On Wednesday, October 25 at 6.30pm, Dr Constantinos Hatzidimitriou presented his first public lecture in Melbourne at the Lyceum Theatre of Alphington Grammar, on the topic, The Role of Eleftherios Venizelos in the Asia Minor Expedition and its Outcome.
Those in attendance included educators, leaders of Hellenism in Australia, as well as those interested in Greek American relations.
During the lecture, Dr Hatzidimitriou gave a brief summary of the historic timeline of the Asia Minor Catastrophe and Venizelos’ effort to realise the ‘Grand Idea’ (Μεγάλη Ιδέα).
The professor then presented undisputable evidence that the USA had evidence of the atrocities committed against the Christian populations of Asia Minor and the plan to rid of them from Smyrna through the fires. Even the American Consulate was burnt.
Dr Hatzidimitriou brought to light US archival documents that showed certain key US officials who were sympathetic to Turkish authorities actively participated on obfuscating the truth around events concerning the burning of Smyrna, which mainly destroyed areas where Christian minorities resided.
Many of these officials where linked to US oil interests who were eyeing potential oil concessions in the former Ottoman Empire. Venizelos had the ear of Woodrow Wilson but that advantage was lost when Warren Harding assumed the presidency.
Dr Hatzidimitriou will present his next lecture in Melbourne on Friday, October 27, titled Asia Minor Hellenism in general and Pontic Hellenism under the topic, Who Destructed Christianity in Asia Minor?
The Professor will then continue his lectures from October 28 to November 3 at the University of Sydney and at the premises of the Greek Community of Sydney and NSW.
