Greek Resistance

Greek Resistance. The Greek Resistance was a collective movement of armed and political opposition to the Axis occupation of Greece during World War II. It emerged following the swift defeat of the Hellenic Army in the Battle of Greece in April 1941 and the subsequent tripartite occupation by Nazi Germany, the Kingdom of Italy, and the Kingdom of Bulgaria. The movement encompassed a wide spectrum of political ideologies and engaged in guerrilla warfare, sabotage, and intelligence operations that significantly hindered Axis forces and contributed to the broader Allied war effort.

Background and origins

The resistance was born from the chaos of the April 1941 collapse of the Metaxas Regime and the exile of the Greek government to Cairo. The brutal occupation regime, exemplified by the Great Famine in Athens and severe reprisals like those in Kandanos, fueled widespread resentment. Initial spontaneous acts of defiance were followed by the formation of organized cells, many with pre-war political roots, operating in the mountainous terrain of the Greek mainland and islands like Crete. Early inspiration also came from Winston Churchill's call to "set Europe ablaze" and the broadcast messages of the BBC.

Major resistance organizations

The largest and most significant organization was the National Liberation Front (EAM) and its military wing, the Greek People's Liberation Army (ELAS), which was controlled by the Communist Party of Greece (KKE). Its main rival was the republican and Venizelist National Republican Greek League (EDES), led by Napoleon Zervas, operating primarily in Epirus. A smaller, centrist force was National and Social Liberation (EKKA) and its military arm, the 5/42 Evzone Regiment. Other notable groups included the royalist Organization X in Macedonia and the Panhellenic Liberation Organization (PAO), alongside numerous local and island-based bands.

Activities and operations

Resistance activities ranged from small-scale sabotage of railways like the Thessaloniki–Athens railway and attacks on isolated outposts to major military operations in coordination with the Special Operations Executive (SOE) and the Middle East Command. Notable successes included the destruction of the Gorgopotamos bridge in 1942 by a joint ELAS-EDES force with British saboteurs, a major blow to Axis supply lines. Groups also conducted extensive intelligence gathering for the Allies, rescued stranded Commonwealth soldiers, and established "liberated" zones in the mountains, such as in the Pindus range. The Battle of Crete also featured persistent Cretan resistance.

Collaboration and internal conflict

The occupation was supported by the collaborationist Hellenic State (1941–1944) under Georgios Tsolakoglou and later Ioannis Rallis, who formed the Security Battalions to combat the resistance. The movement was also fractured by intense internal strife, known as the "Macedonian Struggle" within the resistance. This culminated in a civil conflict between ELAS and its rivals, including the First Battle of Mesovouno against EDES and the destruction of EKKA in the Battle of Meligalas. Tensions were exacerbated by differing post-war visions, setting the stage for the December Events in Athens after liberation.

Aftermath and legacy

The resistance succeeded in liberating much of the countryside prior to the German withdrawal in October 1944, following pressure from the Soviet advance in the Balkans. However, the political mistrust and military clashes during the occupation directly led to the Greek Civil War (1946-1949). The resistance remains a deeply divisive chapter in modern Greek history; celebrated as a national liberation struggle by some and criticized for its political violence and revolutionary aims by others. Key figures like Aris Velouchiotis of ELAS are iconic yet controversial, and the period is memorialized in works such as *Ill Met by Moonlight*.

Category:World War II resistance movements Category:Military history of Greece during World War II Category:1940s in Greece