Greece's Resistance in WWII

This assignment examines Greece's heroic resistance against the Axis forces during World War II. It analyzes the reasons behind the Greek people's unwavering fight, highlighting their contributions to delaying the German advance. The analysis also explores the consequences of this resistance for both sides, including the boost it gave to Allied morale and the disruption it caused to Nazi war plans.

Running head: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
International relations
Name of the university
Name of the student
Authors note

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Table of Contents
Introduction:....................................................................................................................................2
Discussion:.......................................................................................................................................3
Greek German war and German invasion by Greece:.....................................................................4
Impact of World War II on Greece:.................................................................................................6
Greece strategy for defending the battle:.........................................................................................6
Greece attitude toward Germany:....................................................................................................7
Conclusion:......................................................................................................................................9
References list:...............................................................................................................................11

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Introduction:
The report is prepared to demonstrate the attitude of Greece towards the Germany during
World War II. World War II also has another name of Second World War that lasted from the
period of 1939-1945. Such war bought the world to warfare and killed many people. It led to
most destructive war in human history due to use of western technological advances during the
war. Great Britain, United States, Imperial Japan, fascist Italy, allied nations and axis nations of
Nazi Germany were some of the primary combatants in World War II. Attack of Germany on
Greece was much anticipated and the battle against country was ended with the decline of
Peloponnese and Kalamata that led to the complete occupation of mainland of Greece by Axis.
One of the greatest conflicts in the history is World War II and the scale on which it was carried
out was not possible to grapple (Baylis et al. 2017). The occupation of Europe by German in
year 1940 was utmost brutal as it brought devastation of Europe.
Discussion:
Europe was in turmoil during the official start of World War II and it was on October 28,
1940 when Greece participated in the war. Originally, battle plan of Germany did not
incorporated invasion of Greece. The capturing of Greece was is one such example of brutality
of Germany. Victory of Greece against fascism was the first victory in history against Germany.
The initial attack of Germany against Greece was launched from territory of Bulgaria that was
supported by bomber aircraft and artillery. Fort resistance was determined and audacious under
general Konstantinos Bakopoulos, however, it went in vain. Greeks defeated the Italian armies
of Germany as they kept on fighting and defending themselves from the attack of Germans
throughout the period of 1940-1944 (Knutsen 2016). Germans rewarded the bravery of Greek

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people with hostility that was implacable. After the occupation, Greece was divided between the
avenging Italians, Bulgarians and themselves. Wiping out of Greeks was the unspoken strategies
of Greece through bombing, starvation and mass murdering. All the previous occupiers of
Greece were surpassed by barbarism of Germany. Occupying of Greece by Germany converted
from such a well to do country and brink it on brink of death resulting from violence.
Greek German war and German invasion by Greece:
The reason why Russia was forcefully invaded by Germany was its fight with Greece for
which army of Germany was ill equipped. Battle of Greece also known as the German invasion
initiated on 6th April, 1941 and it ended on 30th April, 1941. However, Greek army was
unsuccessful in keeping Germans for occupying the country, although Greek army resisted and
tried their hardest. Greece invasion by Germany was almost complete when latter army managed
to enter Athens on 27th April 1941. The mainland Greece was occupied by Germany once the
former surrendered to latter. The time German entered Athens made elite Greek soldiers to fly
over acropolis to remove flags. Wrapping of soldiers in blue and White flag and leaping to death
from walls of ancient fortress marked first public act of resistance in the city. Another act of
resistance and courage that inspired all subjected people due to oppression of Nazi was tearing
down of Nazi flags from the acropolis by Apostolis Santas and Manoliz Glezos. This made
occupiers having hard time in Greece. Resistance to capturing also emerged by way of forming
communist that led to formation of national liberation front in September 1941 (Bell 2014).
Formation of National people liberation’s army in December 1941 is one of the important
offshoots of this group. Liberating Greece from Germany is one of the primary causes of
formation of National people liberation’s army. Germany was forced to keep large number of
troops in the country by resisting supply convoys and attacking bridges. British soldiers and

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Greek fighters destructed the Gorgopotamos Viaduct railroad bridge on the railway lines of
Thessaloniki-Athens. This destruction was the first organized attack by occupied Greece and this
had set up most extravagant sabotage act in captured Europe (Lyons 2016).
Greece was plundered and the cost of occupying was made to be paid by Germany.
During that time, the installation of corrupt and incompetent government and due to German
occupations made 100000 Greeks die of starvation. A serious rift was created in axis of raising
question of actually who is in charge and meanwhile across Mediterranean, air force and navy of
Greek continued to fight on side of allies such as North Africa. Island was officially attracted by
Germany on 20th May, 1941 by targeting airfield. There was a fair chance of Greece control over
island of the airports could be controlled by Germany. Things were nor promising for Germany
after one day of battle. Some of the allies were helped by Crete and they eventually fell to the
Germans. Three of airfields of Greece came under the control of Germany on the second day of
battle (Jackson and Sørensen 2016.). Eventually, control of island was not gained by Germany
and Greece was withdrawn from Germany once the World War ended. Germany was in
shambles both economically and physically as depicted by the events from war and fighting.
This led to eruption of Greek civil war after a period of discontent. World War II affected all of
Europe
When the attack was launched by Germany and their force entered into Bulgaraia,
evacuation of Greek troops was done by a unit comprising of three border guards of battalions.
Some of the factors that were responsible for complete and quick victory of Germany over
Greece involve supremacy of Germany in air, superiority of Germany in equipment and ground
forces, inadequate expeditionary force of British government, lack of cooperation between forces
of Greek, British and Yoguslav and shortage of modern equipment and poor condition of Greek

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army. Some of the occupied portions of Greece was ruled by Germany under the nominal
leadership of Konstantinos Lgothetopoulos, Georgios Tsolakoglou and Ioannis Rallis through a
façade of puppet government.
Impact of World War II on Greece:
The war has put Greece in economic and political crisis resulting from highly polarized
struggle between rightists and leftists that led to arising of Greek civil war. Land of northern
Epirus, Dodecanese and eastern Rumelia was claimed by Greece officially but the controlled was
only gained over Dodecanese. Formation of Royal Hellenic army by British controlled Egypt
happened after which thousands of Greek troops fled Crete. After such formation, troops of
Greek participated in second battle of EI Alamien in Egpyt. In 1944, troops of German began
withdrawing from northward and this withdrawal was attributable to the avoidance of trap at the
southern end of the peninsula of Balkan (Kaiser 2015). Following this, there was formation of
strong communist force and they feared the likelihood that post war they will succeed.
Dodecanese Island was gained by Greece after war and Greece was under civil war between
1946 and 1949.
Greece strategy for defending the battle:
While occupying Greece, Germany witnessed less difficult problem of occupations
compared to Yugoslavia but the attitude of latter towards culture and Greek people was much
favorable. It was easier for Germany to control the population of Greece due to its economy.
Importing of food by Greece to become self-sufficient was not done by Greece after it was
occupied by Germany (Toppe 2014).

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The defensive strategy and defensive opportunities was favored by mountainous terrain
of Greece along with high ranges Epirus, Rhodope, Olympus and Pindus mountains. However, in
many defiles, for protecting ground forces from entrapment, there was requirement of air power.
Attack from north was difficult to be defended in the northeastern part and small number of
troops positioned in Pindus mountain helped in avoiding invading force from Albania. One of
the most resistance movements in Europe that was occupied is Greek resistance. The resistance
groups launched guerrilla attacks by setting up large espionage networks and fighting against the
collaborationist of battalions of security. However, such resistance group started fighting among
themselves by the late 1943. There was extreme political polarization of Greece in October 1944
when liberalization of mainland erupted. All this has contributed to out breaking of civil war.
Many prominent collaborators of Nazi were given the opportunity of escaping the punishment
due to subsequent civil war (Eubank 2014).
After the two years of war when the Western Europe was decisively conquered by
Germany, some of the signs were indicative of the fact Greece people seriously resisted that
German rule. Intervention of German was made good by failure of Italian for establishing much-
vaunted new Roman Empire of Mussolini (Jones 2014). Forces of Germany overran Greece and
led to subjugation of Yugoslavia.
Greece attitude toward Germany:
From the above discussion of the relationship between Germany and Greece during the
time of World War II and the battle between these two countries that is occupation of Greece by
Germany has brought latter at the brink of death. Greece was engulfed in extreme poverty and
there was widespread crisis in the country. The campaign formed by Greek ended in the victory
of Germany, as they were not permitted to carry out their operations simultaneously (Niestlé

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2014). This was because Britain did not have necessary resources related to military in Middle
East. Pertaining situation would not have been exploited by Britain if the German advance into
Greece was blocked.
Aftermath of defeat of allies was met with fierce criticism of sending forces of British
into Greece. Intervention of Britain into Greece was regarded as strategic blunder during the
World War II and this made the extension of North African campaign that might have
successfully concluded in year 1941. It was asked by British government to recognize the
mistake of sending their troops to Greece and lading out their strategy. Ethical rationalization of
United Kingdom against Nazi Germany would be severely damaged if it were not successful in
answering about the commitment it has made to defend the independence of Germany in year
1939. The strategy of influencing political atmosphere of US was intended by launching a
campaign in Greece (Buchanan 2014). Attack of Germany on Greece would have different
course if it would have not been attacked by Italy. The demand of Greek government of
reparation of payments of multibillion euro over the atrocities of Second World War faced
reaction of defiance and anger of government of Germany. Extend seizing of property cam to
holiday homes of some private German citizens. Such acquisition would be used to make
compensation to the victims of Second World War.
The death of Metaxas in 1941 during World War II left Greece powerless and led to
creation of National Liberation front and Germany intended to withdraw from Greece and in this
regard, communist did not receive any sort of help. A general election was held by Greece in
March, 1946 and it witnessed refusal on front of Communist party of Greece and this was done
to ensure that nationalist opponents gain victory. The devastation of World War II has further
inflicted destruction of Greece until the fall of 1949 and leftists were systematically driven from

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the mountain strong holds by the Greek national army. In order to prevent complete Greece
extermination, Greek communist announced an end to hostilities on 16th October, 1949 (Potter
and Nimitz 2015). Communalism was outlawed by conflict arising from Greek authorities. New
Greek government that helped in defining intolerance and repression for several years instituted
a rightist regime. Military and economic support of United States was installed by New Greek
government post civil war.
The interstate competition among the European state increased after Second World War
and this resulted in the culmination of European Union in the institutions. It is revealed by the
case of Germany and Greece that integration projects of Europe incorporate some inherent
asymmetries. This led to determination of cooperation dynamics and crisis perpetuation. It can
be inferred from analogous fashion of situation of Greece to Germany that crisis has created a
worldwide impact and the countries having macroeconomic asymmetries that are more
pronounced has a variation in terms of susceptibility to the global pandemics. Failure of Greece
and success of Germany was determined by imposition of austerity policies in former and
hegemonic power of latter (Kubálková 2015). Over the recent years, it is clarified that there have
been cooperation among states so that they have adapted to the system and have benefitted by
convergence in expectations.
Conclusion:
The course of history was ultimately changed by sacrifices that were made by Greek
nation and preventions of evils from dominating the world of Fascism and Nazism received
contribution from their defeat. It can be inferred from the analysis of reaction of Greece by
Germany during the battle in World War II that resistance of Greece was unbelievingly strong
and the attack of Germany was resisted for almost two or more than two months. The outcome of

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war would have been different if there was no such long delay. Greece resistance to attack was
stronger; however there were many reasons associated that led to downfall of country. Combined
efforts of Italy and Germany during World War II to invade Greece heroically defended. Greek
people never stopped fighting, both men and women performed resistance fighting through
island, and they proved to be a difficult antagonist for Germany. The aftermath of battle causes
two things to happen. Firstly, allies were bolstered by the fact that Crete had won the battle and
this gave them encouragement. Secondly, war plan of Nazi fell behind schedule that might have
lead to their trounce in Russia.

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introduction to international relations. Oxford University Press.
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Buchanan, A., 2014. American Grand Strategy in the Mediterranean During World War II.
Cambridge University Press.
De Jong, L., 2016. The German Fifth Column in the Second World War. Pickle Partners
Publishing.
Eubank, K., 2014. The Origins of World War II. John Wiley & Sons.
Gilpin, R., 2016. The political economy of international relations. Princeton University Press.
Hart, B.L., 2015. A History of the Second World War. Pan Macmillan.
Havers, R., 2014. The Second World War (2): Europe 1939–1943. Bloomsbury Publishing.
Iriye, A., 2014. The origins of the Second World War in Asia and the Pacific. Routledge.
Jackson, R. and Sørensen, G., 2016. Introduction to international relations: theories and
approaches. Oxford university press.
Jones, J., 2014. WWII: A Chronicle of Soldiering. University of Chicago Press.
Kaiser, D.E., 2015. Economic Diplomacy and the Origins of the Second World War: Germany,
Britain, France, and Eastern Europe, 1930-1939. Princeton University Press.

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Knutsen, T.L., 2016. A history of international relations theory. Oxford University Press.
Kubálková, V., 2015. International relations in a constructed world. Routledge.
Lyons, M.J., 2016. World War II: A short history. Routledge.
Niestlé, A., 2014. German U-Boat Losses during World War II: Details of Destruction. Frontline
Books.
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War II. Pickle Partners Publishing.
Toppe, M.G.A., 2014. Desert Warfare: German Experiences In World War II [Illustrated
Edition]. Pickle Partners Publishing.