Documentary History of Greece: 1943-1951, Truman Doctrine and Marshall Plan

Director of the Service of Diplomatic and Historical Archives of the Hellenic Ministry of Foreign Affairs Photini Tomai will discuss her latest book entitled “Documentary History of Greece: 1943-1951, Truman Doctrine and Marshall Plan." The volume is comprised of 181 documents relating to the American aid made available to Greece, amongst other European countries, after the Second World War. Along with the economic reconstruction of the country, which was given primacy in the prologue to the decision taken by the American Congress, it traces the political, social and military implications of the implementation of the economic recovery program extended throughout Greece especially after the Civil War.

Photini Tomai joined the Hellenic Ministry of Foreign Affairs 30 years ago, where for more than 15 years she has served as the Director of the Service of Diplomatic and Historical Archives. Since 1998, when she edited together with Professor Thanos Veremis the volume “Records on the History of Greek Jews”, she has been responsible within the Ministry for the documentation of the Holocaust through state sources and the support of relevant academic research. She is also a prominent author, having published several scientific studies, novels and children’s books. Thomai is a member of the Advisory Council of the European Shoah Legacy Institute, a member of the Greek Delegation at the International Task Force for Holocaust Education, Remembrance and Research, and national representative at the International Committee of the International Tracing Service (Bad Arolsen Archives). In October 2011, the Washington Oxi Day Foundation awarded Thomai with the first Metropolitan Chrysostomos Award, recognizing action to stop anti-Semitism or discrimination. She studied History and Archaeology at the Universities of Athens, Greece and Birmingham, UK.

Joining Tomai on the panel is ThanosVeremis, professor of history at the University of Athens, Department of European and International Studies and Founding Member of the Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy (ELIAMEP). He has been Research Associate, at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, London 1978-79; Visiting Scholar, Center for European Studies, Harvard Univ. 1983; Visiting Professor at the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, Princeton Univ. 1987; Visiting Fellow, St. Antony's College, Oxford 1993-94; Constantine Karamanlis Professor at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Medford Massachusetts (2000-2003); and Visiting Senior Fellow  at the Hellenic Observatory of the LSE (2010). He has served as President of the National Council for Education (2004- 2010). His publications include: The Military in Greek Politics, London: Hurst & Co (1997); with Mark Dragoumis, Greece, World Bibliographical Series, vol.17, Oxford: Clio Press (1998); with John Koliopoulos, Greece. The Modern Sequel, London: Hurst & Co, (2002); The Balkans. Construction and Deconstruction of States, Patakis (2005). His most recent title (with John Koliopoulos) is: Modern Greece. A History since 1821, Wiley-Blackwell (2010).

James G. Hershberg, professor of history at The George Washington University will chair the event.