Strategic Myopia: The Vision and Failure of Eleutherios Venizelos.
Abstract
Eleutherios Venizelos was the preeminent Greek statesman of the modern era, and one of the most famous European diplomats of the early twentieth century. Venizelos possessed many of the traits of a great strategic leader. He had a profound strategic vision -- the unification of the Greek people and restoration of Greece as an equal among the nations of Europe. His vision was shared by the people he led, who six times voted him premier. As a potential strategic leader, Venizelos possessed many imposing qualities: he was a charismatic visionary, a skillful orator, a brilliant diplomat, a successful politician, and an inspiring personality. Yet Venizelos was not a strategic leader. This paper examines his actions in detail, and concludes that he time and again failed to anticipate the second and third order consequences of his actions. As a result many of his most brilliant successes were quickly tarnished by developments he had failed to foresee. This study demonstrates how this strategic myopia dimmed the luster of what otherwise might have been one of the great political luminaries of the modern era. It reviews many of the critical decisions he made, and how the consequences of those choices resulted in the broader failure of the Venizelos legacy.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 15, 1996
- Accession Number
- ADA309438
Entities
People
- Paul D. Stephenson
Organizations
- United States Army War College