Paradise Lost: Smyrna 1922 - The Destruction of Islam's City of Tolerance

by Giles Milton

Paradise Lost

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Greece, War, Middle East, Politics, 20th Century

464 pages, Paperback

First published July 8, 2008

About the author

British writer and journalist Giles Milton was born in Buckinghamshire in 1966. He has contributed articles for most of the British national newspapers as well as many foreign publications, and specializes in the history of travel and exploration. In the course of his researches, he has traveled extensively in Europe, the Middle East, Japan and the Far East, and the Americas.

Knowledgeable, insatiably curious and entertaining, Milton locates history's most fascinating—and most overlooked—stories and brings them to life in his books.

He lives in London, where he is a member of the Hakluyt Society, which is dedicated to reprinting the works of explorers and adventurers in scholarly editions, some of which he uses in his research. He wrote most of Samurai William in the London Library, where he loves the "huge reading room, large Victorian desks and creaking armchairs". At home and while traveling, he is ever on the lookout for new untold stories. Apparently he began researching the life of Sir John Mandeville for his book The Riddle and the Knight after Mandeville’s book Travels "literally fell off the shelf of a Paris bookstore" in which he was browsing.

Copyright BookBrowse.com 2007

Reviews

[Themistocles · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book starts off beautifully. For the first 50 or so pages the reader finds out about a fantastic, idyllic city and then get a foreboding of doom creeping in, setting the pace for a real page-turner.

However, it is marred by several serious flaws and ultimately falls flat on its face.

To begin with, for some reason Milton decides to give extreme focus to the Leventine families of Smyrna. Sure, the lives of the rich is something lots of people are interested in, but the lives of the rich do not constitute the life of a city. The reader does not even get a glimpse of that life, with the more seedy aspects of life, darker neighborhoods and rebetika taverns. As such the description of the city is severely wanting. Even when the destruction begins, and even though (as he admits) the Leventines didn't suffer anything but the loss of their property, he insists on devoting an inordinate amount of space to their killed cats or abandoned villas.

In terms of interviews, too, the effort is rather pathetic: a couple of half-baked interviews with Greek survivors, perhaps one or two of Armenians, all amounting to maybe a few pages of material. This is really disappointing since not only there are several survivors still around, but also since there are scores of biographies and first-person accounts of Smyrna and its destruction that could have served the book much better. And he ignores the Jewish community altogether.

In terms of writing, while Milton starts in a great way he soon loses track of structure and discipline; as a result you may read, on one page, about the march of the Greek army in the depths of Anatolia, and a couple of pages later, bam! the Turks are entering Smyrna. He doesn't make an effort to supply the reader with the grander picture and it's rather obvious he couldn't care less about the geopolitics of the story. Heck, he doesn't even mention the Crimean war and the ramifications this had for the relations of the Russians with the Turkish nationalists.

The catastrophe itself is described with no empathy and in a relatively small (quite small) section of the book. No matter that there are scores of accounts from victims and observers, he gets it over with rather quickly. No matter that this ranks among the greater catastrophes and tragedies of history, it's almost as he's afraid to tread along the rivers of blood. And then it's suddenly over, and the "Aftermath" section of the book is really a joke, probably written on the bus on the way to submit the book to the publisher.

Milton also appears to be rather ignorant about the dynamics and the peculiarities of the peoples involved. He rather haughtily believes, for instance, that seasoned navy captains would panic in the site of the first random foreign civilian who threatens them with court martial and gets on with the story. He even gets translations completely wrong, proving he doesn't have the slightest grip on the people he's describing.

Finally, the photos accompanying the book are probably the 'mildest' I have ever seen, reflecting the overall attitude of Milton's.

A shame...

[Giorgos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Όλα είναι ιστορίες. Ο παππούς αρνιόταν να γυρίσει στην Τουρκία με κάποια από τις εκδρομές που γίνονταν έως το χωριό του, ούτε ήθελε να ξαναδεί την παραλία της Σμύρνης όπου άρτι «ηρραβωνισθείς» είχε ανοίξει μικρό παντοπωλείο μια μέρα πριν από την επιστράτευση… Οι παιδικές αναμνήσεις των προσωπικών του διηγήσεων για τον πόλεμο, έως την έσχατη προώθηση προς την Άγκυρα, και την καταστροφή, και στις δύο ακτές του Αιγαίου, δεν μ’ αφήνουν ποτέ να διαβάσω χωρίς κόμπο οποιοδήποτε σχετικό βιβλίο, ακόμη κι αν είναι η επίτομη ιστορία της μικρασιατικής εκστρατείας της Διεύθυνσης Ιστορίας Στρατού... Κι αυτό το βιβλίο δένει πιο σφιχτά τον κόμπο.

Είχα κι έναν λόγο να το ‘αντιπαθώ’: φίλος αρχαίος ιστορικός, Εβραίος της Αμερικής, Φίλιππος στο όνομα (και με …Αλέξανδρο τον μεγάλο γιο), δεν το άφηνε από τα χέρια του σε καλοκαιρινές μας διακοπές -ε, είπαμε docti, αλλά μας περίμεναν το Λυβικό Πέλαγος και άλλα πιο ευχάριστα πράγματα. Μόλις είχε βγει το βιβλίο, και καταλαβαίνεις πόσο πετυχημένα αφηγείται την παλιά ιστορία του όταν δεν στρέφεις τα μάτια στην τρέχουσα ιστορία ή, αλλιώς, at a beach full of art I’d still stare at …

Δικαίως έχει επισημάνει η ιστορική κριτική ότι επιμένει υπερβολικά στην ιστορία των Λεβαντίνων της Σμύρνης, δεν δίνει πάντα εύστοχα το γενικό ιστορικό πλαίσιο και την πορεία προς την καταστροφή, ίσως δεν αξιοποιεί κάποιες ελληνικές πηγές (αν και έχει ψάξει και βασίζεται σε πολλές, ιδιαίτερα των Λεβαντίνων), φωτίζει μερικές μόνο πτυχές και αιτίες των γεγονότων. Ένας ιστορικός θα είχε πολλά να προσθέσει και, ιδίως, το ευρύτερο εξηγητικό πλαίσιο της καταστροφής. Πιθανώς, όμως, το ξένο κοινό που δεν γνωρίζει σχεδόν τίποτε για ένα τόσο σημαδιακό γεγονός, με ένα τέτοιο βιβλίο να μάθει (γρ. έμαθε) αρκετά, ενώ το ελληνικό κοινό –που έχει συνηθίσει να θεωρεί το μικρασιατικο μόνο μέσα από τη δική του οπτική– θα βρει στο βιβλίο αυτό μια διαφορετική προσέγγιση.

Τούτων δοθέντων (ότι δεν πρόκειται ακριβώς για ιστορική μελέτη) και ανεξάρτητα από τα shortcomings, που λέμε και στις τυπικές βιβλιοκρισίες, είναι ένα καλογραμμένο βιβλίο, που επιλέγει και αφηγείται, όχι εντελώς παρατακτικά, μικρές προσωπικές και μεγάλες ιστορίες. Κι αν δεν εξηγεί επαρκώς, συγκινεί με το παραπάνω –στο κάτω κάτω δεν παρουσιάζεται ως βιβλίο που θα επιλογίσει την ιστορική έρευνα και θα αποδώσει ιστορική δικαιοσύνη. Κι αν είναι αρκετές φορές επικριτικός προς την ελληνική πλευρά, η εσωτερική κριτική του προς τη στάση της Βρετανίας είναι αναμφισβήτητη (ε, κάτι γνώρισαν κι οι Βρετανοί από lost empire).

Όλα (σχεδόν;) τα στοιχεία της, κατά τον συγγραφέα, «πρώτης μεγάλης ανθρωπιστικής καταστροφής του 20ού αιώνα», είναι εδώ. Γλαφυρά δοσμένα: η πολυεθνική Σμύρνη με το κυρίαρχο ελληνικό στοιχείο, η πολύχρωμη και φανταχτερή ζωή της, η σχετικά εύκολη επιβίωσή της μέσα στον Α΄ Παγκόσμιο Πόλεμος, το κέρδος του Βενιζέλου (ο Παράδεισος) – ο ελληνικός στρατός στη Σμύρνη, το αίμα στην προκυμία και η αναταραχή στην ενδοχώρα, η επισφαλής ελληνική εκστρατεία και η απέλπιδα διάβαση της ερήμου (τα ερπετά στον Παράδεισο) – και το μεγαλύτερο μέρος του βιβλίου, η μέρα με τη μέρα αφήγηση της καταστροφής της Σμύρνης, από την Τετάρτη 6 Σεπτεμβρίου έως το Σάββατο 30 Σεπτεμβρίου (ο χαμένος Παράδεισος). Αυτές τις τελευταίες 150 σελίδες, μυθιστορηματικές και ωμές, τις διάβασα σφιγμένος και απνευστί -δεν αντέχεται η σήψη και η αποφορά, τόσων ανθρώπων, μιας πόλης, ενός πολιτισμού (όσο κι αν, ιστορικά, κατανοείς τις αιτίες των γεγονότων). Δεν αντέχεται η συμπυκνωμένη συστηματική θηριωδία και η απάθεια –όσο κι αν ο Μίλτον προσπαθεί παράλληλα να αναδείξει ηρωϊκές πράξεις βοήθειας των ξένων.

Πέρα από το συγκεκριμένο. Ίσως σε μια εποχή που το Νούμερο του Βενέζη δεν συνιστάται υπερπροστατευτικά ως πολύ splatter για το νεανικό κοινό (όπου «ο καλύτερος» έχει σκοτώσει μερικές εκατοντάδες στο Call of duty και στο Grand Theft Auto), που οι ιστορικές διηγήσεις γεγονότων λίγων δεκαετιών, πολλώ μάλλον ενός αιώνα, οδηγούν σε βαθιά χασμουρητά, που τα σχολικά εγχειρίδια ιστορίας επιμένουν να αποστηθίζουμε τον αριθμό δωματίων των προσφυγικών σπιτιών της Επιτροπής Αποκαταστάσεως, αυτά που δύνανται ακόμη να μας συναρπάζουν είναι βιβλία που έχουν ισχυρό αφηγηματικό κορμό (και όχι «ευκολομνημόνευτα» bullets). Τέτοιο είναι και ο Χαμένος Παράδεισος του Μίλτον, βιβλίο που νομίζω όλοι αξίζει να διαβάσουμε.

«Κάνατε και σεις, όμως, διάφορα στην περιοχή», παρατήρησε, χωρίς πρόθεση συμψηφισμού, ο φιλέλληνας φίλος εκείνο το καλοκαίρι. Δεν μπορούσα να μην το δεχτώ, ούτε να του απαντήσω ότι «κι εσείς βασανίζατε τους μαύρους» –αυτή είναι η ιστορία μας. Κι οι δυο, πάντως, συμφωνήσαμε ότι τίποτε πιο σημαδιακό: ένας Milton να (ξανα)γράφει τον Paradise Lost στον 21ο αιώνα, τον χαμένο παράδεισο της ιστορίας, για ανθρώπους που μάλλον δεν ελπίζουν στον Paradise Regained, που δεν υπάρχει πλέον και κάποιος να τον (ξανα)γράψει. Μηδέν άγαν. Εξάλλου από την ταβέρνας της Αγια Φωτιάς κατευθυνόμασταν ήδη στην Αγία Γαλήνη κι ο συνωστισμός προβλεπόταν μεγάλος.

[Marc Lamot · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think I can handle quite something when it comes to reading gruesome scenes, but the deluge of mutilation, torture, rape, and massacres that Milton in this book pours on you, was almost unbearable. The tragic fate of hundreds of thousands of Greeks and Armenians after the occupation of the thriving port city of Smyrna (now Izmir) by the Turkish nationalist Mustafa Kemal (later Ataturk) in 1922, defies all imagination. Milton describes it in the second part of this book in full, with lots of eyewitness accounts. Quite staggering.
Milton does his utmost to designate the culprits for this massacre. And he tries to be quite balanced, by not unilaterally blaming the Turks. In the first part of the book he refers primarily to the megalomania of the Greeks (who wanted to establish a large Greek empire in Asia Minor) and the naive support of British Prime Minister Lloyd George. Ultimately, just about everyone appears to bear some guilt, including the Americans, who hold on to a strict neutrality, out of commercial purpose.
Still, I have grave reservations about this book. Milton bases his story on numerous sources, but it is very striking that especially the European families that controlled the business in Smyrna, the Levantine dynasties, come so much into the picture and are quoted constantly. In addition, he also quotes Greek, Armenian and British sources, but ... the Turkish angle is almost completely omitted! Sporadically a subordinate of Kemal is quoted, but then almost only to illustrate the mood of the Grand Turk. And that is quite inexcusable. Even though it seems that the Turks in Smyrna have committed untold war crimes, it just isn’t right that the Turkish perspective isn’t elaborated upon, and virtually no Turkish sources are consulted. It is as though the Turks only were a herd of barbaric nomads, acting out of pure vengeance. Believe me, history never is as simple as that!

[A. Sacit · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book chronicles the final years of the multi-ethnic, multi-cultural, great Levantine city of Smyrna (now Izmir) during the final few years of the Ottoman Empire, when it all ended in an enormous tragedy with the collapse of the Empire after WW1 and the emergence of the Turkish Republic from its ashes.

Milton writes in fascinating detail of the fairy-tale-like lives of the Smyrna Levantines, mainly the people of British, French, and Dutch origin, the fabulous wealth that they accumulated as a result of the trading advantages afforded to them by the Ottoman Empire (Capitulations), peace and harmony between the Christian (Greeks, Armenians), Jewish, and Moslem populations (mainly Turks), and skillful maneuvering and balancing acts of the Ottoman Governor Rahmi Bey to keep peace and harmony between different ethnic groups during the difficult days of WW1.

With the Ottoman Empire on the losing side at the end of WW1, a rabidly nationalistic Greek army was unleashed by Lloyd George, the British Prime Minister at the time, on Smyrna and Western Anatolia, which caused enormous destruction and atrocities, and irreparably damaged the tolerance and good-will which the Empire fostered for her Christian minorities since its early days. For Kemal Atatürk and the Turkish nation, it was a matter of survival, life or death, as the WW1 victors aimed to entirely dismantle the Empire and divide the territory among them, and on several occasions the British and Greek leaderships expressed their desire to drive the Turks back into the depths of the Central Asia where they originated from a thousand years ago. Turks under the leadership of Atatürk were victorious and prevailed, and Turkey emerged as a secular republic, an entirely different polity with no more Sultan or Caliphate.

As the saying goes, "They that sow the wind, shall reap the whirlwind". Regrettable as the circumstances may be, it was clear that the victorious Turkish army would not be sympathetic to the retreating Greek army and the minorities who cheered and supported the invaders. As for who started the great Smyrna fires, this is largely controversial. The book loses its somewhat balanced tact that it has at the beginning, and the final chapters unfortunately become farcical, as they are composed of emotional and unsubstantiated testimonials of only the Christian minorities and foreign officials who were fleeing the city and whose loyalty and sympathies were clearly with the West. There are testimonials and evidence presented in some other sources that the fires were started by Greeks who were dressed in Turkish military garb. This was in character with the defeated Greek army as they burned and destroyed everything in their path while they retreated from Asia Minor, with total disregard for the fate of the Christian minority populations (Greeks, Armenians) whom they were leaving behind. Why would it be any different for Smyrna as the Greek army were fleeing and could see no future for Greeks in the City? Why would the Turkish army burn down the property and possessions in a city which they just conquered from enemy? These questions would be difficult to answer if the allegations about the great fire in the book were true.

[Πάνος Τουρλής · Rating 3 out of 5]

Για τη Σμύρνη και τη Μικρασιατική Καταστροφή του 1922 έχουν χυθεί τόνοι μελάνης, έχουν φωτιστεί σχεδόν όλες οι πτυχές, οι αιμάσσουσες πληγές ράφτηκαν βιαστικά με τη Συνθήκη της Λωζάνης το 1923 και την επακόλουθη ανταλλαγή πληθυσμών, οπότε ό,τι και να γράψω εισαγωγικά για το βιβλίο του Τζάιλς Μίλτον θα είναι σα να κομίζω όχι μόνο μία γλαύκα ες Αθήνας αλλά και το σόι της.

Ο «Χαμένος παράδεισος» είναι μια τεκμηριωμένη ιστορική μελέτη γύρω από την καταστροφή της Σμύρνης και τη λήξη της Μεγάλης Ιδέας, με μια διαφορά μόνο: ο συγγραφέας είναι Βρετανός και επομένως ρίχνει το βάρος του στην καθημερινόιτητα πριν και στις συνέπειες μετά στη ζωή των Λεβαντίνων της Σμύρνης. «Η λεβαντίνικη κοινότητα ήταν μακράν η πλουσιότερη της πόλης. Ευρωπαϊκής καταγωγής, αλλά έχοντας αφομοιώσει τους τρόπους της Ανατολής, τα μέλη της ζούσαν στην Τουρκία από τα χρόνια της βασιλείας του Γεωργίου Γ΄ [1801-1820]» (σελ. 37). Ο συγγραφέας βασισμένος σε ημερολόγια, αυτόπτες μάρτυρες, απογόνους ανθρώπων που έζησαν τα γεγονότα κυριολεκτικά στο πετσί τους, έγγραφα, διασταυρώνει, μελετάει, υποστηρίζει, καταγράφει και παραδίδει μια εμβριθή μελέτη για την εποχή και την πόλη.

Παρ’ όλο που η ματιά του είναι φιλοδυτική και δεν αναφέρεται σχεδόν καθόλου στη ζωή της ελληνικής κοινότητας, το ευρύτερο ιστορικό πλαίσιο και οι πρωτεργάτες της Μεγάλης Ιδέας και καταστροφής (Βενιζέλος, Χατζανέστης, Κωνσταντίνος Β΄κ. ά.) περιγράφονται εξίσου αντικειμενικά. Σίγουρα το όνειρο της Σμύρνης ήταν ελληνικό και η λήξη του Πρώτου Μεγάλου Πολέμου βρήκε την Ελλάδα να διεκδικεί πατρίδες αιώνων, επομένως ήταν λογικό ένας ιστορικός να μην μπορεί να παραλείψει αυτά τα γεγονότα. Έτσι, η καταγραφή της λεβαντίνικης ζωής ήταν άμεσα συνδεδεμένη με τα αίτια και τις αφορμές των διπλωματικών χειρισμών της ελληνικής πλευράς. Και ως αναγνώστης και μελετητής του συγκεκριμένου ζητήματος δε βρήκα λάθη, παραλείψεις ή ανισομέρειες. Τα γεγονότα εκτίθενται όπως έγιναν, οι πρωταγωνιστές του δράματος καταγράφηκαν τεκμηριωμένα, τα περιστατικά ακολουθούσαν το ένα το άλλο με διασταυρωμένες λεπτομέρειες και η καταστροφή της Σμύρνης ξεδιπλώθηκε μπροστά στα μάτια μου μέρα τη μέρα. Το μόνο σημείο που με εκνεύρισε και έκανε ολοφάνερη την πλευρά από την οποία κατέγραφε ο συγγραφέας ήταν η εκφώνηση της δυστυχίας πως η οικογένεια Ουίτταλ αναγκάστηκε να διωχτεί από μια ζωή τριών αιώνων! Τι να πουν, κύριε Μίλτον, και οι δόλιοι Έλληνες που ζούσαν εκεί από τουλάχιστον τον 1ο αιώνα π. Χ.;

Διαβάζοντας κανείς μια βιογραφία είναι δύσκολο να τη διαβάσει διεξοδικά και ολόκληρη από την αρχή ως το τέλος, αν την επιλέξει ως ανάγνωσμα και όχι ως μελέτη για μια εργασία του. Εδώ όμως είναι τέτοια η ροή του λόγου, η επιλογή των χωρίων και των τεκμηρίων, η εναλλαγή των σκηνών που παρασύρθηκα και δεν μπόρεσα να αφήσω ούτε σελίδα (εντάξει, αδιαφόρησα για την εκτενέστατη περιγραφή του τρόπου ζωής των λεβαντίνων αστών, τα κότερά τους, τα ανάκτορά τους κλπ.). Η συνθήκη των Σεβρών, η κατάληψη της Κωνσταντινούπολης, η κακομαθημένη συμπεριφορά των Ιταλών που θέλανε ντε και σώνει τη Σμύρνη, κάτι που ανάγκασε τους Συμμάχους να τη δώσουν ελαφρά τη καρδιά στην Ελλάδα, η απόβαση του ελληνικού στρατού, η ήττα του Βενιζέλου και η αρχή του τέλους, η ανεδαφική σκέψη για κατάληψη της Άγκυρας, η πορεία στην Αλμυρά έρημο, ο Ατατούρκ, άριστος γνώστης των καταστάσεων και ικανός ηγέτης σε μια πατρίδα και ιδεολογία που αργόσβηνε, η κατάρρευση του μετώπου, οι σφαγές, η πυρπόληση της Σμύρνης κατόπιν διαταγών, το αίμα, η σφαγή («συνωστισμός» κατά ορισμένους ανιστόρητους θερμοκέφαλους), εμπλουτισμένα όλα και με χαρακτηριστικές φωτογραφίες, συναποτελούν ένα γλαφυρό ανάγνωσμα, που θα λύσει πολλές απορίες για όσους δε γνωρίζουν και θα θυμίσει γεγονότα και καταστάσεις σε όσους μελετούν αυτό το κομμάτι της σύγχρονης Ιστορίας. Αν εξαιρέσουμε τη μονομέρεια και τον ελλιπή φωτισμό για τους υπόλοιπους κατοίκους της Σμύρνης, αν αγνοήσουμε πως ο συγγραφέας αναφέρεται στην τύχη ανθρώπων που έχασαν περιουσίες ενώ υπήρξαν άλλοι που έχασαν και την ιδεολογία τους και τα όνειρά τους για μια μη διακοπή της ιστορικότητας της περιοχής, ο «Χαμένος παράδεισος» είναι ένα καλό υλικό για τη βιβλιογραφία της μικρασιατικής καταστροφής

[Christopher Saunders · Rating 4 out of 5]

Giles Milton's Paradise Lost recounts the calamity that befell Asia Minor in the early '20s: the Greco-Turkish War, culminating in the burning and massacre of Smyrna (now Izmit). Using first-hand accounts from foreign emigres, reporters and lifelong residents of the city, Milton shows how Smyrna was one of the most diverse, tolerant cities in the early 20th Century: balanced between Greeks, Turks and other groups, it was a thriving port that was the pride of Ottoman Turkey. Until World War I broke the Empire and Greek Prime Minister Venizelos, with his "Big Idea" of extending his nation's hegemony across the Aegean (and goaded by his British allies), invaded the weakened rump state to claim spoils. Unfortunately for his ambitions, Mustafa Kemal was building a nationalist army to redeem Turkey and crush the invaders. The resulting war was one of the most savage of modern times: between massive battles and political turmoil, Greek Christians and Muslim Turks exchanged atrocities, which Milton makes clear neither side had a monopoly on. Even so, the Turks took the crown with their horrifying sack of Smyrna: Milton leaves little doubt that Kemal's destruction of the city was deliberate, accompanied by scenes of looting, rape and mass murder worthy of medieval times. Milton captures the horror of the violence, the indifference of foreign nations (whose ships and soldiers stood by as the atrocities unfolded) and the gallant efforts of a few British, American, Greek and Japanese humanitarians to rescue as many residents as possible. Even so, Kemal left the city in ruins and its Christian population expelled or extirpated, with a death toll approaching 100,000 - an atrocity largely forgotten outside of those groups immediately affected. A well-rounded, harrowing portrait of the life and death of a city, the victim of bad policies and mass violence its residents could scarcely control.

[Brigitte · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to give this 2.5 stars but, since that wasn't an option, I had to scale back my rating. The subject matter is endlessly fascinating, but, sadly, this book doesn't do it justice. It is way too long. Three-quarters of it bows and scrapes to British Levantine families, which gets downright annoying. Despite the book's obsequiousness (or because of it), the Levantines come across as complete ponces and dandies - and maybe they were. As a reader, I was not in the least inclined to identify with them. There was next to nothing about more ordinary folk, whether Greek, Armenian, Jewish or Turkish, except for plenty of graphic stuff towards the end, which is when the earlier preoccupation with the Levantines simply peters out - there's no pay off. That's a major structural flaw - the main characters have very little to do with the climax of the story, the events of 1922. There would have been other ways to write from outside the loaded points of view of Greeks or Turks, and there were plenty of real heroes - such as Asa Jennings - who would have made much more interesting protagonists.

The writing is puffy, grandiose and repetitive. Where was the editor's scimitar? Then, on the last page, to add an unnecessary tug at the heartstrings, the author claims that Nea Smyrni, the area of Athens where many Greek refugees from Smyrna resettled, is one of the city's 'poorest quarters'. That is simply not true - it may not be Kolonaki but it is reasonably well to do. I got the feeling this book was written in a hurry, and from the list of sources it seems plenty has been re-purposed from other books. Perhaps it should have focused completely on the Levantines, with a just a passing mention of what happened in 1922 - it would have been a more cohesive and honest book. As it stands, It lacks gravitas, authenticity, and, bizarrely, emotional impact. And that makes me very sad.

[Gerald Sinstadt · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the battle for supremacy in Asia Minor between Greece and Turkey, the city of Smyrna (now Izmirs suffered horrendous collateral damage. Until the outbreak of the first World War, Smyrna was a predominantly happy multinational community. Largely thanks to benevolent Levantine employers, the inhabitants prospered; thanks to that prosperity, the Levantine families led an existence reminiscent of the palmy days of the Raj. On the outbreak of war, Britain and her allies backed Greece while Turkey chose the German side. What ensued was a campaign of ethnic cleansing from which no nation emerged with credit,despite the heroic endeavours of several unsung individuals.

This seems to have been a small corner of British history that had not been chronicled until Giles Morton's detailed account in Paradise Lost. Drawing on official papers, newspaper reports, contemporary letters and diaries, and personal interviews, Milton paints a vivid picture of the descent from serene coexistence into the inferno. There are times when the book in somewhat artless style piles atrocity upon atrocity, but it is this very repetition which hammers home the true extent of the tragedy.

Kemal Ataturk's bloodthirsty role as the founder of modern Turkey is a morality talein itself. Lloyd George's seat-of-the-pants direction of Britain's involvement was far from this nation's finest hour.

Those who deserve credit, do so for personal courage. They include Rahmit Bey, the Ottoman Governor of Smyrna; George Horton, the American consul whose diaries illuminate the narrative; and above all two other 'ordinary' Americans - Asa Jennings, a YMCA employee, and Esther Lovejoy - who masterminded an astonishing evacuation that saved the lives of literally thousands of innocent refugees.

Paradise Lost is a story that needed to be told. We must be grateful that is has been told so well.

PS Although this site says there is no ebook version, I read it on Kindle.

[Ιωάννα Μπαμπέτα · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ένα ιστορικό βιβλίο που θα έπρεπε να διαβάζεται στα σχολεία. Κατάγομαι από τη Σμύρνη κι έχω ακούσει πολλές ιστορίες από την καταστροφή. Ο παππούς μου (ήταν μικρό παιδί τότε) ευτυχώς που είχε αφηγηθεί πολλά περιστατικά στον πατέρα μου κι εκείνος έπειτα σε μένα. Πολλά γεγονότα όμως (κυρίως αυτά που προηγήθηκαν της καταστροφής) δεν τα ήξερα.
Αν και ο λόγος του Μίλτον είναι αυστηρός, αμερόληπτος και περιεκτικός εγώ κατασυγκινήθηκα… Δάκρυσα, θύμωσα, φοβήθηκα. Τα έκανα όλα αυτά εικόνες στο μυαλό μου… Είδα εφιάλτες χτες το βράδυ…

Είμαι όμως πραγματικά πολύ χαρούμενη που αποφάσισα να το διαβάσω. Πόσο εύκολο είναι να μεταμορφωθεί ο άνθρωπος σε κτήνος… Πόσο λάθος είναι να θεωρούμε πως υπάρχουν καλοί και κακοί μόνο. Πόσο λάθος είναι να πιστεύουμε πως οι Έλληνες δεν έφταιξαν σε τίποτα… Πόσο κρίμα που έγινε όλο αυτό… Πόσο υπέφεραν οι Έλληνες και οι Αρμένιοι… Πόσο κρίμα που δεν υπάρχει πια το μαργαριτάρι της Ανατολής. Πόσο διαφορετικός θα ήταν ο κόσμος αν κάποιες κινήσεις ήταν λίγο διαφορετικές… Αν οι Μεγάλες Δυνάμεις ενεργούσαν διαφορετικά…

Θα συνεχίσω με το βιβλίο του Χόρτον..

[blondie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Μια εμβριθή μελέτη για την πόλη και την εποχή, ιστορικά τεκμηριωμένη από μαρτυρίες, ημερολόγια, αυτόπτες μάρτυρες, έγγραφα, χωρίς παραλήψεις, λάθη ή ανισομέρειες. Η συνθήκη των Σεβρών, η κατάληψη της Κωνσταντινούπολης, η κακομαθημένη συμπεριφορά των Ιταλών, η απόβαση του ελληνικού στρατού, η ήττα του Βενιζέλου και η αρχή του τέλους, η ανεδαφική σκέψη για κατάληψη της Άγκυρας, η πορεία στην Αλμυρά έρημο, ο Ατατούρκ, ηγέτης σε μια πατρίδα και ιδεολογία που αργόσβηνε, η κατάρρευση του μετώπου, οι σφαγές, η πυρπόληση της Σμύρνης κατόπιν διαταγών, το αίμα, η σφαγή («συνωστισμός» κατά ορισμένους ανιστόρητους θερμοκεφαλους), εμπλουτισμένα όλα με χαρακτηριστικές φωτογραφίες, συναποτελούν ένα γλαφυρό ανάγνωσμα.

[Karl · Rating 4 out of 5]

The London-based journalist, Giles Milton provides an insightful look into the tragic story of post WWI Smyrna (present-day Izmir, Turkey) in his latest work Paradise Lost. The destruction of the rich, diverse city of Smyrna is a tragic tale of expansionist political goals, mass population exchange, the formulation of modern Turkey, and what became one of largest humanitarian efforts in world history. Located on the Aegean Sea, the ancient cosmopolitan city was overtaken and burned down in 1922 following a three year war between Greece and Turkey. Written with rich clarity, the story of this epic catastrophe is a fascinating yet tragic tale. As a student of world history and Giles Milton, many lessons were learned from the book.

[Elaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I chose to read this book to augment my research for the novel I'm writing on the Chios Massacre. In addition to my particluar interest, I found this book an excellent explanation and description of one of the major upheavals of the 20th century. A beautiful,wealthy, and cosmopolitan city in Turkey was destroyed, at least 260,000 people were slaughtered, and over 300,000 were refugees that finally escaped from the huge conflagration set by the Turks. Mr. Milton successfully wove together the memoirs and oral remembrances of the people who lived through it to highlight the heroes, the villains, and the victims of this cruel moment in history. Even with the dark subject matter, I came away with assurance of man's hope in the face of the most brutal conditions and the moral courage of the few who acted to save the 300,000 refugees stranded on the quay in Smyrna in September, 1922, from a savage end.

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5. Devastating account of one of the worst tragedies of the 20th century--the complete destruction of Smyrna in the last three weeks of September, 1922, [Izmir in today's Turkey]. It was burnt to the ground. Most of its 19th and 20th century history was reported by and has come down to us from the Levantines, the wealthy upper class of Europeans. Smyrna was a completely religiously tolerant city in the Ottoman Empire, with a Christian majority, although the mayor was a Muslim, Rahmi Bey. During the Great War and until he was replaced he bent over backward trying to protect ALL his citizens from the horrors.

The British Lloyd George was unabashedly pro-Greek and supported Eleftherios Venizelos in his "Megali ["Great"] Idea" of an expanded Greece--Greece AND the part of Asia Minor, including Smyrna. Fighting between Greeks and Turks ended in a Turkish victory under Mustafa Kemal [not yet termed Atatürk] and the flight of the Greek army back to their country. Other cities and villages were devastated by both armies; both were villains here. When the Turkish army entered Smyrna, the population for the most part fled in the face of looting, killing, rape, then finally arson that destroyed the non-Turkish quarters. In the face of destruction, the Allies were apathetic. The "Paradise" of the title was the American section of the city. Today Izmir is a shadow of its former self.

This book was a revelation; I hadn't known much about this period in history. The author appeared to be even-handed; there was enough blame to go around. A cautionary tale: it showed what can happen when a third party [who has no business influencing events] insinuates itself into the affairs of another country and how things can go terribly wrong--does that sound familiar, considering today's events in the Middle East? Two heroic men revealed themselves: Rahmi Bey, who tried to protect the Christians in his city and Asa Jennings, the American Methodist minister who mostly through bluff was instrumental in rescuing a large number of refugees, who had lost everything and was later decorated by the Greek government. I felt the most interesting parts were the first 50 pp. or so where everything was set up, then the last part detailing what happened day by day in Smyrna in that crucial September, along with the aftermath. Newspaper reports were fascinating. I enjoyed the personal or third-person accounts of some folks lucky and fast-thinking enough to escape--the Armenian Dr. Hatcherian; the Armenian Rose Berberian and her family; and even Aristotle Onassis, who I never realized was a Smyrniot. I also recommend a historical novel set in this period, The Ghosts of Smyrna by Loren Edizel.

Recommended.

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful, tragic history of Smyrna (now Izmir), the only majority Christian city in the Ottoman Empire at the beginning of the 20th century. The author begins by giving the lead-up to World War I, focusing on the wealthy Levantine families of Smyrna and their luxurious Edwardian lifestyles. He then covers the war, explaining that many of the city's residents supported the allies over the Central Powers (on whose side the Ottoman Empire fought). Next, the book covers the aftermath of the war, particularly Greece's attempt (egged on by Britain) to take over Turkey and make it part of a new Greek empire. The final part of the book gives a day-by-day account of Smyrna's destruction at the hands of the Turkish army.

The book is well-written and features excellent story-telling. The author appears to have interviewed many of the children of the protagonists, and this adds richness to the story. I wish he had written it earlier, when people who had memories of this tragic incident would have still been alive. He also relies on diaries written at the time.

I particularly liked his account of the humanitarian relief efforts undertaken by a few American missionaries. It is inspiring to see how two people could save hundreds of thousands of refugees.

[Alex K. · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an incredible read. The politics, the social dynamics, the personalities and the precipitating events of the destruction of Smyrna are already staggering to contemplate, but in Milton's hands the events become vivid and almost tangible to the reader. Being of Greek descent, learning this history was of particular significance for me, but anyone who wants a better understanding of the history of 20th century international relations as influenced by the outcomes of World War I, the development of modern Turkey, the maneuvering of great powers specifically around Greece, and the tension between US and European foreign policy objectives would benefit from reading this intense, absorbing book.

[Tess · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a good book, gave me a lot of detailed history about a city and event I hadn't known about before. And I appreciated the unbiased language Milton carried when it came to Greek and Turkish armies. But I'll have to agree with other reviewers that I didn't much care for reading about the rich British Levantine classes and a lot of their stories compromised the book.

[Emmanouil Angelakis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am writing in English so that every one can follow these thoughts even though I read it Greek.

It is especially important to mention the unbelievably good translation carried by A. Kalofolias. The job he has done is remarkable !

I have been hearing how terrible the Smyrna Desaster was for my entire life. I was always however left with the impression that there is something unfinished , untold about it. Something so terrible that it has been kept secrete.

Although I consider myself interested in history I admit this is the first book I read about it. And thank god it is this one which is clearly not Greek-centric.

The book is extremely well backed by an enormous amount of references to memoirs of witnesses fro every possible aspect. Every day life from aristocrats and wealthy , to political , military or any other figures.

The author is making sure that a very real impression is drawn first of the life before the bad days came. He then progressively builds up the clouds with facts drawn from every possible reliable source. At the end of the book there is a chapter dedicated to the references of every chapter in the main body.

It gives an rather objective stance not by keeping equal distance and smear out the atrocities they did but rather by emphasising them for both sides.

Even though there is a long list of horrifying details given it keeps u excited till the last page.

I would strongly recommend it. It sets the scene so that one can put everything in context giving you the chance to have a complete understanding of this story; which is easily among the worst chapters of the human race.

[Liam Ostermann · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a marvellous book about a truly dreadful event, the destruction of the cosmopolitan city of Smyrna in the aftermath of the Greek invasion of Asia Minor in the aftermath of WWI. If you want a blueprint for what can and will go wrong when you intervene in places and circumstances you do not understand and make no attempt to understand beyond your own myths and misconceptions then you have it all in this tale of what happened when Greece invaded the Ottoman empire to 'liberate' the sultan's orthodox Christian subjects. Although anyone reading about this episode will have no problems seeing similarities with the failures of interventions in Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan it must be admitted that the Greek army in post WWI Asia Minor had the unique disadvantage of being commanded by a general Georgios Hatzianestias who was mentally unbalanced and believed his legs made of glass and liable to shatter in response to any movement he made. He was executed by his own country after a trial of totally biased prejudice (the judgement was overturned finally in the 1990s). Just as super powers did not learn from Greece's failed intervention they did not copy its example in executing incompetent generals - though there are many who deserved it far more the poor deluded Georgios.

But back to Smyrna and Milton's wonderful evocation of a lost world and the tragedy of its destruction and the appalling loss of life that followed but, and isn't there always a but?, while Milton tells the story of the tragedy, the context is missing. The paradise he describes did not exist in 1922, it probably didn't exist in 1822. Paradises are realms of memory that call back what is gone. Smyrna as a cosmopolitan city of many faiths and cultures had, like the complex multi faith Ottoman empire and system, been under increasing strain particularly since the loss of almost all of the empire's Balkan and African territories between 1898 and 1912. What happened to Smyrna came out of a long historical process. That doesn't diminish the awfulness of what happened nor does it excuse or justify it. Putting in context will not excuse or justify anything. But simplifying things doesn't help either. What happened in Smyrna was a crime, but to simply blame the soldiers of Ataturk's new Turkish army is to conceal criminals in governments and palaces all over allied Europe.

In all honesty I am torn about how to rate this book. It is well written and tell the story of Smyrna's end with great force. But it is only a partial take, like the Titanic without the iceberg or the decision not to install sufficient lifeboats. What happened in the end on the ghastly waterfront with the city in flames was a nightmare but of those thousands of refugees on the quayside, victims of the hubris of the Greek government, not one was rescued by the Greek navy who left early; but this book does not does not tell why.

[Stan Murai · Rating 4 out of 5]

Smyrna was one of the Ottoman empire's great commercial center, a rich and cosmopolitan city, whose vast wealth had largely been created by the Levantine families (Latin Christians, mostly of Italian and French origin) who ran businesses and factories, where Greeks, Armenians, Turks, and Jews worked together. It was a unique Christian majority city, but part of the Islamic World. Even during the first world war, it was a place \where the various ethnic, religious communities lived in tolerance and peace, in large part due to the local governor Rahmi Bey, who actually favored the allied cause.

In the aftermath of the First World War and with the support of the Great Powers, Greece had invaded Turkey with the aim of restoring a Christian Byzantine empire in Asia, a dream of the Greek prime minister Eleftherios Venizelos. But by the summer of 1922, the Greeks had been vanquished by Atatürk’s armies after three years of warfare. As Greek troops retreated, the non-Muslim civilians of Smyrna assumed that American and European warships would intervene if and when the Turkish cavalry decided to enter the city. They were not even unduly fearful when Turkish soldiers first recaptured Smyrna in 1922 during what the Turks call the War of Independence. They hoped Atatürk would view this still prosperous city as an asset to the new republic

On September 9, 1922, Turkish troops descended on Smyrna. Four days later Smyrna was in flames. While Turkish irregulars moved among them, raping and killing, Atatürk sat watching from a friend's villa in the hills. They rampaged first through the Armenian quarter, and then throughout the rest of the city. They looted homes, raped women, and murdered untold thousands. Turkish soldiers were seen dousing buildings with petroleum. Soon, all but the Turkish quarter of the city was in flames and hundreds of thousands of refugees crowded the waterfront, desperate to escape. The allied powers had many ships in the harbor, but they chose to do nothing while the city burned for four days; by the time the embers cooled, more than 100,000 people had been killed and millions left homeless.

Paradise Lost: Smyrna 1922 ends with the exodus of two million Greeks from Turkey and the expulsion of 400,000 Turks from Greece – an exchange of population that was enshrined in law in the 1923 Treaty of Lausanne.

Based on eyewitness accounts and the memories of survivors, many interviewed for the first time, this book offers a vivid narrative account of one of the most vicious military catastrophes of the modern age.

[Josh Friedlander · Rating 2 out of 5]

This isn't a book about the Armenian genocide, nor about the conflict over Cyprus or Kurdistan, nor about the continued Eurovision rivalry between Armenians and Azeris*. But all of these are connected to the bigger story of the disappearance of the ethnic minorities of Asia Minor. Milton doesn't adopt the (mostly religion-based) Turcophobia of the British government (Lloyd George was openly rooting for the Greek nationalists under Venizelos, who compared the ethnic Greeks not speaking the language to the way Lloyd George himself grew up speaking Welsh). And he credits Atatürk himself with shrewd statesmanship and strategy. The bottom line is that the the Ottoman Empire (bookended by this book and my earlier read The Fall of Constantinople) was a diverse, heterogeneous mix, with Turks, Greeks, Armenians, Arabs, Kurds, Jews and many others living together mostly peacefully. After the Empire's collapse, squeezed by the forces of nationalism - Greek just as much as Turkish - things came to a violent head. Milton describes the idyllic life of the neighbourhood dubbed "Paradise" in liberal and cosmopolitan Smyrna, and the brutal results of the Greco-Turkish War which finally led to Turkish forces entering the city and killing or expelling most of its inhabitants, as well as probably setting the fire which burned it down. I would have preferred more about the broader historical picture, and less on the lives of a few wealthy families; but much of the information we have comes from eyewitnesses and their descendants. This doesn't explain how ordinary people can come to commit atrocities, but it does evoke the chaos of war and sectarian violence which accompanied the birth of modern Turkey (and Israel, where I live).

*Highlights include the time Azerbaijan’s secret police rounded up everyone who voted for Armenia, the time Armenia claimed Azerbaijan cut off the broadcast to prevent people from seeing Armenia winning, and accusations from Azerbaijani officials that the song “Don’t Deny” was dog-whistling a point about the Armenian Genocide.

[Jess Holdstock · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little slow to start, as the book is busy painting a picture of "paradise", which is a slightly one-sided view of life in Smyrna pre 1922. But when things kick into gear, it is a graffic, horrifying and moving account of the events there when the Turks took over. I never knew of this episode in history, it isn't something that is taught in the curriculum, nor spoken about in any memorials. Maybe because there is still such disagreement over where responsibility for the atrocities really lay. It isn't something I would advise reading if you do not want to re-consider the fundamentals of human nature in times of absolute crisis and anarchy.

But it is also a fascinating insight into the racial and religious segregation that resulted from the fall of the Ottoman Empire and the failure of the Greek invasion. Something that explains why Turkey signals the beginning of the Muslim world and Greece the beginning of the Christian one.

[Georgia · Rating 4 out of 5]

"one of the keenest impressions which I brought away with me from Smyrna was a feeling of shame that I belonged to the human race."
This is a quote from the book by George Horton, the American consul in Smyrna, and it pretty much sums up how I felt as I read the book. The cruel history is very upsetting and many times I had to put the book down because I just couldn't handle anymore. The cold blooded murder of innocent civilians and the apathy from the self described "civilized" nations. These countries who had a hand in starting the mess and then turned their heads while innocent children, women and men were all tortured and murdered. Thankfully there were heros who refused their nation's demands to remain neutral and helped the people. These heros were just normal people, but they left me with hope for the human race. I'm glad that I learned this piece of history. It was interesting, impartial and well written.

[Ron Willoughby · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story was overwhelming at times. Saddened by tragic events and the apathy and complacency of so many who could have made a difference. No country involved or aware came out looking like the 'good guys'. Not England, America, France, Italy, Greece, Turkey, no one. There were moments when it felt like I was reading the prequel to Romeo Dallaire's 'Shake Hands with the Devil'. As if Rwanda was just 'a whole lot of history repeating itself'.

Two heroes emerge. And thanks to Giles Milton's research and excellent narrative, we get to learn about Esther Lovejoy (I think I have that right) and Asa Jennings. Two normal people who go to extraordinary lengths to save thousands.

This is the first of Milton's work that I have read. He's sold me. I'm lining up a couple more of his to read. Well done sir.

[Rinsfin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sobering read- well written and informative- capturing the utter devastation and massive loss of life that was the Asia Minor Catastrophe. Yet, for the majority of the western world it seems to have slipped under the radar of Modern History, with many not even aware of the extent of tragedy that unfolded its ugly tentacles in such a cosmopolitan and harmonious corner of the world. So many Greeks and Armenians were sacrificed for the sake of modern Turkey! This factual recount broke my heart just to read of the human tragedy that the rest of the world allowed to happen!In the words of the American consul,George Horton, who witnessed such scenes of horror, "One of the keenest impressions which I brought away from Smyrna was a feeling of shame that I belonged to the human race" What grave words!

[Powersamurai · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant account of the Great Catastrophe in Smyrna. Despite the fact that it is not a happy read, it is a mind boggling look at what countries will and will not do at times of turmoil and crisis. My emotions were on a roller coaster the whole time I was reading it. From shame and anger at the Greeks to anger towards the Turks to frustration towards the various allies for their inaction. It is easy to come away despising, even hating the Turks for what they did, but that is only because their atrocities make their appearance at the end of the story. The Greeks were no better. I could only pity the people of Asia Minor stuck in the middle. A definite read for anyone with roots in Asia Minor, especially Smyrna and Bournabat/Bornova.

[Darren Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the saddest accounts I have ever read.
By the end, I couldn't decide which government most frustrated me - the barbaric Turks, the antagonizing Greeks or the apathetic Allies. In a way, the actions of the Brits and Americans were the most disappointing. They were there and for the most part heartlessly looked on as the disaster unfolded.
After reading about the Turkish treatment of Armenians in particular in the years preceding this story, it is hard to feel anything but disgust against them even when they occasionally suffered at the hands of the Greeks.
The current generation of winy brats really need to be taught this portion of history. Perhaps it would help them appreciate just how much we take for granted.
Very highly recommended.

[Steve Cran · Rating 5 out of 5]

The city of Smyrna, pearl of the Middle East, located in Ottoman Turkey. It was home to not on ly Turks but also Greeks, Europeans (called Levantines), Armenians and Jaws. World War 1 changed everything. True governor Rahimi Bey kept Smyrna out of the action but with the arrival of thee Greek things changed. With an aim to regaining the lost Byzantine Empire the Greek Army captures most of of Western Turkey and massacres many a Turk. Kemal Ataturk launched a counter offensive gained back the Lost land and took Smyrna. All the Christians of Smyrna were massacred and those who survived were driven away. Smyrna was burned to the ground and a paradise was lost

[Filip · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some parts of this book will feel quite familiar for those who have read Eugenides' Middlesex novel, or the scholarly "Ionian Vision" on the disastrous Greek campaign in Asia Minor after WWI. Yet this is non-fiction (unlike Middlesex) and easy to read (unlike Ionian Vision). The author clearly focused mainly on English-language sources by the local upper-class Levantine trading families, so other ethnicities and social classes get short shrift. In the end, he manages to paint a vivid picture of the people and politicians involved, and about the atrocities that happened when Smyrna was sacrificed for the cause of Greek and Turkish nation-building.

[John Hutt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent read about a series of horrendous massacres which occurred in the Anatolian city of Smyrna (now Izmir) in the years following the 1st World War. No country and few individuals come out of the story with any credit. The only hero was a hitherto insignificant American missionary who single handedly organised a fleet of ships to evacuate the city when it appeared that thousands more would perish on the quay.
The "Paradise" was largely that of the Levantine trading elite, mainly European in origin, but generally the city had a record of prosperity and tolerance second to non.
Disturbing read considering that nothing has been learnt from this tragedy.

[Marina Leonidhopoulos · Rating 4 out of 5]

The city and events I'd heard about from my grandparents and read about in books by a variety of -mainly- Greek authors, seen from a different angle. Milton's story complements the ones I'd heard frist hand from my relatives, rather than the ones I'd read about; it helped me better understand the culturally fascinating society my ancestors came from and explained why it was hard for them to adapt to mainland Greece reality...