recognition, which had been suspended following the flight of the Greek king, was resumed after the ruling colonels formally resigned their army positions and exchanged their uniforms for civilian garb.
Washington held that King Constantine was the legitimate ruler and that his endorsement of the colonels' coup made it legal. Thus his flight, after an abortive coup of his own, was rather em-
barrassing to the State Department.
The "flexibility" shown by both
the king and the colonels enabled Rusk to
extend full recognition to each faction.
Thus the Johnson administration kept both
options in Greece and was spared the pain-
ful necessity of showing disrespect for
the king while saluting the colonels.
In requiring the colonels to take
off their uniforms, Johnson, of course,
showed how principled he is in maintain-
ing democratic attire, if not democratic
institutions.