the winners of the war with major territorial gains.
