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Post by Arxileas on Oct 15, 2007 9:00:46 GMT -5
During WW2.
Greece (Hellas) vs 4 countries simultaneously
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Post by Emperor AAdmin on Oct 15, 2007 11:07:41 GMT -5
related www.slideshare.net/pquintas/greeks-in-world-war-ii/Slide 1: Greeks in World War IISlide 2: Greece, during WWII, was the only country that was forced to confront the armies of four countries simultaneously: Albania Italy Germany Bulgaria. Slide 3: DURATION OF RESISTANCE (in days) Greece 219 Norway 61 France 43 (The superpower at the time) Poland 30 Belgium 18 Holland 4 Yugoslavia 3 Czechoslovakia 0 Luxemburg 0 Denmark 0 (The Danes surrendered to a Hitler's motorcyclist who was conveying Hitler's request to the Danish king for the crossing of the Nazi armies. The Danish king indicating submission surrendered his Crown to the motorcyclist to take to Berlin and Hitler....) Slide 4: TOTAL GREEK LOSES CAUSED BY OCCUPYING POWER • Albanians 1165 • Italians 8000 • Bulgarians 25,000 • Germans 50,000 Slide 5: TOTAL LOSES IN POPULATION PERCENTAGES • Greece 10% • Soviet Union 2.8% • Holland 2.2% • France 2% • Poland 1.8% • Yugoslavia 1.7% • Belgium 1.5% Slide 6: Quotes on/about the Greeks Slide 7: “F or the sake of historical truth I must verify that only the Greeks, of all the adversaries who confronted us, fought with bold courage and highest disregard of death.." - Adolph Hitler (From speech he delivered to Reichstag on 4 May 1941) Slide 8: " The word heroism I am afraid does not render the least of those acts of self-sacrifice of the Greeks, which were the defining factor in the victorious outcome of the common struggle of the nations, during WWII, for the human freedom and dignity. If it were not for the bravery of the Greeks and their courage, the outcome of WW II would be undetermined." Winston Churchill (Paraphrased from one of his speeches to the British Parliament on 24, April 1941) Slide 9: Until now we used to say that the Greeks fight like heroes. Now we shall say: The heroes fight like Greeks." Winston Churchill (From a speech he delivered from the BBC in the first days of the Greco-Italian war) Slide 10: " I am sorry because I am getting old and I shall not live long to thank the Greek People, whose resistance decided WW II." Joseph Stalin (From a speech of his broadcast by the Moscow radio station on 31 January 1943 after the victory of Stalingrad and the capitulation of German 6th Army Field Marshal Von Paulus). Slide 11: " If the Russian people managed to raise resistance at the doors of Moscow to halt and reverse the German torrent, they owe it to the Greek People, who delayed the German divisions during the time they could bring us to our knees[/b]." Georgy Constantinovich Zhoukov Field Marshal of the Soviet Army: Quote from his memoirs on WWII)
Slide 12: "Regardless of what the future historians shall say, what we can say now, is that Greece gave Mussolini an unforgettable lesson, that she was the motive for the revolution in Yugoslavia, that she held the Germans in the mainland and in Crete for six weeks, that she upset the chronological order of all German High Command's plans and thus brought a general reversal of the entire course of the war and we won." Sir Robert Antony Eden Minister of War and the Exterior of Britain 1940-1945, Prime Minister of Britain 1955-1957 - Paraphrased from a speech of his to the British Parliament on 24/09/1942)
Slide 13: "It would not be an exaggeration to say that Greece upset the plans of Germany in their entirety forcing her to postpone the attack on Russia for six weeks. We wonder what would have been Soviet Union's position without Greece." Sir Harold Leofric George Alexander (British Field Marshal during WWII - Paraphrased from a speech of his to the British parliament on 28 October 1941)
Slide 14: "I am unable to give the proper breadth of gratitude I feel for the heroic resistance of the People and the leaders of Greece." Charles de Gaul (From a speech of his to the French Parliament after the end of WWII).
Slide 15: Maurice Schumann Minister of the exterior of France 1969- 1973, member of the French Academy 1974 "Greece is the symbol of the tortured, bloodied but live Europe. Never a defeat was so honorable for those who suffered it." (From a message of his he addressed from the BBC of London to the enslaved peoples of Europe on 28 April 1941, the day Hitler occupied Athens after a 6-month war against Mussolini and six weeks against Hitler).
Slide 16: "You fought unarmed and won, small against big. We owe you gratitude, because you gave us time to defend ourselves. As Russians and as people we thank you." Moscow, Radio Station When Hitler attacked the U.S.S.R.
Slide 17: "The war with Greece proved that nothing is firm in the military and that surprises always await us." Benito Mussolini (From speech he delivered on 10/5/1941)
Slide 18: "On the 28th of October 1940 Greece was given a deadline of three hours to decide on war or peace but even if a three day or three week or three year were given, the response would have been the same. The Greeks taught dignity throughout the centuries. When the entire world had lost all hope, the Greek people dared to question the invincibility of the German monster raising against it the proud spirit of freedom." Franklin D Roosevelt, US President 1933 - 1945
Slide 19: The heroic struggle of the Greek people... Against Germany 's attack, after she so thunderously defeated the Italians in their attempt to invade the Greek soil, filled the hearts of the American people with enthusiasm and moved their compassion. Franklin D Roosevelt, US President 1933 - 1945
Slide 20: On 10 April 1941, after the Greek capitulation to Germany, the northern forts of Greece surrendered. The Germans express their admirations to Greek soldiers, declared that they were honored and proud to have as their adversary such an Army and request that the Greek commandant inspect the German army in a demonstration of honor and recognition! The German flag was raised only after the complete withdrawal of the Greek Army
Slide 21: A German officer of the air force declared to the commander of the Eastern Macedonia division group, Lieutenant General Dedes, that the Greek Arm was the first army on which the Stuka fighter planes did not cause panic. "Your soldiers" he said, "instead of fleeing frantically, as they did in France and Poland, were shooting at us from their positions."
Slide 22: "BECAUSE ONLY WE, CONTRARY TO THE BARBARIANS, NEVER COUNT THE ENEMY IN BATTLE" - AESCHYLUS (father of tragedy)
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Post by Emperor AAdmin on Oct 15, 2007 11:26:52 GMT -5
I made the topic sticky and changed the name as there might be more replies (topics) added to it with same or similar nature.
Possible future topics/replies -Greeks in WWI, -Greeks in Balkan Wars -Greek war of Liberation from 1800s.
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yeni
Moderator
gulash freak
Posts: 327
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Post by yeni on Oct 15, 2007 12:08:30 GMT -5
Firstly, though my country played in the other team during ww2, respect to the Greeks for their resistance. They were one of the bravest and best soldiers in that time without doubt. But i have to ask these: And what about the USSR, same time against Germany, Romania, Hungary, Finland, Italy, Slovakia? Or Germany also confronted more armies simultaneusly, and i think the Japs too. according to wiki: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II_casualtiesDeaths as % of population: Poland had the most with 18,51%, Greece only 4,31%. Germany, Hungary, Indonesia, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Portuguese Timor, Singapore, Soviet Union, Yugo all lost more ppl % than Greece. now which is true?
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Post by leandros nikon on Oct 15, 2007 14:13:14 GMT -5
yes but greece was only a small country with about 8 million people...no relation with russia or germany,populous nations...
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Post by leandros nikon on Oct 15, 2007 14:19:14 GMT -5
ADOLF HITLER ABOUT THE GREEKS... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- www.hitler.org/speeches/05-04-41.htmlAdolf Hitler May 4th 1941, Reichstag, Berlin Quote: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The forces advancing against Yugoslavia from the southwest and from Hungary were commanded by Col. Gen. von Weick. He, too, in a very short time with the forces under his command reached his objective. The Army and SS detachments operating under Field Marshal von Brauchitsch, as Commander in Chief, and the Chief of the General Staff, Col. Gen. Halder, forced the Greek Army in Thrace to capitulate after only five days, established contact with the Italian forces advancing from Albania, occupied Salonika, and thus generally prepared the way for the difficult and glorious break-through via Larissa to Athens. These operations were crowned by the occupation of the Peloponnesus and numerous Greek islands. A detailed appreciation of the achievements will be given by the German High Command. The Air Force under the personal command of Reich Marshal Goering was divided into two main groups, commanded by Col. Gen. Loehr and General von Richthofen. It was their task, first, to shatter the enemy air force and to smash its ground organization; second, to attack every important military objective in the conspirators' headquarters at Belgrade, thus eliminating it from the very outset; third, by every manner of active co-operation everywhere with the fighting German troops to break the enemy's resistance, to impede the enemy's flight, to prevent as far as possible his embarkation. The German armed forces have truly surpassed themselves in this campaign. There is only one way of characterizing that campaign: Nothing is impossible for the German soldier. Historical justice, however, obliges me to say that of the opponents that have taken up arms against us, MOST PARTICULARLY THE GREEK SOLDIERS, HAVE FOUGHT WITH THE GREATEST BRAVERY AND CONTEMPT OF DEATH.They only capitulated when further resistance became impossible and therefore useless. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Post by leandros nikon on Oct 15, 2007 14:22:52 GMT -5
Mussolini, upon hearing of this is furious... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- www.worldwar-2.net/timelines/war-in-europe/southern-europe/southern-europe-index-1941.htm18/04/1941 The German 12th Army forces a crossing of the river Aliakmon between the Greek First Army and the British forces. Athens is placed under martial law. Greek Prime Minister, Alexandros Korizis commits suicide. 19/04/1941 The Germans attack south through Greece on a wide front. The Greek Government agrees that British forces should be evacuated. General Wilson plans to make a strong stand at Thermopylae, to cover the withdrawal of his troops to ports in the Peloponnese. 20/04/1941 British forces in Greece retreat from Mt. Olympus. King George II heads new Greek government. 21/04/1941 The Greek Army surrenders to the 1st SS Leibstandarte Division. Its commander, Sepp Dietrich accepts this, without referring to his superiors. All Greek soldiers were allowed to return home, while officers were allowed to retain their side arms. Mussolini, upon hearing of this is furious and makes the Greeks sign another surrender document with much harsher terms.
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Post by leandros nikon on Oct 15, 2007 14:30:23 GMT -5
www.feldgrau.com/greecewar.htmlAfter brief negotiations, which, on strict orders from Hitler, were kept secret from the Italians, the surrender was accepted with honorable terms for the defeated. In recognition of the valor with which the Greek troops had fought, their officers were permitted to retain their side arms. The soldiers were not treated as prisoners of war and were allowed to go home after the demobilization of their units .
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Post by leandros nikon on Oct 15, 2007 14:34:20 GMT -5
the fighting greeks...
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Post by leandros nikon on Oct 15, 2007 14:37:55 GMT -5
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Post by leandros nikon on Oct 15, 2007 14:39:17 GMT -5
...
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Post by kasso on Oct 16, 2007 16:22:43 GMT -5
Greece fought fircely during WW2 but what concerns me is why Albania is on the list of countries viewed as an enemy country and one of the countries that the Greek army battled against. Albania was during this turbulent time in human and world history, a country without a legitimate regime, a country in ruin and under direct control of Mussolini's Italy, in contrast to Bulgaria that was free from Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy and was ruled by an ethnic Bulgarian regime with an ethnic Bulgarian dicator as the leader. With this as background they should really change their viewpoint about Albania's role during WW2.
May I remind you that the gun that shoot Mussolini have been given to Albania?
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Post by leandros nikon on Oct 16, 2007 18:56:59 GMT -5
[shadow=red,left,300]why Albania is on the list of countries viewed as an enemy country [/shadow]
CHAMS?
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Post by kasso on Oct 17, 2007 5:49:39 GMT -5
No, not Chams.
Reason why Albania is on the list is for the Greeks to feel more superior. Albania as a state didn't exist during WW2 and was run by the Italians. Communists defeated the Italians and Germans with the help of the British, who supplied arms to them.
True that Greece viewed Albania as an enemey country, but who were they in fact fighting against? An Albanian-controlled area or Italian-controlled area? We all know that Albania was during this time an Italian stronghold, Italian controlled, and they managed to occupy Greece through this passage wtih the help of the Germans.
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Post by leandros nikon on Oct 17, 2007 7:20:18 GMT -5
i'm talking about the cham treason...collaboration with the enemy...formation of an alb occupation zone in norrth western greece...more than a thousand greek patriots were executed,villages were burned,etc...
1940 - 1950: THE YEARS OF TERROR
They (Chams) were given the opportunity to show their vicious hatred against Greece by the proclamation of the Greek-Italian War. In the evening of 28 October 1940, they joined the Italian army organizing two Battalions of their own, and along with fifteen more Albanian Battalions consisting of 15.000 men, they entered Sagada and Filiates, as mercenary allies of the Italians. At the same time, others who were serving in the Greek army as Greek citizens acted as the fifth phalanx. After the lines had been broken down, the Italians handed over Thesprotia to the mercy of the Tsams. In particular, in close collaboration with renowned Tsams, they planned the complete destruction of the Hellenic population of Paramythia, where they camped and broke down the Greek Authorities (3 May 1941). This way, they created mixed villages and gave the administrative role exclusively to Muslims. They founded the Albanian Fascist Young Fighters Militsia, and with a decree of the Italian government, the brothers Nouri and Nazar Dino from Paramythia, were appointed the former Resident Commissioner of Thesprotia (!), and the latter Colonel of Militsia. Later the same year, in July 1942, and always under the protection of the Italians, the Tsams formed the notorious terrorist organization K.S.I.L.I.A. (Albanian Political Administration System), which comprised 14 Battalions, with the main aim to exterminate the Greek population in the region of Thesprotia. When the Germans entering Greece, the Tsams became part of the German Occupation Armed Forces and wore a distinctive brassard featuring the Nazi cross or even the regular German uniform. Collaborating with the Germans, at that time, they spread fear and terrorism in the region, murdering, spoiling properties, double-crossing, raping, looting, invading and setting fire to houses and entire villages. From the long list of their criminal action, we mention the following: a) On 19 February 1942, the Prefect of Thesprotia Georgios Vasilakos was murdered. b) On 24 October 1942, priest Andreas Vassiliou (Papandreas) was executed in Kalteriza. c) On 27 July 1943, after the failed attack against the village of St. Kyriaki (Popovo), 800 Tsams of K.S.I.L.I.A. lead by Dino brothers and in collaboration with the Occupation armed forces, invaded the villages of Phanari. 519 houses were looted and burned down, 800 people were killed (from which 231 were women who were first raped), and 500 people were arrested and sent to Ioannina as hostages. The cattle¢s breeding was totally destroyed. Almost 243 villages were depopulated. This situation climaxed with the massive execution of the 49 Dignitaries of Paramythia on 29 September 1943, who were first ordered to dig up their own tombs. Among the dead, we mention the priest Evaggelos Tsiamatos, the doctor El. Valaskakis, the School Principle Apost. Chrysohoou, the Mayor Ath. Riggas, the headmaster Kon. Siomopoulos, the Bank Director Em. Gkoutsaleris, as well as teachers, merchants, businessmen etc.
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Post by kasso on Oct 17, 2007 8:39:08 GMT -5
Niko,
I already replied to such nonsense with the powerful words: You don't execute an entire family because a family member may be a murderer.
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Post by leandros nikon on Oct 17, 2007 12:17:23 GMT -5
niko say to kaso...no execute but expell...
powerful words my arse...
yia sou niko mou... ;D
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Post by kasso on Oct 17, 2007 14:16:18 GMT -5
niko,
Where do you live? Outside Greece? What if they expelled your family because someone in your family was a murderer?
Besides, I know for a fact that collective punishment is unacceptable and prohibited according to the public international law. My question would be, do Greece still have universal values?
The Cham genocide, to whom it may concern, was a human tragedy. Innocent and unarmed Cham civilians of all ages and gender were killed, 1/4 of the population, the rest were expelled. Tell us what you really think and stop making excuses for the genocidal acts commited against Cham civilians by Greek soldiers.
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Post by leandros nikon on Oct 17, 2007 18:33:47 GMT -5
A cham genocide has never happened...the whole cham population was about 18-25.000...a few hundreds may had been executed,i dunno...i repeat that the key word is expulsion...it was a war u know and epirotes were....how can i say...furious???but numbers were very small to justify the word "genocide",no matter how much convinient this might be for the albanian chauvinism...
anyway,this matter is irrelevant to the thread...
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Post by Novi Pazar on Oct 17, 2007 21:52:36 GMT -5
The Greek contribution to WW2 was massive. That is why today some Nazi sympathiers dislike the Greek people.....a member called Prussia was a good example.
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