Blackwell Reference Online

Extract

Greece was occupied by the Wehrmacht in April 1941 during the German campaign in the Balkans. Before the occupation, the Greek army had fought successfully against Italian aggression in the autumn of 1940. After Greece's defeat, the country was divided into three zones of occupation: Italian (the largest zone), German, and Bulgarian. The government and King George II fled the country along with the British troops after the latter's defeat in the battle of Crete (May 1941). A new collaborationist government with General Georgios Tsolakoglou as prime minister was installed by the forces of occupation. The dreadful consequences of the new order were soon felt. The larceny of the country's food supplies and equipment by the occupiers, the wholesale destruction of its transportation system, and a naval blockade imposed by the Allies led to a famine which in the winter of 1941–2 left more than 50,000 dead in Athens alone. The country's very existence came under threat due to claims upon Greek territories by Italy and Bulgaria. In this context, the need for organized resistance by the Greek people against the new order of conquerors and their collaborators was vital. The largest resistance organization in wartime Greece was the National Liberation Front (EAM), which was an initiative of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE). It was formed in September 1941 with the participation of other ... log in or subscribe to read full text