Греческое Сопротивление

May 30th 1941:  The first notable resistance event was the lowering of the Nazi flag that was waving over the Acropolis, by college students Manolis Gklezos and Apostolos Santas.  Their actions lifted the people’s morale and are etched in every Greek’s memory.  The Greek resistance began to organize into a movement, with several organizations and leaders emerging.  Some of the key and most effective of these groups include:

•    EAM (National Liberation Front):  This organization was founded on September 27th, 1941 with the involvement of leftist parties.
•    ELAS (Greek Popular Liberation Army): founded on February 16th, 1942.
•    EDES (National Democratic Union of Greece): This group was founded on October 15th, 1941
•    Other key resistance societies popular among the younger Greeks included EPON and PEAN.   

The most memorable accomplishments and actions by these resistance organizations include the blowing up of a Nazi organizing office in September of 1942, and the destruction of the Gorgopotamou Bridge, which was greatly used and needed by the German forces.

The toppling of Mussolini (by his own people) in 1943 was followed by the unraveling of the Axis Powers with the falling of Nazi Germany, on May 8th of 1945.  This was preceded by Adolf Hitler’s suicide.

May 17th, 1944: The Conference of Lebanon was held by the participating political parties and the Greek resistance organizations.  During its proceedings, they voted to form a new government of national unity.  Later that year, in October, the still-occupying German forces withdrew from Athens, consistent with ending of the European campaign.