User blog:4th of Augustball/My Opinion on the Megali Idea "Big Idea"

In this post I am going to voice my opinion on the nationalistic "Μεγάλη Ιδέα" about what it is and what parts of this view should be succeeded or dropped. No one asked for my opinion anyway so I don't expect to be bombarded by ultra nationalists as my views are not canon and are simply what I think would be best for the Hellenic State.

Firstly I will begin to explain what the Megali Idea nationalist movement is. The Megali Idea was a nationalistic movement brought up by Greeks during the 1800's as an ideological goal that Greece would one day reunite with it's old traditional lands it one held when it was the Byzantine Empire. These lands, to the Greeks, have always been traditionally Greek and thus should be united under their flag. The lands the Megali Idea seeked to reunite with are: Constantinople/ Eastern Thrace, Smyrna (or more accurately the whole fucking west side of Turkey), Cyprus, North Epirus, Bulgarian Thrace/Eastern Rumelia, Southern Vardaska Macedonia, Turkey's Northern Coast and (to a degree) Crimea.

Now that you know what this nationalistic movement is, I will know dissect what parts of that Idea should succeed and which should be dropped for better or for worse.

Constantinople/ Eastern Thrace: I honestly believe we are never going to get it back (I cry everytime) but I do think that taking Constantinople would be beneficial for mainly religous reasons. I don't care about taking Constantinople back for reliving "the glorious days of Byzantium" (although that would be cool), I care about the relgious value this city holds. This city is the heart of what Eastern Orthodoxy is (excluding Jerusalem). This city housed our most famous church, the Αγία Σοφία. Greece needs this territory back. But I shall not exclude the fact that this also holds a key role in Turkey's history as well as that area was the former capital of the Ottomans and it houses their most famous mosque.

In all honesty, I think the city of Constantionople should act like Jerusalem in a way as this should be symbol of both Turkey's Islamic faith and the Eastern Orthodox faith of Europe. Yes I want that city to be reunited with Greece again but that simply is not going to happen and the Turks have a right to claim it too (they claimed it through invasion and slaughter but nonetheless they still need it).

Smyrna: This is another city we are not going to get back yet we need. Smyrna has a prominant Greek minority and has also been traditionally Greek for many years. However whether or not we should get it or not is up to you but I think we need it to be Greek again as the Turks had no right to persecute the Greeks living their for the sake of purification.

Cyprus: Enosis (unification) should have succeeded with Greece as that election was fair and the majority of Cyprus is still ethnically Greek. Nevertheless I find two solutions to the Cyprus dilemma. We either a) allow the Greek part of Cyprus to be annexed by Greece and the Turkish part be annexed by Turkey or b) We piss off of Cyprus and let them unify under their own will. Still would've liked to see an enosis but oh well.

North Epirus: North Epirus is Greek. Plain and simple. We had taken over North Epirus 3 times throughout our history and the people who live there are ethnically Greek. Albania didn't even exist at the time Greece did but Greece was forced to give up the lands there due to some treaty. The people in North Epirus are abused by the Albanians so I don't see why they should abode in Albania any longer. This part of the Megali Idea I can safely say should succeed (if you have a problem with this please by all means write an educated comment below so that I can have a fruitful discussion about this topic).

Bulgarian Thrace/ Eastern Rumelia: I don't know why we want these lands. The Bulgarians have proven to be fruitful allies (well not in the past but the present) and have no beef with us anymore. Even in terms of historical claims to the lands I see no reason to claim them as the latest claims have been from the Byzantine era and there are literally next to no Greeks living in that region. I honestly don't think we should have Bulgarian Thrace.

Southern Macedonia/ Vardaska: Seriously? These lands are not Greek. When have they ever been Greek in our life time? Even the lands we have now are controversial (However Greek Macedonia will remain Greek for as long as I live) so why do we want these lands. Either than the name dispute, Macedonia is just like Bulgaria. Sure they can be assholes but they are fellow Orthodox Christian. Leave them and their lands alone.

Turkey's North Coast: This is where I put my foot down and say "we are pushing it too much". Strategically they are good land to hold in our possession but ethnically and culturally they belong to Turkey (well they were originally Byzantine but still they should remain Turkish). Geez by this rate radical supporters of the Megali Idea are at the least calling for Turkey to become landlocked or at worst calling for all of Turkey to be Greek.

Crimea: Heheheheheheheheheh *stares at Russia*. uuuuuh no. We are definately not gettin these lands anytime soon. Even if we wanted to.

If you have any opinions please write them down in the comments and I will be more than happy to repond and begin a discussion with you. Until then, God bless you.