Chapter 243 Refugees and Disabled Soldiers

"Prime Minister Venizelos, Greece's diplomacy and military work are now intertwined. Chief of General Staff Emmanuel needs your help in the next military plan. I hope that your diplomatic department can maintain smooth communication with the General Staff and inform the news in time. The formulation of military plans requires the support of diplomatic intelligence." Constantine made a request to Venizelos.

As the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Venizelos also understood that the cloud of war has once again shrouded Greece. The next period of time is crucial for Greece.

"I understand. By the way, there is one more thing, Your Highness the Crown Prince, I need to ask you for instructions," Venizelos said as if he remembered something.

"There are a group of Greeks in the Ottoman Empire, about 50,000 to 60,000. The Ottoman government means that we hope we can accept this group of refugees."

"According to what you said just now, the biggest threat to Greece now is Bulgaria, so we need to ease the conflict with the Ottoman Empire," Venizelos said helplessly.

"My suggestion is that the government had better agree to this matter."

When Constantine heard Venizelos talking about the population problem, he couldn't help but feel a headache.

In the original historical time and space, the large population exchange between Greece and the Ottoman Empire (later became the Republic of Turkey), that is, the Greeks in the Ottoman Empire returned to Greece, and the MSL in Greece returned to Asia Minor, began long before World War I.

In fact, among the people, population migration between the two sides has been going on, but these actions are spontaneous actions of the people.

Especially in recent years, after the smooth development of Greek industry and more job opportunities, more Greeks have taken the initiative to go from Asia Minor to Greece.

After the defeat in 1912, the Ottoman government even took the initiative to encourage Greek migration.

Perhaps after a series of war failures, the Ottoman authorities lost confidence in maintaining a multi-ethnic and multi-religious country and felt annoyed by the large number of Christians in the country.

After entering the 19th century, the declining Ottoman Empire lost a series of lands, such as Serbia in the Balkans, Romania, Greece, Bulgaria, Georgia in the Caucasus, etc., all of which were either ceded or became independent after a series of war failures.

The Muslims who originally lived in these areas suddenly had a completely different political status, and they began to be excluded and expelled by other countries.

For half a century, batches of Muslims who lost their homes and property moved to Asia Minor with resentment and unwillingness, mainly Constantinople.

It can be said that these Muslims who were forced to leave their homes were the most direct victims of the decline of the Ottoman Empire.

In Constantinople, displaced Muslim refugees can often be seen shivering in the corners of the streets.

The resentment of these Muslims who were driven back towards Christians can be imagined.

For every group of Muslims who returned from other places, the hatred of the Muslims in Asia Minor towards the Christians in the country increased.

Therefore, in the original historical time and space, the shocking Armenian genocide and the Greek genocide in the Ottoman Empire were caused by the increasing number of MSL residents returning to Asia Minor from other places, which was the result of the concentrated outbreak of such contradictions.

The Greeks mentioned by Venizelos mainly live on the Aegean coast of Asia Minor.

These Greeks who were driven back, obviously their original houses and land will be used to accommodate those MSL refugees.

After the failure of the war in 1912, a group of homeless MSLs were added to Asia Minor. They were driven back from Macedonia and Thrace. This number may be conservatively estimated to be 600,000 to 700,000.

"I know, let's settle them in Macedonia, mainly near Thessaloniki. There are too many Jews there, and a group of Greeks just need to go there," Constantine said.

These Greek refugees will definitely have all their belongings confiscated before leaving Asia Minor. Therefore, it will cost a lot of money to settle these refugees.

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On June 7, 1912, Constantine and Crown Princess Sophie took the royal carriage to the Athens City Hospital to visit the injured soldiers who were recuperating there.

In front of the hospital building, the carriage slowly stopped, Sophie took Constantine's arm, and the two got off the carriage together.

At the steps in front of the hospital building, the two people in the lead were Dean Macaulay, wearing a black suit.

As for the other person, it was Nina, whom Constantine had not seen for a long time, wearing a tight suit.

Seeing Constantine and the other two get off the carriage, the two respectfully stepped forward to greet them.

"I am very happy to welcome the Crown Princess and the Crown Prince to our hospital," Dean Macaulay said with a smile on his face after bowing.

"Dean Macaulay, I think you are also clear about the purpose of my visit today. How is it going? Is everything going well?" Constantine responded.

After that, he turned to Nina and said, "Long time no see, Nina."

After the greetings, they entered the building. Nina and Macaulay led the way. They walked through the corridor and entered a ward.

On both sides of the corridor in the ward, there were two rows of beds, full of patients wearing white hospital gowns.

Some of them were lying on the bed with bandages on their thighs, and some had their arms hung in front of their chests with gauze, with sad faces, and so on.

Seeing a group of people coming in, the soldiers lying on the hospital bed struggled to stand up from the hospital bed to show respect.

Constantine stretched out his hand to stop everyone's movements, and then said to everyone: "You are all Greek national heroes. You fought to protect the interests of the Greeks in the war, and fulfilled your oath to protect the country and nation with your own actions. The scars on your body are the most dazzling medals."

The tone is passionate and full of enthusiasm.

"Now, I really want to do something for you heroes. If you have any questions, I can answer you," Constantine said.

Constantine had great respect and sympathy for these people.

The soldiers living in this ward are all patients who have suffered the misfortune of amputations. They are only young people in their 20s.

For the next long life, you will have to drag your incomplete body with you, which is undoubtedly a cruel reality for these young people who are just in their prime.

The soldier on the hospital bed to the left of Constantine said with some awe: "Your Royal Highness, thank you for coming to visit us. You have also seen our condition. We are all disabled now."

The upper body swayed, and an empty sleeve was extremely conspicuous: "My condition is good, but I am missing an arm. After retirement, I can still find some work in society."

With his only remaining right hand, he pointed at the patient beside him and said: "But people like Bernie who have had their thighs amputated are miserable. With their condition, it is impossible for them to find any decent job in society."

"You can rest assured that disabled soldiers will receive a monthly disability allowance after retirement, and the army will try its best to help you find a job within your ability." Constantine naturally understood what they were worried about.

"The demobilized soldiers committee will make sure you get jobs"

"No matter what, you will not be forgotten by the Greek army"

Constantine's words obviously dispelled some of everyone's doubts, and the original solemn atmosphere in the ward suddenly dissipated a bit.