The Asia Minor Defense Organization ( el, Οργάνωση Μικρασιατικής Άμυνας, Organosi Mikrasiatikis Amynas), sometimes referred to simply as the Asia Minor Defense (Μικρασιατική Άμυνα, ''Mikrasiatiki Amyna'') was a

Greek Greek may refer to: Greece Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group. *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family. **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...

nationalist organisation founded in 1921 during the final stages of the Greco-Turkish War (1919–1922). The Organisation's goal was the foundation of an autonomous or independent Greek state in Ionia in case the Greek campaign in

Asia Minor Anatolia, tr, Anadolu Yarımadası), and the Anatolian plateau, also known as Asia Minor, is a large peninsula in Western Asia and the westernmost protrusion of the Asian continent. It constitutes the major part of modern-day Turkey. The re ...

proved to be a failure, as well as to protect the

Ottoman Greeks Ottoman Greeks ( el, Ρωμιοί; tr, Osmanlı Rumları) were ethnic Greeks who lived in the Ottoman Empire (1299–1922), much of which is in modern Turkey. Ottoman Greeks were Greek Orthodox Christians who belonged to the Rum Millet (''Millet ...

of the region from Turkish atrocities, and to find a reasonable settlement to the question of the

Smyrna Zone The city of Smyrna (modern-day İzmir) and surrounding areas were under Greek military occupation from 15 May 1919 until 9 September 1922. The Allied Powers authorized the occupation and creation of the Zone of Smyrna ( el, Ζώνη Σμύρν� ...

's fate. The Organisation was headquartered in

Smyrna Smyrna ( ; grc, Σμύρνη, Smýrnē, or , ) was a Greek city located at a strategic point on the Aegean coast of Anatolia. Due to its advantageous port conditions, its ease of defence, and its good inland connections, Smyrna rose to promi ...

and was led by prominent Greek personalities of Ionia, including Metropolitan Bishop

Chrysostomos of Smyrna Chrysostomos Kalafatis ( el, Χρυσόστομος Καλαφάτης; 8 January 1867 – 10 September 1922) known as Saint Chrysostomos of Smyrna, Chrysostomos of Smyrna and Metropolitan Chrysostom, was the Greek Orthodox metropolitan bishop o ...

, and even had branches in foreign cities. Following the Greek Army's defeat in Asia Minor and the subsequent destruction of the Greek quarter and community of Smyrna, the Organisation ceased to exist."The Protagonists of the Tragedy"
'' Foundation of the Hellenic World''. Retrieved 12 March 2019.

References

{{Reflist Greco-Turkish War (1919–1922) Organizations established in 1921