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In Greek: Επέτειος του «'Οχι », Anniversary of the "No"
October 28 is a very big holiday in Greece and is celebrated by the Greek people all over the world.
The events in 1940, where Greece said NO to Mussolini, are commemorated every year with military and student parades. On every anniversary, most public buildings and residences are decorated with Greek flags.
The pictures are from the celebration on Samos. (Photo: JB)
Background story:
At October 28 in 1940 during World War 2 the Greek dictator Ioannis Metaxas refused a ultimatum made by the Italian dictator Mussolini.
When King George II in 1935 was restored to the Greek throne, general Ioannis Metaxas became prime minister, and shortly after the King accepted, that Metaxas got dictatorial power in order to prevent a communist inspired republican coup.
The Italian ultimatum, which was presented to Metaxas by the Italian ambassador in Greece, Emanuele Grazzi at dawn (04:00 AM, Oct. 28, 1940), after a party in the German embassy in Athens, demanded that Greece allow Axis forces to enter Greek territory and occupy certain unspecified "strategic locations" or otherwise face war.
The ultimatum was answered with a single word: Οχι or no.
In response to Metaxas's refusal, Italian troops stationed in Albania (at that time an Italian protectorate), attacked the Greek border at 05:30 AM. Metaxas's reply marked the beginning of Greece's participation in World War II.
Mussolini’s divisions were pushed back to Albania by the Greeks. By mid-December, the Greeks occupied a quarter of Albania, tying down 530,000 Italian troops, and for 6 months the Italians were fighting to keep a passage to the seacoast, and desperately calling for help. Hitler send his troops to help. The Greeks continued to fight both of these great empires, although their position was hopeless. Greece lost, but it had cost Hitler enormous loss and delayed his attack against Russia by months, so the German troops ran into the dreadful Russian winter and the Russians gave them so heavy losses that it contributed to the ultimate defeat of Germany.
The Greece lost about 12% of the population, which means about one million people.
The world leaders of that time were impressed of the Greeks.
Winston Churchill said: "Today we say that the Greeks fight like heroes, but from now on we shall say that heroes fight like Greeks."
The events in 1940, where Greece said NO to Mussolini, are commemorated every year with military and student parades. On every anniversary, most public buildings and residences are decorated with Greek flags.
The pictures are from the celebration on Samos. (Photo: JB)
Background story:
At October 28 in 1940 during World War 2 the Greek dictator Ioannis Metaxas refused a ultimatum made by the Italian dictator Mussolini.
When King George II in 1935 was restored to the Greek throne, general Ioannis Metaxas became prime minister, and shortly after the King accepted, that Metaxas got dictatorial power in order to prevent a communist inspired republican coup.
The Italian ultimatum, which was presented to Metaxas by the Italian ambassador in Greece, Emanuele Grazzi at dawn (04:00 AM, Oct. 28, 1940), after a party in the German embassy in Athens, demanded that Greece allow Axis forces to enter Greek territory and occupy certain unspecified "strategic locations" or otherwise face war.
The ultimatum was answered with a single word: Οχι or no.
In response to Metaxas's refusal, Italian troops stationed in Albania (at that time an Italian protectorate), attacked the Greek border at 05:30 AM. Metaxas's reply marked the beginning of Greece's participation in World War II.
Mussolini’s divisions were pushed back to Albania by the Greeks. By mid-December, the Greeks occupied a quarter of Albania, tying down 530,000 Italian troops, and for 6 months the Italians were fighting to keep a passage to the seacoast, and desperately calling for help. Hitler send his troops to help. The Greeks continued to fight both of these great empires, although their position was hopeless. Greece lost, but it had cost Hitler enormous loss and delayed his attack against Russia by months, so the German troops ran into the dreadful Russian winter and the Russians gave them so heavy losses that it contributed to the ultimate defeat of Germany.
The Greece lost about 12% of the population, which means about one million people.
The world leaders of that time were impressed of the Greeks.
Winston Churchill said: "Today we say that the Greeks fight like heroes, but from now on we shall say that heroes fight like Greeks."
D. 28 oktober er en stor helligdag i Grækenland og fejres blandt grækere over hele verden.
Begivenhederne i 1940, hvor Grækenland sagde NEJ til Mussolini, mindes hvert år med militærparader og optog. På mindedagen er de fleste offentlige bygninger og boligområder udsmykket med græske flag.
Billederne er fra festlighederne på Samos. (Foto: JB)
Baggrundshistorien:
D. 28 oktober 1940 under 2'den verdenskrig afviste den græske regeringschef Ioannis Metaxas et ultimatum fra den Italienske diktator Mussolini.
Da Kong George II i 1935 blev genindsat på den græske trone, blev general Ioannis Metaxas statsminister, og kort efter fik Metaxas med kongens accept diktatoriske beføjelser for at forhindre et kommunistisk inspireret republikansk kup.
Det italienske ultimatum, som blev givet til Metaxas af Italiens ambassadør in Grækenland, Emanuele Grazzi ved daggry (kl. 04:00 d. 28 okt. 1940), efter et party i den Tyske ambassade i Athen, krævede, at Grækenland tillod at aksemagternes styrker gik ind på græsk område og besatte nogle ikke nærmere specificerede "strategiske områder" i modsat fald ville der blive krig.
Ultimatumet blev pure afvist med et enkelt ord: Οχι = NEJ.
Følgerne af Metaxas's afvisning var, at italienske tropper stationeret i Albanien (der på det tidspunkt var et italiensk protektorat), angreb og krydsede den græske grænse kl. 05:30. Metaxas's svar markerede begyndelsen på Grækenlands deltagelse i 2'den verdenskrig.
Grækerne drev Mussolini’s divisioner tilbage til Albanien. Omkring midten af december havde grækerne besat en fjerdedel af Albanien og fastlåst 530,000 italienske soldater, og gennem 6 måneder kæmpede de italienske styrker for at bevare en adgang til kysten, mens de desperat kaldte på assistance. Hitler sendte tropper til hjælp. Grækerne fortsatte kampen mod begge supermagter, skønt deres position var indlysende håbløs. Grækerne tabte, men det havde kostet Hitler enorme tab og forsinket hans angreb mod Rusland i månedsvis, så de tyske tropper mødte den forfærdelige Russiske vinter og russerne tilføjede dem så store tab, at det førte til det tyske riges undergang.
De græske tab var kollossale: Omkring 12% af befolkningen, svarende til ca. 1 million mennesker.
Verdens ledere på den tid var imponerede over grækerne og deres indsats.
Winston Churchill sagde: "Today we say that the Greeks fight like heroes, but from now on we shall say that heroes fight like Greeks."
Begivenhederne i 1940, hvor Grækenland sagde NEJ til Mussolini, mindes hvert år med militærparader og optog. På mindedagen er de fleste offentlige bygninger og boligområder udsmykket med græske flag.
Billederne er fra festlighederne på Samos. (Foto: JB)
Baggrundshistorien:
D. 28 oktober 1940 under 2'den verdenskrig afviste den græske regeringschef Ioannis Metaxas et ultimatum fra den Italienske diktator Mussolini.
Da Kong George II i 1935 blev genindsat på den græske trone, blev general Ioannis Metaxas statsminister, og kort efter fik Metaxas med kongens accept diktatoriske beføjelser for at forhindre et kommunistisk inspireret republikansk kup.
Det italienske ultimatum, som blev givet til Metaxas af Italiens ambassadør in Grækenland, Emanuele Grazzi ved daggry (kl. 04:00 d. 28 okt. 1940), efter et party i den Tyske ambassade i Athen, krævede, at Grækenland tillod at aksemagternes styrker gik ind på græsk område og besatte nogle ikke nærmere specificerede "strategiske områder" i modsat fald ville der blive krig.
Ultimatumet blev pure afvist med et enkelt ord: Οχι = NEJ.
Følgerne af Metaxas's afvisning var, at italienske tropper stationeret i Albanien (der på det tidspunkt var et italiensk protektorat), angreb og krydsede den græske grænse kl. 05:30. Metaxas's svar markerede begyndelsen på Grækenlands deltagelse i 2'den verdenskrig.
Grækerne drev Mussolini’s divisioner tilbage til Albanien. Omkring midten af december havde grækerne besat en fjerdedel af Albanien og fastlåst 530,000 italienske soldater, og gennem 6 måneder kæmpede de italienske styrker for at bevare en adgang til kysten, mens de desperat kaldte på assistance. Hitler sendte tropper til hjælp. Grækerne fortsatte kampen mod begge supermagter, skønt deres position var indlysende håbløs. Grækerne tabte, men det havde kostet Hitler enorme tab og forsinket hans angreb mod Rusland i månedsvis, så de tyske tropper mødte den forfærdelige Russiske vinter og russerne tilføjede dem så store tab, at det førte til det tyske riges undergang.
De græske tab var kollossale: Omkring 12% af befolkningen, svarende til ca. 1 million mennesker.
Verdens ledere på den tid var imponerede over grækerne og deres indsats.
Winston Churchill sagde: "Today we say that the Greeks fight like heroes, but from now on we shall say that heroes fight like Greeks."