On February 10, 1947 — 79 years ago today — the Paris Peace Treaties were formally signed, officially concluding World War II in Europe and settling territorial and reparations issues with the former Axis powers.
As one of the victorious Allied nations, Greece had suffered enormous human and material losses during the war: German, Italian and Bulgarian occupation, widespread famine, destruction of infrastructure, and hundreds of thousands of civilian and military deaths. In return, the Greek government presented substantial territorial claims against three defeated Axis states:
- Italy — return of the Dodecanese Islands (occupied by Italy since 1912)
- Bulgaria — restoration of territories ceded after the Second Balkan War and World War I, plus reparations
- Albania — unification of Northern Epirus with Greece
Despite these arguments and Greece’s recognized contribution to the Allied victory, the final outcome was far more limited.
What Greece Actually Received
The treaties awarded Greece only the Dodecanese Islands (Rhodes, Kos, Patmos, Karpathos, and the rest of the group), which were formally transferred from Italy to Greece. The union was completed in stages, with full sovereignty and integration into the Greek state finalized on March 7, 1948.
No other territorial adjustments were granted:
- Greece’s border with Bulgaria remained unchanged
- No part of Northern Epirus was awarded
- No additional islands or mainland territories were received
Why the Outcome Was So Limited
Several factors shaped the restrictive result:
- Great Power priorities — The emerging Cold War shifted focus toward containing Soviet influence rather than fully rewarding smaller Allies
- British and American mediation — Both powers sought to avoid excessive weakening of Italy and Bulgaria, which were seen as potential future partners in Western Europe
- Soviet support for Bulgaria and Albania — Moscow backed its new communist allies in the Balkans, blocking Greek claims
- Compromise nature of the treaties — The Paris agreements were a series of bilateral settlements rather than a comprehensive revision of all pre-war borders
Historical Significance
Despite the disappointment over unfulfilled claims, the cession of the Dodecanese remains one of the most important territorial gains in modern Greek history. It completed the unification of almost all historically Greek-inhabited territories within the modern Greek state and ended a 35-year Italian occupation of the islands.
The Paris Peace Treaties of 1947 are therefore remembered in Greece with mixed feelings: pride in the return of the Dodecanese, but also regret that the country’s enormous wartime sacrifices did not translate into broader territorial or financial compensation.