Greece During the War
The Spark
Greece entered the war when the Italians torpedoed the war ship Elli off the coast of the island Tinos. It was kept quiet. Grazi, the ambassador of Italy gave Metaxas on October 28,1940 the ultimatum. Either Greece gave into Italy, or Italy would attack.To this, Metaxas answered: "Ce sera la guerre" (It will be war)The Communist Party was against Greece entering World War II with Italy. Metaxas let Mussolini through, created a pouch, and then closed in the Italians so that the Greeks were coming at them from both sides. Eventually, the Greeks pushed the Italians all the way back to Albania. Hitler didn't like the idea of attacking or going anywhere near the Balkans. Mussolini invaded Greece to one up Hitler who humiliated him when he attacked Romania. Everyone expected Greece to quickly crumble. France brags about the 15 days they stood up to Germany yet Greece held out longer. When Germany got involved, it took Greece 2 months to fall. They faced 4 enemies: Italy, Germany, Austria, and Bulgaria. The Italians demanded that Greece surrender to Italy, not just Germany.Hitler respected the Greeks as heroes and refused to take any soldiers prisoner. He let them leave their weapons, and walk back to their towns. Hitler did not parade in the streets of Greece because he valued the pride and the courage of the Greeks. Hitler admitted that if Mussolini didn't attack Greece, he would have won the war.
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