28 October 1940

By , October 28, 2018 4:31 pm

History of Ochi Day (see historic video below)

In October 1940, Benito Mussolini, the fascist dictator of Italy, backed by Germany, demanded to invade and occupy Greece requesting Greece to surrender. General Ioannis Metaxas famously responded “No!” ΟΧΙ (Ochi) in Greek.

That “No!” in October 28, 1940 brought Greece into the WWII on the side of the Allies. Indeed, for a period, Greece was Britain’s only ally against Hitler.

Not only did Greece rebuke Mussolini’s demands, but seized the offensive and drove the Italians back through most of Albania.

Had Metaxas not said “No!”, it’s arguable that the Second World War may have lasted much longer, and most possibly in favor of the axis, thus we may have a much different world right now. Historians argue that if Greece had surrendered without any resistance forcing a delay and shift of axis forces, it would have enabled Hitler to have invaded Russia in the spring, rather than the disastrous for the axis attempt to battle through the bitter winter and snowy terrain in the Soviet Union.


Inspired by the Greek resistance during the Italian and German invasions, Churchill said,

Hence we will not say that Greeks fight like heroes, but that heroes fight like Greeks“.

In response to a letter from George II dated December 3, 1940, American President Franklin D. Roosevelt stated that

all free peoples are deeply impressed by the courage and steadfastness of the Greek nation“,

and in a letter towards the Greek ambassador dated October 29, 1942, he wrote that

Greece has set the example which every one of us must follow until the despoilers of freedom everywhere have been brought to their just doom.”

Following video was Commissioned by the Archives of the Greek Foreign Ministry – Presented by Fotini Tomai – Written by Nikos Pilavios – Director of Photography Yannis Sarigiannis – Line Producer Maria Pilaviou – Music by Marietta Fafouti – Directed and edited by Constantin Pilavios

Heroes fight like Greeks from MovieTeller on Vimeo.


 


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