When is brevity the sister of military talent? Okha Day

October 28 – the most important public holiday in Greece – “Day No.” No – in Greek “ohi”. It was this word that the Italian ambassador heard, it was this word that the people who took to the streets chanted.

Hitler calls Mussolini on the phone:

– Benito, are you already in Athens?
– I can’t hear you, Adolf.
– I ask: are you already in Athens?
“I can’t hear you well, Adolf.” You’re probably calling from afar, maybe from London?
(An anecdote from occupied France in the late 40s and early 41s).

Hitler, as you know, never made it to the coveted London. And Mussolini would never have seen Athens alone… “Brevity is the sister of talent” is a well-known, perhaps slightly controversial expression. But brevity can also be the sister of military talent.

In ancient times, the Spartans, who lived in Laconia (the region of Greece, from where the idea of ​​laconicism, the very concept of laconicism, came to the world), answered Philip of Macedon to his ultimatum quite briefly. The King of Macedon then described very colorfully and in detail what he would do to everyone if the resisters did not surrender. The Spartans’ answer was: “If – then.” But the Spartans still lost.

Many centuries later, the Greek prime minister’s response to Mussolini’s ultimatum was even more succinct: a simple “no.” No further ranting. And Greece did not lose.

Ioannis Metaxas (April 12, 1871 – January 29, 1941, his death is sometimes treated as suspicious) is a complex figure in Greek history. The attitude towards him is ambiguous – both for his previous pro-German positions and for the elements of dictatorship in the board.

On August 4, 1936, General Metaxas carried out a fascist coup in Greece and in foreign policy, set a course for rapprochement with Germany, all political parties were disbanded and their leaders were arrested. In the first three months, over a thousand anti-fascists were exiled to deserted islands.

But this answer of his became a national symbol. The most laconic and most famous in the entire modern history of Greece.

What exactly did the Italians demand? On October 28, 1940, Italy presented an ultimatum in which it demanded free access of Italian troops to Greek territory and the concession of a number of important strategic points and naval bases. In general, this was not a takeover of the country. And the dictator Metaxas most likely would have given in to the Italians. Under pressure from the people, the government was forced to revoke the ultimatum. On the same day, Italian troops invaded Greek territory.

There is another version. The Greek Prime Minister’s response was French: “Alors, c’est la guerre” (well, waror then – war), which is also quite short. Be that as it may, townspeople took to the streets at night and shouted: “Ohi!” On this day 69 years ago, the entire nation said a simple and laconic “no” (“ooh”) to the ultimatum presented by fascist Italy.

But the fight ahead was unequal. Already at dawn on October 28, 1940, immediately after receiving a laconic response from the Greeks, Italian troops invaded Greece across the Albanian border. Everyone, young and old, men and women, and first of all the youth, stood up to defend the country. I had to gain experience in difficult battles. And the superiority in military strength on the part of the Italian troops was enormous.

To capture Greece, the Italian command allocated 8 divisions: infantry, tank, even mountain rifle – a total of 87 thousand people (529,000 people from Italy participated in all operations of the Greco-Italian War), a huge number of tanks, guns and combat aircraft. And for amphibious landings in Greece and transportation, fifty large ships and almost as many submarines were involved.

And the Greek troops had only 2 infantry divisions, their total number was not even 30,000 people, not all of whom were properly trained. And there was very little military equipment: a couple of dozen tanks and aircraft. Greece was at that time the only country that fought against fascism. And she was the first to show an example of true heroism and the ability to win.

Main events of World War II for Greece

• On June 2, 1941, all Greek territory was occupied.
• King George II of Greece and the government fled to Egypt. The first organization of the National Solidarity Resistance Movement was created in May.
• On the night of May 31, Greek patriots M. Glezos and A. Santos tore the fascist flag from the Acropolis.
• The fight against the occupiers continued until the Nazis were completely expelled.
• 400 thousand Greeks died in this fight.
• When Hitler’s troops retreated from Athens, everyone wanted to see it with their own eyes. At first, the Greeks had to retreat under the pressure of Italian units hoping to defeat

them in a few days. But then the Greek army, together with volunteers, stopped the well-trained Italian army. The courage of a small Greek force, mostly made up of new recruits, that defeated seven Italian battalions of the elite Giulia Alpine Division is legendary.

Manolis Glezos – a hero who was nicknamed “Knight of the Acropolis”

“Zito Hellas! Long live Greece! – the newspapers of the not yet occupied countries wrote admiringly. The same words were spoken by W. Churchill, adding that these events make us remember the classical era in the history of Greece. On November 14, 1940, Greek troops launched a counteroffensive, and on November 21, Italian General Soddu ordered the troops to begin withdrawing. But Italian troops were so battered and demoralized from fighting in tiny Greece that Italy asked Germany for help.

By mid-November 1940, Italian troops were driven out of Greece and back into Albania. The losses were considerable on both sides. But in general, for the entire campaign, they amounted to: 63,000 killed by the Italians and 13,000 by the Greeks.

Next came the entry of the German armed forces into the operation, and only by April 1941 did German troops occupy Athens. The island of Crete continued to resist, the capture of which required a separate airborne operation.

The grandiose massacre called World War II was just beginning to unfold, but the first successful resistance had already taken place. It subsequently developed into a partisan movement, but it was October 28, Okha Day, and the subsequent victory over Italian troops that became a symbol of national spirit and courage for Greece.

Throughout Greece, military parades are traditionally held on this day, as well as parades of students and schoolchildren. All houses are hung with flags.

These events are described not only in history textbooks. Books have been written and films have been made. A piece of this military history was included in the famous novel by the English writer Louis de Bernieres, which, in turn, was filmed in 2001. Maybe someone has watched “Captain Corelli’s Mandolin” starring Nicolas Cage and Penelope Cruz.

The ability to say “Ooh” when there are Italian troops on the borders, and behind them the Wehrmacht, is real courage. Greece has a wonderful holiday with a proud and laconic name: “No”.

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