October 28, 1940: The day Greek people bravely said ‘OXI’ to the Italians

·

By Billy Patramanis.

October 28th. One of the most important dates for the Greek people. It’s a day that reminds us that Greek people are courageous, strong and resilient.

It’s the day we said ‘OXI’ (NO).

Greece is located in Southern Europe, boarded by both the Ionian and the Mediterranean Sea. During World War II (1939-1945), Greece was a strategically important region, as anyone who occupied the country would control the majority of the Mediterranean Sea and give their army a valuable base for all its operations.

The Axis powers of Germany, Italy and Japan grew fond of Greece’s location and wanted to occupy the land to increase their chance at victory.

At 3am on Monday, October 28, 1940, Italian ambassador to Greece, Emanuele Grazzi, delivered to Greece an ultimatum made by Italian dictator, Benito Mussolini.

Greek Prime Minister, Ioannis Metaxas (with glasses), rejected the Italian ultimatum.

Mussolini proposed to Greek Prime Minister, Ioannis Metaxas, that the Italian army gain free passage through Greece to occupy certain “strategic locations” for war purposes.

Metaxas was faced with an ultimatum – Surrender or go to war.

He responded, “Alors, c’est la guerre,” which is translated to, “then it is war.” While Metaxas didn’t actually respond with ‘OXI’, the Greek newspapers at the time printed “OXI” over their front pages, and the streets of Athens were filled with patriotic Greeks chanting “OXI.” Thus, OXI Day was born.

By 5.30am, Italian armies were at the Greek-Albanian border of the Pindus region, Northern Greece. They were met with resistance from the Greek army. The Greco-Italian war, as it would be called, was a crucial battle in the outcome of WWII, lasting from October 28, 1940 to April 23, 1941.

The Italian army was met with resistance resistance from the Greek army.

During the fierce battle, 14,000 Greek soldiers would be killed. Prime Minister, Ioannis Metaxas, would be killed and new Prime Minister, Alexandros Koryzis, committed suicide.

Despite all this tragedy, poorer weapons, uniforms and planning, against all odds, the brave Greek soldiers managed to drive the Italian army out of Greece. This battle gave the Allies the boost in confidence they needed to overturn the outcome of the war and defeat the Axis powers.

Winston Churchill would later praise the Greek army, saying: “Hence we will not say that Greeks fight like heroes, but that heroes fight like Greeks.”

In the end, OXI Day is a proud day for all Greeks. Without the Greek resistance against the Italian army, the outcome of WWII could have been very different.

Advertisement

Share:

KEEP UP TO DATE WITH TGH

By subscribing you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

Advertisement

Latest News

How younger Greek Australians are redefining mental health conversations

Conversations once hidden in the shadows are now in the spotlight, bringing mental health to the forefront.

NSW urged to act on worsening elder abuse crisis

A new report from Relationships Australia NSW (RANSW) reveals that 15% of elderly Australians are currently experiencing abuse.

More civil war-era mass graves found beneath Greek city park

Another grim discovery has surfaced in Greece, where 14 bodies believed to be victims of civil war-era executions have been unearthed.

Restored classic ‘Boy on a Dolphin’ returns to Greek cinemas after 70 years

Long before Greece became a go-to backdrop for global cinema, one film forever changed how the world saw it — Boy on a Dolphin.

Greece to introduce harsher penalties for dangerous driving under revised highway code

Parliament is expected to approve a revised Highway Code (ΚΟΚ) on Tuesday, introducing tougher penalties for traffic violations.

You May Also Like

Anthea Loucas Bosha champions Melbourne’s food culture

Anthea Loucas Bosha, CEO of Food & Drink Victoria, has played a pivotal role in shaping the city’s food scene.

Australian Government to “show understanding” towards Greek Easter services, Scott Morrison says

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has responded to the growing concerns of His Eminence Archbishop, affirming private easter ceremonies

St Nektarios church in Wollongong rejoins the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia

After five decades of division, St Nektarios Parish in Wollongong has officially returned to the fold of the Holy Archdiocese of Australia.