Aristeidis Stergiadis

He immediately went to work in setting up an administration, easing ethnic violence, and making plans for permanent annexation of Smyrna.

He punished Greek soldiers responsible for the violence on 15–16 May with court-martial, and created a commission to decide on payment for victims (made up of representatives from Britain, France, Italy and other allies).

Historians disagree about whether this was a genuine stance against discrimination[3] or whether it was an attempt to present a positive vision of the occupation to the Entente.

On 14 July 1919, the acting foreign secretary sent a long critical telegraph to Venizelos suggesting that Stergiadis be removed, writing that "His sick neuroticism has reached a climax.

"[1] Venizelos stuck with support of Stergiadis despite this opposition, while the latter oversaw a number of projects planning for a permanent Greek administration of Smyrna.