Why the Sheer FEROCITY of the Defending Greeks in WW2 STUNNED the World

With one of the most proud populations on earth, the Greeks REFUSED to surrender their homeland to anyone, and eventually drew the attention of Germans who thought taking Greece would be another walk in the park. The Germans thought wrong, and in this episode of the Front, we're taking a look at how the ferocity of the Greek defence changed the course of the war itself.
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🎬Video Credits:
Narrator - Cam [[e-mail]]
Editors - Giorgi [[e-mail]]
Writer - Nick [[e-mail]]
Fact Checker - Stefan [[e-mail]]
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Chapters
0:00 Introduction
1:09 The Greco-Italian War
3:03 The German invasion
3:30 Battle of Crete
5:14 Occupation of Greece
6:35 Greek Resistance
9:02 Greek Armed Forces in the Middle East
9:59 Conclusion

[@TheFront]

The Front: They'll be talking about this video for a thousand years. Prince Hector: In a thousand years, the dust from our bones will be gone. The Front: Yes, prince. But our views will remain. (Troy, 2004) For more vague, bad puns and memes, join our Discord server (discord.gg/qt68efP) or reach us by carrier bird.

[@ClenchingHalo45]

I will send my carrier bird

[@kwebelhoofd3.041]

Can u make a vid About the dutch Resistance

[@ivanbond5209]

Where can I find your intro song? it's awesome!

[@dbkarman]

at 3:53 you say 5300 were taken prisoner but it says 3500 on the screen :)

[@usgfyoutube5692]

We have Spartans WW2 and more

[@gabinator3343]

Respect to my Greek brothers and sisters from an Assyrian 🇬🇷🇮🇶

[@user-ic4nn7xz5k]

Love from Greece too

[@ReadThis_]

Love from Greece. Hope that things get better there soon .

[@thewhorenextdoor8268]

Love back to you حبيبي

[@lefterismagkoutas4430]

assyrians are brothers

[@theodoros9428]

@@thewhorenextdoor8268 you was in the army ??? Έλληνας εισαι;;

[@Johnnylemoni]

Italy: invaded Greece Greece: hippity hoppity get out of my property

[@user-ym5dd8rv4g]

Λίγο κλεμμένο

[@Johnnylemoni]

@@user-ym5dd8rv4g I know sorry

[@markmulder9845]

Best line I ever heard.

[@offensivebastard7656]

Καλό

[@kikieleutheriadou1661]

@@Johnnylemoni discord.com/invite/etCX4KY

[@kenmasters2034]

FAMOUS QUOTES ABOUT THE GREEKS IN WWII: Adolf Hitler: "For the sake of historical truth I must verify that only the Greeks, of all the adversaries who confronted us, fought with bold courage and highest disregard of death.. " (From speech he delivered to Reichstag on 4 May 1941) Winston Churchill: "The word heroism I am afraid does not render the least of those acts of self-sacrifice of the Greeks, which were the defining factor in the victorious outcome of the common struggle of the nations, during WWII, for the human freedom and dignity. If it were not for the bravery of the Greeks and their courage, the outcome of WWII would be undetermined." (Paraphrased from one of his speeches to the British Parliament on 24 April 1941) "Until now we used to say that the Greeks fight like heroes. Now we shall say: The heroes fight like Greeks." (From a speech he delivered from the BBC in the first days of the Greco-Italian war) Joseph Vissarionovich Tzougasvili Stalin: "I am sorry because I am getting old and I shall not live long to thank the Greek People, whose resistance decided WWII." (From a speech of his broadcast by the Moscow radio station on 31 January 1943 after the victory of Stalingrad and the capitulation of marshal Paulus) Charles de Gaul: "I am unable to give the proper breadth of gratitude I feel for the heroic resistance of the People and the leaders of Greece." (From a speech of his to the French Parliament after the end of WWII) Maurice Schumann Minister of the exterior of France 1969-1973, member of the French Academy 1974: "Greece is the symbol of the tortured, bloodied but live Europe.. Never a defeat was so honorable for those who suffered it." (From a message of his he addressed from the BBC of London to the enslaved peoples of Europe on 28 April 1941, the day Hitler occupied Athens after Greece fought a 6-month war) Moscow, Radio Station to Greece: "You fought unarmed and won, small against big. We owe you gratitude, because you gave us time to defend ourselves. As Russians and as people we thank you." (When Hitler attacked the U.S.S.R.) Georgy Constantinovich Zhoucov 1896-1974 Marshal of the Soviet Army: "If the Russian people managed to raise resistance at the doors of Moscow, to halt and reverse the German torrent, they owe it to the Greek People, who delayed the German divisions during the time they could bring us to our knees." (Quote from his memoirs on WWII) Benito Mussolini: "The war with Greece proved that nothing is firm in the military and that surprises always await us." (From speech he delivered on 10/5/1941) Sir Robert Antony Eden, Minister of War and the Exterior of Britain 1940-1945, Prime Minister of Britain 1955-1957: "Regardless of what the future historians shall say, what we can say now, is that Greece gave Mussolini an unforgettable lesson, that she was the motive for the revolution in Yugoslavia, that she held the Germans in the mainland and in Crete for six weeks, that she upset the chronological order of all German High Command's plans and thus brought a general reversal of the entire course of the war and we won." (Paraphrased from a speech of his to the British parliament on 24/09/1942) Sir Harold Leofric George Alexander, British Marshal during WWII: "It would not be an exaggeration to say that Greece upset the plans of Germany in their entirety forcing her to postpone the attack on Russia for six weeks. We wonder what would have been Soviet Union's position without Greece." (Paraphrased from a speech of his to the British parliament on 28 October 1941) George VI, King of Great Britain 1936-1952: "The magnificent struggle of Greece, was the first big turn of WWII" (Paraphrased from a speech of his to the parliament in May 1945) Franklin Roosevelt, President of the United States of America: "On the 28th of October 1940 Greece was given a deadline of three hours to decide on war or peace but even if a three day or three week or three year were given, the response would have been the same. The Greeks taught dignity throughout the centuries. When the entire world had lost all hope, the Greek people dared to question the invincibility of the German monster raising against it the proud spirit of freedom." (Paraphrased from speech he delivered on 10/6/1943) "The heroic struggle of the Greek people... against Germany 's attack, after she so thunderously defeated the Italians in their attempt to invade the Greek soil, filled the hearts of the American people with enthusiasm and moved their compassion." (Paraphrased from a speech of his on 25/04/1941) NOTES: On 10 April 1941, after the capitulation to Germany, the northern forts of Greece surrender. The Germans express their admirations to Greek soldiers, declare that they were honored and proud to have as their adversary such an army and request that the Greek commandant inspect the German army in a demonstration of honor and recognition! The German flag is raised only after the complete withdrawal of the Greek army. A German officer of the air force declared to the commander of the Greek Eastern Macedonia division group, lieutenant general Dedes that the Greek army was the first army on which the stuka fighter planes did not cause panic. "Your soldiers" he said, "instead of fleeing frantically, as they did in France and Poland, were shooting at us from their positions." The Greeks originally surrendered to the Germans only (which makes sense). Mussolini learned about it and got pissed, demanding that the Greek Army surrender to the Italians as well. He ordered additional attacks against the Greeks who were then in the process of surrendering to Germany. The Greeks resisted, and defeated the Italians once more. After the embarrassment to Mussolini, Hitler relented and had General Dietrich convince General Georgios Tsolakoglou to include Italy as well in the surrender. And here's a very old quote from ancient times: AESCHYLUS: "BECAUSE ONLY WE (THE GREEKS), CONTRARY TO THE BARBARIANS, NEVER COUNT THE ENEMY IN BATTLE" Here's a little history lesson on the Greeks in WWII. The Greeks resisted longer than any other country before being occupied by the Nazis. DURATION OF RESISTANCE (in days): Greece 219 Norway 61 France 43 (The superpower at the time) Poland 30 Belgium 18 Holland 4 Yugoslavia 3 Denmark 0 (The Danes surrendered to Hitler's motorcyclist who was conveying Hitler's request to the Danish king for the crossing of the Nazi armies. The Danish king indicating submission surrendered his crown to the motorcyclist) Czechoslovakia 0 Luxenburg 0 TOTAL GREEK CASUALTIES IN WWII BY COUNTRY: Albanians killed 1,165 Greeks Italians killed 8,000 Greeks Bulgarians killed 25,000 Greeks Germans killed 50,000 Greeks TOTAL LOSES IN POPULATION PERCENTAGES: Greece 10% Soviet Union 16% Holland 2.2% France 2% (The superpower at the time) Poland 16% Yugoslavia 1.7% Belgium 1.5%

[@nickvout7203]

Yet france got a part of germany while greece got you know what

[@TeddyboyRnR13]

Yeah and what happened is everybody dicked us including the allies , we didn't even get war reparations from Germany like the rest of EU. Politicians are always full of shit no matter the era.

[@y.p.9797]

@@nickvout7203 We actually took Dodekanisos and a part of Thrace

[@stansmith4054]

You sir, are obviously an educated student of history. Thanks for also providing citations and sources!

[@y.p.9797]

@@stansmith4054 I'm 15 actually but thanks bro. Fun fact in three days we Greeks will celebrate our entrance in the WW2, that's crazy if we think that other countries celebrate its end. The 28th October is a very important day for the Greeks because that day the Italian ambassador asked Ioannis Metaxas (he was a dictator) to surrender and let the Italian troops to conquer Greece.So Metaxas had to decide between humiliation and a war. If I'm right Metaxas then said "Well, we have war". Although he knew that hundreds of thousands of people would die he couldn't accept a humiliating surrender. If you want you can search it on KZbin for further information. You will find also videos of that day with the Greeks on the roads celebrating.

[@darrenmonks4532]

The Aussies and Kiwis also fought with ferocity for Greece - both mainland and Crete. And we ANZACS love our Greek cobbers.

[@havocgr1976]

And we Cretans love you too, we remember...

[@peterhoulis1184]

Respect to all soldiers

[@chrissam2994]

We remember my friend and every greek owes a big thanks and respect to your ancestors

[@nsmitty8055]

Trust us, the Greeks and Cretans havent forgotten.

[@gg1275]

We will be eternally grateful for your sacrifice. I often visit the cemetery in Souda Bay to light a candle and pay respects to the heroes that lost their lives for our freedom. To the families who lost their sons here, please know we keep this place nice and clean.

[@epapa737]

Germany: surrender or we'll invade Greece: cowabunga it is malaka

[@LinkSoul64]

Laughed too hard with this. Best comment so far. Efxaristo

[@kikieleutheriadou1661]

@@LinkSoul64 discord.com/invite/etCX4KY

[@userTHC]

Psofisa besa axaxaxa

[@thefox0710]

hlia maga excactly

[@rizzospastis]

Τι ειπε ο τρελος 😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@usgfyoutube5692]

For a small European country they have had some of the most badass story’s of history

[@wishgrantfactory5252]

Greece and Egypt are the countries with the best and badass histories.

[@tkmtkm4527]

Once Hellas was great...

[@alefantos1315]

@Stratos Sousas πως τα χειρίζεσαι ετσι τα αγγλικα ρε

[@kidjay586]

@@alefantos1315 ελα ρε λεπτομεριες τωρα χαχαχα

[@liampos_21]

@@alefantos1315 δεν τον βλεπεις, εγγλεζος γεννημενος το παιδι

[@crystxlzx6442]

Greeks would always have my respect 🇬🇧♥️🇬🇷

[@user-ic4nn7xz5k]

Thank you my English friend

[@andre_original2156]

We have respect to you because you were never against us ( I think) also we must be thankful that you sent Ships to Help Greece in the revolution of 1821

[@johnm2197]

Greece and Britain have a long and unshakeable loyalty to each other going back to the time of the Revolution.

[@kostas1812]

You forgot Cyprus ey a*shole??

[@greekroyalsjnr]

@@andre_original2156 bull shit they black mail us since then... there is long list, let's start with Cyprus

[@backdrop6950]

It's always great to hear about the bravery and war-efforts of the minor combatant nations! Respect to my Greek brothers and sisters from an Indian. 🇬🇷🇮🇳

[@apostolis07]

Thank you much love and respect to India 🇬🇷🇮🇳

[@akissfantos7224]

Freedom or Death is the ageless belief of the Greek peoples anybody who wants to threaten the Greek Homeland will have aspecially good time on his way to HELL

[@eliasmowrey1108]

Love and respect from a Greek living in Utah! 🇬🇷🇮🇳

[@dscrappygolani7981]

Aye, the Greeks .... phenomenal!

[@user-ei7ib2mc6w]

Hello my Indian brother

[@ottogreece6173]

Here's a story of the Axis occupation : When the Germany occupied the island of Zakynthos they demanded from the town's authorities to write a list including all the names of the Jewish people living in the island. As the mayor of the island talked with the archbishop they conducted the list. There were only two names in the list Mayor of Zakynthos Archbishop of Zakynthos

[@MrSniperdude01]

And this was followed by two summary executions ?

[@glr7167]

@@MrSniperdude01 Yup

[@justinhhp87]

except the archbishop survived until 1958

[@lxathu]

@Scott Anos Yeah, I'm sure those are the very same villagers.

[@apokos8871]

@Scott Anos you should come to Greece one day. i still have my grandpa's bayonet, ill show you what we do to nazis like you

[@user-mw6vh8lb5q]

Ι have a story and although it is not from my ancestors i think it's a good one. In the summer of 2018 a family went at a tavern in Crete at the city of Herakleion to eat. They weren't greeks. After a while the owner asked them where are they from and they said that they were from New Zealand. When the family finished their meal and they asked for the bill. The owner said ' you don't owe me anything. This debt was paid 77 years ago when your ancestors defended our country and our island as it was their own' .

[@DotDotDot0272]

I've seen that story before in another comment section! I see now, this is how stories and anecdotes spread!

[@SpartiniMartini]

Thats a great story! Do you have a source to verify if it actually happened?

[@user-mw6vh8lb5q]

@@SpartiniMartini Unfortunately, only in words my friend. A friend of mine went to crete last year and he head it from the locals and then he told me the story.

[@johnyrevenge6356]

If you go to war, make sure you've got the Kiwis on your side. (I'm an Aussie) 1. They kick arse like no other 2. They are as nice as Canadians. If your not on their side then you're obviously the bad guy.

[@SpartiniMartini]

@@user-mw6vh8lb5q ah thats a shame, still a good story. Thanks for sharing!

[@Morisu-Chan]

Greece was always a tiny titan, it could endure the hardest obstacles and overcome it with sheer will power and strength,

[@mrmax434]

The Greeks could easily be the dominant power in the Mediterranean in the ancient age, if they weren't fighting eachother. They only came together to fight invaders with great effect. The WW2 stories show that the Greeks didn't like their fascist neighbors, don't invade Greece, please don't.

[@jtm8514]

I mean, excpet maybe the Romans and the Ottomans. But yeah, exetremely resilient for what you could expect.

[@EM-qr4kz]

​@@jtm8514 I am surprised when read Greek History that there is still Greek blood on the planet.. there are so few of them and they have been through so many wars.. 400 years of slavery from the ottoman empire followed by the bloodiest revolution,followed by Civil war, First Balkan war, Second Balkan war, Third Balkan War/First World War, Greco_Turkish war, Second World War,followed by Civil war, Dictatorship ... i really wonder how much blood they have..

[@jtm8514]

@@EM-qr4kz slavery is a stretch. Call it prosecution under them and I'm with you.

[@EM-qr4kz]

@@jtm8514 slavery emphasizes the fact of the continuous (gorilla wars) and the followed massacres they carried out against the Greeks by the thousands during these 400 years

[@diogopereira1475]

As a Portuguese I've always had huge respect for Greece and their history, a country I'd wish to visit someday

[@epimetheus9053]

Greece considers you cousins because of our lost-in-time history

[@lostre2583]

We will welcome you with open arms brother

[@koskara1314]

Abrigado ❤️

[@principalityoftheseals3417]

Portugal, the first colonial power with underrated history. We thank you from greece. I would love to visit your country as I think we have a lot of things in common!

[@marioglory8528]

easy many flights to athens from lisbon

[@boathousejoed9005]

I've known a few Greeks during my life, I can say without hesitation they have all been hard working,careing people.

[@markkrousos5011]

As a Greek, I thank you for your kind words.

[@kekwnerd9464]

Most people from the Balkans are like that

[@stansmith4054]

And they have awesome food! All of us fat guys love Greek cuisine!

[@dorianphilotheates3769]

Boathousejoe D - Hardworking, caring, and several other things, too; but you left out their defining national characteristic: without exception, utterly insane.

[@markkrousos5011]

@@dorianphilotheates3769 xD that is the first time I hear that. Any examples?

[@Gazeasss]

The actions of our ancestors makes me proud I lost a grand grandfather in the greco Albanian front 🇬🇷🇬🇷🇬🇷🇬🇷

[@havocnationriders755]

May God bless his soul, a good man defending his home.

[@Gazeasss]

@@havocnationriders755 thank you I hope you have a great day

[@havocnationriders755]

@@Gazeasss appreciate it, you too brother.

[@justbbricks]

@Havoc Nation Riders lets not make this religious please

[@havocnationriders755]

@@justbbricks and here's the asshole, i was being nice, and may god bless his soul, i don't care about your petty opinion, you want to force on everyone else.

[@toms621]

Ζητώ ή Ελλάδα από έναν Άγγλο !

[@Keeper2403]

Thank you brother. When France, Belgium and Holland capitulated, Greece was Britains' only (official) ally against the Axis

[@Hellenic_Empire]

Δεν τα μίλησες λάθως! Ως Έλληνας, σε ευχαριστώ!! You didn't speak them (Greek) erroneously! As a Hellene, I thank you!

[@cyber6010]

More eggleze pexti

[@real_orestis_georgiou]

@@Hellenic_Empire Επιτέλους κάποιος που γράφει "λάθως" όπως εγώ!

[@sumax-nz1je]

@@Keeper2403 No Because England Transported All of Greece National Gold to Egypt Never to return it Back

[@MightyCousintube-fg4jf]

Trojans, Spartans, Athenas, Thebes, Corinth, and Argos ancestors were smiling hard with Alexander, Leonidas, Solon, Pericles, Draco, and Cimon spirits flow though their people heart. There’s a saying “Even if the nation is split and fighting each other to the death there’s no greater force terrifying than a nation fighting as a whole.” Greeks were everyone ancestors where we europeans and Americans had tides to them in some form. Greeks created the republic and Greeks created the democracy. Greeks were known to be first civilization of our kind who battle each other to the death for over 5,000 years. Philotimo!

[@user-oc5ht9jr2y]

Thank you my friend for your kind words about my country. It means a lot!

[@stefmyt5062]

I'm from Greece. My great-grandfather fought in the war in 1940, he managed to capture two Italian soldiers who had gone to take a piss, and left their rifles outside. Later, he stepped on an Italian landmine and his toes had to be amputated. But even after that, he NEVER said anything negative about Italians. In fact, he visited Italy almost 10 times until his death in 2015, and loved each and every one of those trips. Una Faccia, una Razza. 🇬🇷💖🇮🇹

[@victorthimm8263]

Greek never had such a big hate to the Italian ppl then the german

[@paulcoy6081]

May your grandpa rip

[@Daniel-jm7ts]

that must have been very embarrassing for the two Italian soldiers lol

[@user-ym5dd8rv4g]

@@victorthimm8263 that's true (i am greek)

[@jamesricker3997]

I think the fact that the Italians executed Mussolini may have had a lot to do with his change of heart

[@horror11]

4000 years of warrior dna, allways outnumbered , never backed off of fights, most of the time victorious , thats greek history in a nutshell.

[@zuzudernegger9721]

What warrior DNA? Didn't you watch 300? What did Leonidas said about the Greeks in 300 - they were boy lovers and scholars not warriors!

[@user-qr6hm4gi9n]

@@zuzudernegger9721do you believe a movie of Hollywood shows the whole truth about Spartans??? We Greeks have the warrior DNA..from Marathon to nowadays. Learn history stupid kid

[@benaskalinskas4154]

talking about "warrior dna" is pretty stupid

[@ganjaspeeder1144]

@@user-qr6hm4gi9n sparta was a small city and overexagerated . Athens valued scholars and artists more than warriors

[@chrissam2994]

At least we are not goat lovers or child lovers like you.We had Aphrodite as a goddess..... She didnt had a problem with homosexuality....Your god didnt exist back then... Like your nation...

[@thesovietgamer5798]

Germany: oh come on italy how hard can it be Later Italy: you were saying Germany: shut up

[@nikolasbananaguyy]

true

[@galatisefta609]

Actually germany didnt want for the italy to make war with Greece. Hitler said to Mussolini that he will loose war if he starts it.

[@poppycalliope6793]

Lol very funny comment. Made me laugh.

[@seansean250]

They took the country in 3 weeks… while simultaneously preparing for an invasion of the Soviet Union

[@nas8839]

Great effort! Bravo Greeks! Salute to you from Bulgaria. I am sorry, our country was part of this misery you endured. Respect!

[@Freawulf]

Greetz from Athens! \m/

[@user-zh1ct8xe9l]

Not only was a part,but were also very cruel in the lands they conquered.Thank you for your words

[@nas8839]

@@user-zh1ct8xe9l Both my grandparents were fighting against the nazis. One as a sniper in the soviet army, the other a partisan in Bulgaria. I am glad they were not part of that, but against it.

[@user-zh1ct8xe9l]

@@nas8839 Respect to them ✊

[@nas8839]

@@user-zh1ct8xe9l Thank bro. Once again - respect to your ancestors!

[@milosevicheroj6243]

"I forbid the Press to underestimate the Greeks, to defame them... The Führer admires the bravery of Greeks. " Joseph Goebbels in his diary, 9 April 1941

[@1986tessie]

Yeah Goebbels was a real stand up guy. XD Bad joke.

[@Nestoras_Zogopoulos]

@@1986tessie quite hilarious how you are under every other comment badmouthing the greeks, nothing new to be sure , this too though shall pass.

[@betola12]

Then the fallschirmjäger razed a couple of villages in reprisal

[@MrSniperdude01]

Funny. An official proclamation written down in a diary. I guess he never publicly came out & said that

[@1986tessie]

@@Nestoras_Zogopoulos could you show me where I have said a bad word about the greeks? Nothing I have said is against them in any way whatsoever. Maybe you are just too sensitive. Or would you like me to have defended Goebbels? Lol that's a hard sell.

[@DaPepper]

As a Greek I am very thankful that history channels are finally covering the Greek contributions of the war. The efforts of our great grandfathers will finally receive the credit it deserves.

[@titto2602]

Yeah it's time people appreciated our input in WW2

[@RandomPersonR]

The Greeks in my opinion have always been a brave people in ww2 defending their home and families from the invaders they fought bravely even with all the odds against them even after Greece fell they still fought bravely to reclaim their home and families from the occupiers the Greek islands and mainland were an thing important for the victory of the war who controlled Greece could envade North Africa and weaken control of the Mediterranean for the other but anyway I have always had a interest in the Greeks for their history and people

[@PaoFootballClub]

Ετσι ακριβως φιλε.Εχασα και εγω παππου βεβαια μετα απο καποια χρονια,αλλα ηταν εξαιτιας τραυματισμου στον πολεμο στα αλβανικα βουνα.Αιωνια η μνημη ολων των ηρωων!

[@IIITOXICIII]

My Grandfather was at Hill 731 that time,was one of the most critical battles of the Greek-Italian War. The conflicts lasted 15 days, ie from March 9-24, 1941 and ended with the domination of the Greeks. Today the Hill 731 has Height 726m beacause of the Bombs..

[@SpartanLeonidas1821]

Epta Trianta Ena 7 3 1 🇬🇷

[@PaoFootballClub]

Παιζει να πολεμησε μαζι με τον δικο μου παππου τοτε στο 731.Γιωργο λεγανε τον παππου στο μικρο.

[@apollontv1078]

@@PaoFootballClub εμένα Γιάννη τον έλεγανε...ευτυχώς έχουν σπάνια ονόματα...🤦‍♂️😂😂

[@jeromejackson6797]

@@PaoFootballClubmy grandfather was there too Konstandinos sto mikro

[@wyattpeterson6286]

Respect to the strong resilient people of Greece from the USA!

[@jayg1438]

Same. Growing up one of my best friends was 1st generation USA born Greek. His parents told me stories of how their parents fought the Italians and mocked them when they retreated. They also told me of family and neighbors who fought the Germans with anything they could, including putting anything into the running gear of tanks and half tracks to slow them down.

[@victorthimm8263]

My greek grandma chased (with a broom) italians who were trying to catch and eat her chicken and then they just run away

[@Schimml0rd]

italians and greeks are brothers - i've read many stories of ppl's grandpas intentionally shooting high when mussolini invaded

[@StDumas1000]

@@Schimml0rd lol poor chaps

[@ellinakias6440]

@@Schimml0rd my grandma told me stories of Greek and Italian soldiers drinking coffee in the same cafeteria and tellin stories to each other’s during the war

[@gregkar2736]

That's true. I am Greek of Italian heritage. none wanted that war. Many Italian troops helped greeks and many greeks helped Italians to not be caught by Nazis after they invaded greece (Hitler ordered all Italians to be killed in Greece because they failed to take the country)

[@MaegnasMw]

@@gregkar2736 No, not exactly. Hitler allowed Italian troops to occupy a large part of the country (Germans were present only in Athens, Thessaloniki, Patras, Crete and many other islands in the Aegean while Italians were in most of central Greece, the rest of the Peloponnesos and parts of western Macedonia plus the rest of the islands, Aegean and Ionian alike, Bulgarians occupied most of central/east Macedonia and most of Thrace apart Alexandroupolis and some villages in that area where there were also German occupiers). The "rift" between Germans and Italians came in 1943, after the overthrow of Mussolini, THEN the Italians capitulated and changed sides and became an enemy to Germany, THEN the order to kill them came down the pipe. From that moment on, the Italians were practically partisans in Greece and many were treated thusly by the Greeks.

[@itza4ctv588]

Thanks for the video about my country's history.

[@veysel7803]

Ur country is a mess a kinda i don’t mean People but history is a mess

[@wingedhussar4219]

@@veysel7803 it is the greatest history

[@christermi]

@@wingedhussar4219 yeah , he doesn't know what he's talking about .

[@captainfamp5299]

@@veysel7803 where are you from ??

[@TheFront]

No worries at all. I'm glad you enjoyed it!

[@GeoKan]

New Zealanders fought by our side on Crete (5,894 German casualties). God bless all those who died so we can live free. While all other countries had to fight only the Germans (by majority) the Greeks fought the Italians (and pushed them to the sea) AND the Germans (who came later to assist the disgraced Italians - Germans suffered lots of loses during so also). Actually the Germans never planned to attack Greece, they only did it because of the Italian conquest failure so they had to restore the broken AXIS Prestige. Greece originally surrendered to the Germans under the condition that they would not have to surrender to the Italian troops, as said "We're gonna surrender, but not to Mussolini, they didn't earn this win".

[@xpictos777]

As a Greek Australian I couldn't be more proud of both :)

[@pseudomonas03]

"No matter if you will destroy our trees, if you will burn our villages, we will never yield. Even if one Greek remains in this world, we will always fight you. And do not expect that our land, will be yours. Just cancell this from your mind." General Kolokotronis's answer to Ibrahim's Pasha, during the Greek War of Independence in 1821, against the Ottoman Empire. When the Greeks asked the poet Kostis Palamas in 1940, what was his opinion to do, against the forces of the Axis, answered: "One thing i wll tell you and nothing else, drink from the immortal wine of 1821". That was the fighting spirit if the Greeks in WWII.

[@Irene-iu9sj]

Ένα τραγούδι θα σας πω,κι 'ύστερα κανένα,,,,,,μεθυστε με τ'αθάνατο κρασί του 21.......

[@kostaskostas7552]

Battle of the hill 731.... these soldiers were legends

[@dimitrismarkos2466]

... Seek to learn the incredible story of the Greek hill 731 where a handful of soldiers stopped an entire squad of the Italian army with Mussolini watching

[@fransciscoeldrako8870]

«Εἷς οἰωνὸς ἄριστος ἀμύνεσθαι περὶ πάτρης.»

[@NIKOS_GEROSIDERIS]

Όμηρος

[@MaegnasMw]

@@NIKOS_GEROSIDERIS "Εις οιωνός άχρηστος, αμύνεσθαι περί πάρτης" Νεοέλληνας! ;-)

[@NIKOS_GEROSIDERIS]

@@MaegnasMw Δυστυχώς νεοέλληνας νεόπλουτος μα παμφτωχος πνευματικα

[@MaegnasMw]

@@NIKOS_GEROSIDERIS καμία αντίρρηση, πώς θα μπορούσα άλλωστε;

[@teo2216]

Πες στα!!!

[@alexkur8201]

I am from Crete. My grand-grandmother used to tell me stories from WW2 and everytime she was bursted in tears. Her father died in the war from the germans and all the sisters were enraged. When the german parashooters droped in crete, she with ALL her sisters (11 to 19 y/o) hiding in the mountains, waiting for the parashooters to touch the ground, and leap on them with primitive knives, rocks and farming tools , slaughtering them the moment the touched the ground. Only 2 of the sisters made it alive till the end of war. She had told me that the most ferocious of all, was the little helena, the younger sister, 11 y/o. Whenever she attacked a parashooter she was screaming the name of her dead father (Nikolas). This is what war do to the people.

[@Thing51439]

Imagine being a descendent of the Teutonic knights and the people who put Napoleon in his place, conquering France and half of Europe only to be killed by a teenage girl.

[@Kevin-fj5oe]

@@Thing51439 she's greek girl

[@giwrgospetrogiannakis8583]

@AKUJIRULE i am from Crete too my grandmother told me stories of her father and brothers almost the same as Alex's stories they where waiting for the Germans to touch the ground and before they had time to get their parachute from on top of them they would charge them with knifes or even stones to bash their heads, because Crete had a very small supply of guns and even smaller number of AA guns so they used had they had...

[@giwrgospetrogiannakis8583]

@AKUJIRULE too bad for you that historians are starting to consider illiada as an true battle...must be hard to hate Greeks that much right?

[@giwrgospetrogiannakis8583]

@AKUJIRULE twitter.com/AnAthenianToLDN/status/1262989923088506881 you can check this twitter if you want, i am sad that you say that our stories are fake,but even after you check this tweet you want accept it as truth as i said it must be hard to hate Greeks that much...

[@graceneilitz7661]

The Spartans must be proud of their descendants, but I’m not sure if the Romans are proud of their Italian descendants.

[@sanchopancho8252]

it's different feeling when u fight for expansion and different for freedom

[@SkiourosTimmy]

You can`t say that Italians are the descendants of Romans to the same extent as ancient Greeks those to the modern Greeks. Arguably the modern Greeks are closer related to Romans than Italians actually.

[@germany8937]

The intresting thing is that greece and italy are now good friends unfortunately cant say the same for turks

[@gmeme9252]

the greeks are more roman than italians

[@graceneilitz7661]

@@gmeme9252 Thats true, that is why I said Italian descendants instead of descendants.

[@darkdruid2590]

I knew the Greeks fought in the war but damn

[@200pumb]

Let me sum it up for you !! The very first axis defeat in ww2 was in Greece , the biggest percent of deaths by population was Greece 500.000 , the important delay of Germans in Crete made the Russian winter to catch em and basically end the war , Greece was fighting against 4 armies Italian Albanian German Bulgarian ( all axis allies ) !! And resisted almost for six months when France the superpower lost in 14 days and many other countries just surrendered at once ! But the greatest of all stories in WW2 is when Germans invaded from the north in Greek Bulgarian border the bunker hold them for days !! ( they evacuated the bunker and only 3 people left to defend it ) they stop fighting only after they rubbed out of bullets .. when the Germans captured them the head officer ask who is in charge , it was a sergeant named Iskos when the German ss commander realized he’s troops had over 200 loses including a high rank officer from just a sergeant!! He order he’s men to salute him and after that he executed him ... this story is real and you can see the details if you search it even today we can visit the heroic banker it’s a museum .

[@billychops1280]

It’s honestly so amazing and it makes me proud that Greece lasted so long against such horrible odds when France the superpower of Europe lost in 2 weeks

[@user-qu4gr1xx1u]

Exactly...

[@wyattpeterson6286]

Respect to Greece from the USA!

[@user-qt4kb9gb1z]

Hollywood must make a ww2 movie for greece , change my mind

[@arcotroll8530]

Not politically correct enough. "Holywood Greece" is only for James Bond to gambol in or something.

[@gionikol1652]

@@arcotroll8530 tru

[@thanosgioule8044]

I will change your mind because Hollywood is garbage and it will ruin our history

[@skatiarhs007]

Guns of Navarone....

[@user-qt4kb9gb1z]

@@skatiarhs007 that was in the 1960s

[@justbbricks]

I hadn’t known about the Greeks role. Thank you! Now I can flex all the stuff I learned here when I return to school tomorrow.

[@TheFront]

Chicks dig history buffs!

[@justbbricks]

Hell yeah

[@whenyoutry]

Hey man i am curious. What did the teacher say? Did you flex tthe new info that you gained?

[@markmulder9845]

Axis; how about we invade Greece, the nation know for destroying empires and the last stand of 300 men against thousands? Plato in Afterlife: let me show you why that's a bad idea.

[@real.7773]

Actually there where way more than 300

[@markmulder9845]

@@real.7773 I am aware. It was. A coalition that rotated out it units. However, when the Greeks realized the persians were about to flank them, all but 300 Spartans retreated. The last 300 spartans were a delaying force to buy time for other Greek armies to retreat and regroup, and are well known as they held out for a day or two before being flanked and overwhelmed.

[@willemjagt5148]

@@markmulder9845 still wrong, there were stil more then 300 spartans. At least 700 thespians fought with them

[@07azrael]

@@real.7773 thermopylae was defended from only 300 Spartans.

[@07azrael]

@@nightshroud7321 exactly. So the only 'real" army defending the passage was 300 spartan warriors.

[@diegotavel5872]

This video made me really proud and i am not even greek

[@kalesmeno]

If the fight happens for noble reasons we are all Greeks.

[@Hope_Boat]

Hellenism is universal.

[@JonLondrezos]

My grandfather lost his life at the front line defending against the Italian invasion. After his death, my grandmother took up arms and fought the Italians and the Germans.

[@Dashound46]

"Just like their ancestors ages ago Fought in the face of defeat Those three hundred men left a pride to uphold Freedom of death in effect"

[@astartesfanboy5294]

*1000 men

[@apokos8871]

@@astartesfanboy5294 a few thousands if you count the small army of locals plus the slaves that helped in many ways. still, if the 300 werent involved, there would be no battle there. in 41 there was a second battle, in the same place, with the Aussies defending against the Germans

[@yiannisanastasopoulos4514]

Sabaton 😍

[@xingyuzhao8666]

Then, and again, blood of heroes saving their land!

[@edwardsanchez3708]

What about themistacleas? Yeah i know I didn't spell that right lol

[@THECOMMUNISTCHANNEL]

"You fought unarmed and won,small against big,thanks to you we had time to prepare our forces,as Russians we thank you" *-Russian radio station when Hitler attacked the Soviet Union*

[@Neoptolemus]

Is that really true? Thank for sharing. Everybody in Greece says that but I always believed Soviets themshelves killed the snake with unparrarell heroism. Greeks just gave them a good hand. The last country Germans invaded before USSR.

[@kritischertrinker9971]

@@Neoptolemus Remember that we only had to deal with you because the italians were so incopetent ffs...

[@titto2602]

@@kritischertrinker9971 You are just mad because a poor country who's troops didn't even have clothes to wear beat your allies and helped bring German to its destiny, .. loosing the war. Greeks fought greatly and even Hitler himself talked about it in his diary and he also admired Greece.

[@kritischertrinker9971]

@@titto2602 You praise your country and I'm not allowed to praise my country? Italy sucked and because of that we had to help them on multiple fronts, everyone knows that.

[@kritischertrinker9971]

@Filippos Tsimpoukakis Sounds really had but I know the reason, probably. Were there partisans? I'm talking about the cowards who keep fighting and ambush soldiers without a clue while not really having an uniform to see that they are soldiers. The USA did that too in vietnam, they couldnt find these cowards and as a result killed civillians were these cowards probably were. Partisans are terrorists and cowards and because of them, not even enemy soldiers died but their own people too.

[@ikaroulis]

On behalf of Greek people, we thank you for this video.

[@userrr1312]

My grandmother and her family heed an Italian soldier in a small basement under her kitchen in Kerkira for at least a month and helped him sneak out of greece back to Italy. The Italian mailed her every year to say thank you for saving his life.

[@annas4843]

My grandmother was working as teen (she was left an orphan after her parents “disappeared” from Nazis), two Greek men hid in a shed from Germans hunting them and she provided them shelter. She was almost 16 and she knew it could mean a painful death but she did it. One of the men looked for her years later to thank her for his life. He wrote her also a letter that he could never forget her eyes, when he thought all hope was lost looking in her eyes pushed him back in life and reminded him why he was fighting. I hope I had her courage, she was always a fighter.

[@userrr1312]

@@annas4843 Amazing story m8, thanks for sharing

[@JamesBu11]

I met an aged Cretan from Heraklion in Crete in the 1990's who told me about shooting at German paratroops as they dropped in the invasion. He lost his left arm to the elbow in the battle and fought on in the resistance using his stump to rest his rifle on.

[@cristianvillanueva8782]

Wow

[@Irene-iu9sj]

I had a young uncle,age 17, writh one leg......he fraught the parashoutists. Latter he became a doctor.....

[@OlgaTsang]

Ο αδελφός μου έχει ταξί και πριν από 20 χρόνια πήρε ως επιβάτη έναν ηλικιωμένο κύριο. Πως το έφερε η κουβέντα και του είπε μια παράξενη ιστορία. Όταν έπεσαν οι αλεξιπτωτιστές στην Κρήτη ήταν έφηβος, βοσκός. Έστησε ενέδρα στον πρώτο αλεξιπτωτιστή που έπεσε κοντά του και τον σκότωσε με μια κατσούνα ( ραβδί) που είχε. Πήρε το όπλο του νεκρού και με όσες σφαίρες είχε μέσα σκότωσε τους επόμενους αλεξιπτωτιστές που έπεσαν κοντά. Όταν μου είπε την ιστορία το ίδιο βράδυ ο αδελφός μου θυμάμαι πως έλεγε πόσους ακριβώς αλλά τώρα έχω ξεχάσει. Ο ηλικιωμένος κύριος είπε στον αδελφό μου πως δεν έχει περάσει μέρα να μην σκεφτεί τον καθένα τους και κατέληξε να κλαίει έως ότου να πάει σπίτι του. Ο αδελφός μου ήταν σοκαρισμένος όσο μου έλεγε την ιστορία. Μόνο τέτοιες στιγμές καταλαβαίνεις τι είναι ο πόλεμος.

[@raphaellauf7786]

The people of Greece has always been fierce warriors, all the way back to ancient history and they keep up that reputation to this day

[@TheFlyingGreekman]

If you want peace, be ready for war, that's why military service is compulsory for every Greek citizen. I am going to enroll in the military after I finish with Uni...

[@AlexJRadulescu]

Thank you for this edifying presentation - I was not familiar with the ferocity of Greek resistance, but in retrospect I cannot say that I am surprised. The fighting spirit of the Greek people has been clearly manifest since the earliest days of their nation's history, such as when they banded together to bring the hubris of the Persian Empire crashing down at Thermopylae, Marathon, Salamis, and Plataea. May God bless our Greek brothers and sisters with freedom, peace, and unity ☦️🇬🇷

[@EM-qr4kz]

I am surprised when read Greek History that there is still Greek blood on the planet.. there are so few and they have been through so many wars. 400 years of slavery from the ottoman empire followed by the bloodiest revolution,followed by Civil war, First Balkan war, Second Balkan war, Third Balkan War/First World War, Greco_Turkish war, Second World War,followed by Civil war, dictatorship ... i really wonder how much blood they have..

[@sarantissporidis391]

​@@EM-qr4kzIt's not about the quantity of blood, it's about the quality of it, my friend.

[@christosmanitsas103]

My papou (greek for grandpa) fought and got shot in the thigh although made it, couldnt be more proud. He lived until the age of 96 until passing away november 2019 RIP

[@Jason-fb9cr]

I am Greek my grand grand father died defending the Crete island

[@greekmanman5393]

Ηρωας!!ΑΘΑΝΑΤΟΣ!!

[@Jason-fb9cr]

@@greekmanman5393 ευχαριστώ και χρόνια πολλά για την 28η

[@greekmanman5393]

@@Jason-fb9cr Ζήτω η 28η οκτωβρίου.Χρόνια πολλά αδερφέ μου!

[@Jason-fb9cr]

@@greekmanman5393 ας πουμε ένα ακόμα ΌΧΙ στον μαλακά τον ερντογαν

[@greekmanman5393]

@@Jason-fb9cr σωστα.Καλα αυτος αν κανει κατι,παιζει ο στρατος του να εχει την ιδια μοιρα με τους ιταλους.

[@stinkmeister3]

Dying for the freedom of your people and your country is one of the most noble things you could die for.

[@TheFront]

For sure, Allah!

[@fourikaunix5407]

For Jesus Christ........or...not just for peace but we cannot have peace if there remains at least one Turkkey or Hellin

[@ManuelCruz-nk8fs]

Love to my greek brothers and sisters from a portuguese I hope for a even better luso-hellinic relations in the future🇵🇹🤝🇬🇷

[@jasongunningham9545]

I didn’t know anything about this and I study history. but I’m not surprised from Alexander the great to the Spartans they’ve always been some of the bravest this world has to offer

[@greekanimefun]

if not the bravest

[@rc59191]

Is it just me or are a lot of history channels talking about Greece lately lol?

[@giannisd.6587]

Noticed it my self -as a Greek-, 1 year ago you could barely find anything mentioning Greece in WW2 beside some charts and Sabaton.

[@rc59191]

@@giannisd.6587 I thought maybe it was the anniversary for the battle of Crete since they all been on that subject.

[@giannisd.6587]

@@rc59191 Well lets just agree to blame Luigi.

[@socratesa2536]

I think it takes one person standing up to lead the rest of the class to follow. Must of had one video come out and the creators saw it and started reading into the history and realizing what a huge gap we have in teaching the Greek front of ww2.

[@germany8937]

I mean its nice seeing people talk about more modern greek history instead of ancient history

[@flashbacks4186]

Example of bravery: the entire battle of Fort Roupel. Exhausted, under equipped and under supplied men fought the best of the German forces. Oh yeah and forgot to mention Dimitrios Itsios and his KDR of 300 kills- 1 death.

[@elasolezito]

A German officer asked if he was he who killed all these men, Itsios said that he was just doing his duty only to get the reply, something like "You cost me more than 200 men, now i'll have to do mine" and executes the guy on the spot. Before this the Germans were already on top of the bunker speaking Greek, telling them to give up and no harm will come to them. Dimitrios was the first to rush outside furious with his rifle, after a brief exchange of words he was killed. 2 other Greeks cleaned his blood and turned his body to look at the sky before leaving.

[@TheFront]

GREAT example!

[@aokiaoki4238]

2000 wounded

[@user-ue6yc9kr8i]

Johan Dale that was honor vs disgrace. Nazis were full of disgrace.

[@kaloyandraganov9462]

Nobody except the most bias greek propagandists claim that their KDR was 300-1

[@andreaschristoforou579]

I’m a Greek Cypriot and my grandfather fought in the battle of El-Alamein in Egypt against the german general Erwin Rommel under the British flag

[@seventhk5845]

I wish someone covered the story of the Cyprus Regiment! From Dunkirk to the Macedonian mountains and in North Africa

[@chrismacpherson7230]

500 men of The Cyprus Regiment were taken off the beaches of Dunkirk to fight another day with distinction in North Africa, I know because my cousin was one of them. Petros Anastasi.

[@TheOfficialRandomGuy]

Italy: “Give us your country.” Greece: “ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ!”

[@Febrile1]

OXI

[@jamescarlin569]

Oxi!!!!!

[@tonkbutsmaller8008]

Μολων λαβε means : come and get it (now you know this my non Greek speaking English people who will read this)

[@TheOfficialRandomGuy]

@@tonkbutsmaller8008 It means “Come and take it” or “Come take” to be specific.

[@stavrosnicolaou4702]

Unfortunately now the Germans and Americans"LAVE" without "MOLWN". O Kritikos pou nomizei oti aristevei Ola ta dinei. Nyn yper OIKOGENEIAKOU PLOUTOU O AGWN.

[@breachstudios9511]

I am crying. Out of both mourning and the knowledge of my ancestors and my friend’s ancestors fought and died for the Greek independence that at the time was 110 years old. And I am also Crying out of honor and pride. Proud and honored to be one of these people. To bear a dual citizenship and to have Greek as my mother language. Thank you. You are the only one that have put the Greco-Italian War into this prospective and thank you for giving me this feeling

[@johnf2735]

Poland:my resistance lasted a whole 30 days France:I resisted the Germans for a continued 43 days Greece: amateurs France and poland: what was that punk Greece amateurs *Greek resistance lasted 220 continuous days

[@solareclipse9379]

Soviet Russia: Eh.. My resistance anally fucked Berlin.

[@abysswatcher9172]

@@solareclipse9379 Everyone else: You're a superpower!

[@ItsRawdraft2]

@@solareclipse9379 Resistance implies being totally occupied

[@solareclipse9379]

@@ItsRawdraft2 USSR resistance forces (squads, and other small "bands") called "Partisans" in Russia, were involved in major offensive to Nazi forces and most of them (resistanse members) reached Berlin.

[@ItsRawdraft2]

@@solareclipse9379 Yes, but "resistance" implies the TOTAL occupation of your country. What you describe is called a "partisan action", because the USSR wasn't defeated. You have to be defeated to resist.

[@colemarie9262]

Little personal note- My grandmother and some family went from the US (where my grandmother was born) to visit family in Greece in 1939. They were supposed to stay for a year, but had to leave when Hitler invaded Poland and the American embassy wanted their citizens back home. My grandmother says the trip home took double the time it did to get there, since they had to avoid german subs on the return. She was just nine then, and the Greek crew of the ship kept the little kids occupied for two whole weeks at sea by playing cartoons on a projector, then playing them backwards when they ran out... which the kids found hilarious. The sailors did stuff like making this huge pasta dinner for the kids that ended up all over the place when the ship hit a big wave- and instead of being upset, the crew made a big show of it being funny and had a spaghetti food fight for their entertainment. It always struck me how kind it was that these sailors, in the midst of real danger, fear, and apprehension for what was to come, deliberately distracted the kids from all the scary adult stuff going on. And at 90 years old, after a half dozen kids of her own and twice that many grandchildren, my grandmother still remembers those young men being so good to her as a frightening little girl.

[@m00plank90]

Mad respect for Greece

[@aristotelismoulakakis4181]

I am a Cretan. One of my Great grandfathers was an Evzonas in the Greco-Italian war. These men were then considered the special forces of the time and fought the hardest battles. He suffered very bad frostbites and almost lost his limbs. Once the Germans captured Greece he evacuated to Crete and in the day of the invasion he amongst others from his village rushed to the landing fields with spades to defend the island. Later he was taken prisoner by the Germans to build an airport but he escaped. When I remember his stories I set him as an example of the bravery of our ancestors

[@TommasoDV]

You know the thing is that italian soldiers did not want to fight the greeks at all, it is like a fight with your little brother, he can do somthing that will make you mad but in the end you love him anyway, una faccia una razza🇮🇹❤️🇬🇷

[@hattorihanzo9896]

My late grandpa, who fought at the war, said as much when I was a boy. Though he didn't like to talk a bout the war, one of the few times he did he told me that many of them dropped their weapon and surrendered because they didn't want to fight us, others was even speaking something like Ancient greek(probably the griko of South) and he was sad because they had nothing to give them and they all where starving together.. Only exchanging cigarettes.. Let's not make the same. Mistakes ever again frattelo!

[@someoneelse7247]

Grazie mille!

[@killa4life3333]

We know Tommaso, that's why not a single normal Greek has any hard feelings. We can't blame the beautiful Italian people for what that madman Mussolini saw for himself.

[@afrodoitizaimis2350]

My father who was a small boy during the occupation told me the same thing. The Italian territory it was a safe heaven for the Greeks. Italians weren't ruthless.They were helping.

[@nikosvithoulkas180]

My late grandfather also told me the same thing. Italians didnt want to fight the Greeks. He even had italian language lessons from prisoners. Never again between our countries. Peace

[@titocristobal5573]

Did not expect less from the lineage of Spartans and Atheneans.

[@sakisflex]

Macedonians too we are from north Greece

[@Taco_Man-mi4eb]

Damn imagine being a French soldier and having modern technology and surrendering to Germany when Greece, who had an army that made up a small fraction of the German army who had WW1 weapons fought out successfully the Italians, and not only that, but they stalled the Germans for a few months. Before anyone says I am wrong, this is from first-hand accounts. Out of the 7 males of my Grandfather’s family 6 of them fought the Germans, on my Grandmother’s side, out of the 5 males of the family, 3 fought the Germans. Also there was an ultimatum placed by Italy on Greece and Prime Minister Metaxas discussed it with the secretary of defense in my Grandfather’s coffee shop in Greece Edit: I have the coffee pot that made Prime Minister Metaxas’ coffe on October 28, 1940 at my house in Greece

[@whenyoutry]

well thats invaluable

[@MichalisG1821]

This might get buried, but like many here I have a story that has been passed through my family from the war of my Great Uncle. My Great Uncle was a young Medical Officer in the Royal Army when Mussolini invaded. He was sent to Albania with the initial defenders and he saw action on several occasions during the Greco-Italian War. My grandmother told me that he acted very bravely and he was rewarded with a short leave from the front so he could return home. When he arrived home, he learned of the Germans invasion. Try as he did, my great uncle couldn't return to rejoin the Army before they evacuated. The island where my family was from saw very little resistance activity in the early days of the war. In his own act of defiance, he and a few other fellows from his village who were also in the Army wore their uniforms in open protest of the occupation whenever they left their homes. My Grandmother told me that when she would walk down the streets of their village with her brother, the occupying soldiers would salute him as they passed since it was already known in the village that he had fought in Albania. Later on in the war he was able to secure passage to North Africa in secret and rejoin the Army there. He survived both the war and the Civil War and he passed away about ten years ago. Never forget our ancestors - our heroes - who fought, bled, and died to save our freedom and our country. We live because of their sacrifice.

[@kostasliaks6212]

My great grandfather also fought in albania.I m really sorry about your great uncle but he was hella respected and i think he deserved it

[@kikieleutheriadou1661]

@@kostasliaks6212 discord.com/invite/etCX4KY

[@germany8937]

Finally modern greek history im tired of hearing about our ancient history over and over again

[@klausbrinck2137]

It´s always still better to have both, than only the modern one... Many don´t!

[@zuzudernegger9721]

It hurts to watch about Ottoman invasions so much and slow, slow but deep Turk penetration!

[@NIKOS_GEROSIDERIS]

Imagine if you actually hear about ancient History😂😂😂.I mean most of you are exposed in 10 ancient hellenic battles but actually there were more than 50-75 important ones😂😂😂.Knowing the battle of Salamis and never heardear of the battle of Himera which is exactly of the same significance its really sad and shows the propaganda of our world.

[@dorianphilotheates3769]

t 90 - There is no ancient and modern; Greek history is Greek history.

[@GeorgeFafa]

@@dorianphilotheates3769 oh yes there is...the ancient one we can be proud of...but the modern one with the traitors running the country now? not so much. its a disgrace and nothing else.

[@euripiotis]

Nazi: let’s land on Crete Crete: (you are already dead) Nazi:what!!

[@johnwhateverson334]

There is no film about Greeks in WW2 though, we have saw films about French people, Jewish people, almost every country. But not a single film about Greece, as if Greeks dying and fighting for freedom wasn't as important.

[@loveintheend89]

Greece and Yugoslavia are too tiny and insignificant for Hollywood it seems like. I've met Germans that were never taught in school about the atrocities their ancestors did in Greece, so don't expect Hollywood to care.

[@johnwhateverson334]

@@loveintheend89 I know, but I mean every country (probably) has a film about its people fighting in ww2.. Greece tho😂, we are so corrupted and investments here in Greece are so low that the tv still shows black and white films. Over and over again, we barely have any new films or series comming out.

[@GeorgeFafa]

@@johnwhateverson334 Most docus about the war is from the UK or the US. And they did all the work so why mention anyone else...they are, as usual, full of themselves.

[@johnwhateverson334]

@@GeorgeFafa Haahhaha, Yep, look I also guess it's a political thing, cause, The story of Greece about ww2 is so juicy, 1st win of ww2, we pushed back Italians and took some of their land as well while they had much better equipment and numbers. Hitler, had to focus on us, he dragged his army from the Russian front to Greece, this gave just enough time for Russians to prepare. Germans were almost outside of Moscow ready to "breach" When the really heavy winter started and their machine's that they were depending their strategy on, had many disfunction problems, engines couldn't start, muddy roads etc.etc., Greek people fought to their death, with or without weapons. And sad thing is, so many stories got lost over time from every country... and it's so sad.

[@agentsteell]

Small countries and small lobbies, that's why.

[@rogerauger7766]

I had no idea of this bit of history. Thanks for sharing it and teaching something new. Roll on Greece! :)

[@user-qu4gr1xx1u]

Then l propose you should also read about hill 731

[@grandly2214]

Fun fact:Greeks took part in d-day as well

[@akhsdenlew1861]

ofc...Many others took part too. But they were under british command i suppose.

[@grandly2214]

@@akhsdenlew1861 ok but I am talking about the Greeks not all the others here

[@HeliasPrin]

@@grandly2214 The model with the cigarette that America was posting everywhere at the newspapers for the d-day was Greek lol! Ye we are everywhere!

[@kenp108]

My father was there

[@kerubim402]

@@grandly2214 and also italian

[@stefanosgerontopoulos6749]

Ι have to make a correction. The number of the fallen soldiers and officers of the Greek Army in the war at the Epirus with the Italians (Greek territory) and in North Epirus (ex Greek territory with huge Greek minority until today, that belongs to the Albania), and the battles in Albania territory, plus the German attack in Macedonia and Thrace, (States of the Kingdom of Greece) on April of 1941 costs around 13.000 deads, no woundeds, only deads. Around 25.000 suffered and came out of action from frostbites, because it was the most heavy winter in Epirus of the last 30 years. In no occasion the number of 80.000 casualties. The numbers are known and the Hellenic Army General Staff Headquarters give the exactly number of the fallen . At the total numbers of the deaths we suffered, after our country had been occupied from the Germans, Italians, Bulgarians and in a few places of the Epirus, that belongs and today in Greece, from the Albanians. From the starvation mainly ,the kills or murderers of Bulgarians in Macedonia and Thrace from the Albanians in Epirus and the Germans and Italians ithe main country and to our islands, we suffered over 500.000 deads, from the winter of 1941 until the liberation of our country, in October of 1944, in total population of 8.000.000 Greeks. The Germans taken all the goods that we produced , cereals,dried grapes, olive oil, nuts,grapes,wines etc, for them, and send them to Germany for their support. The problem became more tragical because the allied!!!! prime minister of Great Britain mr.... Churchill prohibited to the International Red Cross to send for help to the Greek people's cereals, as happened in other countries of occupied Europe. You, can search and find out for what reason our allie mr Churchill command to happen that in Greece and the Greek people. I m sorry for my bad English. With owner S. Gerontopoulos Hellenic Air Force Grand Chief Master Sargeant

[@Yiannis2112]

That's more like it. The numbers given are vastly exaggerated and one wonders where he got this info from. For both sides, that is. 100k Italian and 83k Greek casualties is absurd. After all, he states earlier in the video, that Italians committed 140k troops...

[@NickDanger0001]

I visited Crete in 1973 for six months. Spent a long time in a coastal village. One of the tavernas was popular with tourists and some Greeks. A nearby taverna was mostly Greek, not that they excluded tourists. I noticed the two groups of Greeks never mixed. I asked the proprietor of the first taverna about this. This resulted in an afternoon of drinking ouzo, eating endless souvlakis, etc. and he told me about the war. Partly, it was that I knew much of the history of Greece, Crete and knew a lot about the resistance. His group of Greeks were resistance. The other group collaborated or did nothing. They hated each other. There were some remnants of the Greek civil war, too. A very interesting day. Other tourists were jealous I had so much of his time, but, guess what? I knew a lot of his people and history and could ask sensible questions and had my own comments. Vast majority of tourists knew nothing. We were pals after that, always filled my ouzo to the top, etc. Went back to that village several times during that time on Crete.

[@rrocketman]

Very interesting comment, thanks for sharing

[@johnryder1713]

As Metaxas said at 1:43, for a country of heros they had some people in their past to measure up to, the problem is, they did. Don't forget how the Greek pilot, Marinos Mitralexis, saved many of his countrymen when his PZL 11 was outta ammo, he made a Kamakaze run on an Italian bomber, made them crash and took the survivors prisoner, to march them to nearby Greek positions

[@germany8937]

That man had balls of steall

[@johnryder1713]

@@germany8937 And the wings of an Eagle

[@bladerunner1458]

A British intelligence officer a friend of ours stayed in Greece After the invasion and made things very difficult for the Germans

[@TheFront]

I did read about quite a few British and even Aussies and Kiwis who did this after the Allies fled to Egypt.

[@sirrampage9713]

When you fight so hard the other side has to give props. History really down played the Greeks in high school history.

[@user-sy9rg7do9h]

Story from the occupation: My grandmother was the youngest of the seven sisters in her family and was living in a village in Ileia(the region where olympia is) and was about ten when the war started. Their family was living by farming and the girls only attended elementary school so they could help their father on the farming. They didn't starve because they had food sources and they were for the most part under italian occupation which was relatively better, but in no way great. Unfortunately their father died due to illness and a mother with seven daughters were left behind. The military police would usually steal from everybody. From bread towine to crops to olive oil, everything they could get their hands on. After the father's death and the surrender of the italians the germans took direct control and started imprisoning the italian soldiers. These former military policemen were plaintly STARVING and would risk everything just for a slice of bread. So then the robberies became more frequent. One day my grandma's oldest sister(who was 17) was looking over the sheep they had when suddenly an italian soldier came out of nowhere grabed one of the sheep and started running with everything he had. And that 17 year old girl started chasing him all by herself until he was forced to let the sheep go. Just thinking of it is mental. A former soldier who was occupying a region was chased down by a 17 year old girl leaving empty handed. Really in awe of her gut.

[@kapox2]

Both of my grandfathers were from Crete and were among those heroes sent to Epirus to fight against the Italians. When the front collapsed they had very hard time returning to Crete. The stories I've heard from others about their voyage back home, always reminded me of Homer's Odyssey. I never had the chance to meet my paternal grandfather, and my maternal grandfather never talked to me about these things. He had, though, a big collection of rifles and pistols from the war/occupation and was always keen to show these to me and explain me which were Italian and which German. I think, when my grandfathers returned to Crete, the island had already fallen to the Germans. It was those from my family who had stayed behind that lived the battle of Crete and the subsequent occupation; my grandmothers and great-grandparents. My mother's village was one of the many villages that was burnt to the ground by the Germans as retaliation to the Greek resistance. During that period, my family had nowhere to go, but to live on the mountains like savages. They didn't surrender though, they kept fighting for their lives. My great-grandfather was eventually arrested and we still don't know what happened to him after his arrest. He was probably sent to a concentration camp. My grandmother's sister was also arrested along with a friend of hers. They were tortured, forced to dig their own grave and executed. They were 16 years old. I've watched so many documentaries and read so many books about WWII, but none of these can slightly compare to the stories that I've heard from my grandmother. I will never forget that summer in the early 90s, when I went to Crete and my grandmother and I sat in her kitchen and she told me her story about the occupation. I was born and raised in Athens and my parents decided to send me to a greek/german school. It was that summer that I told my grandma that I was learning German and I'll never forget her reaction. Her eyes darkened, she stood there still for a second and then she just spelled out three words in her beautiful Cretan dialect "Why my child?". A few days later we sat in her kitchen... These are only some stories from my maternal side. I've got similar ones from my paternal side too. For some reason there has been less publicity about the suffering of the Greeks during WWII than about other Europeans. Thank you for this video, I felt like it tries to keep the memory of all those who suffered alive.

[@luishernandezblonde]

It's interesting to hear your story. I guess the Greeks don't forgive that easy.

[@chrpap7042]

@@luishernandezblonde in a town called Kalavryta the Germans, shot all male citizens (except 13 who were shielded by the already dead bodies) and rounded up all women and children locked them in the school and set it on fire. most were saved because the Germans didn't know of a back door that existed. it is also recorded that German soldiers even threw infants in the air and contested on who will impale them with their bayonet in the air. So yeah, you would not forget that either.

[@brrrrrtenjoyer]

​​@@chrpap7042he Germans didn't do that with the bayonet impaling. Now the Japanese did that with the Chinese, but the Germans didn't.

[@chrpap7042]

@@brrrrrtenjoyer There are documentary interviews from survivors describing the exact act.

[@HarvestMoonHowl]

United States: "We still have the most powerful military in the world and just over half of our total population owns a firearm. Bring it. We'll win through attrition in a month or less." Russia: "Let us tell you what happened when two world superpowers tried to invade us by land on separate occasions in recent history..." Iran: "We think we're badass and we are, at least when someone decides to fight us on our terms." Brazil: "Should we introduce you to our vast and inhospitable jungles?" Israel: "What? Were you born and raised under a rock?!" Greece: "Hah. Hold my Grandfather's captured Mauser rifle and watch this!"

[@tomkara1090]

What is that weak shit? Hold my great grandmothers captured mauser and watch this Thats is a true story btw she bludgeoned a german over the head and...aquired his gun, the law later on confiscated it

[@TAGMATAGMATON]

Most people don't know that when greek troops paraded in Athens after having defeated italians and showing people the prisoners of war (as victors used to do at that times), athenian people were offering the ragged italians pieces of bread and chocolate bars out of mercy other than spitting or cursing. And when the east front colapsed and germans began to persecute their former italian allies, greeks all over the land used to give them shelter and hide out to those who potentialy may have killed their fathers, husbands or brothers at war in the same basements and attics jews were given shelter before them. So said my grandfather Theodoros who fought the creco-italian war (and many of his age) who carried on his back his officer for 2 days in heavy snow not knowig he was already dead and had to chop the neck of the mule he was appointed to care in order to survive starvation. Never said a bad word for italians untill he passed away in peace many years later,

[@lewis6138]

The Greeks massively helped the Brits, and as a fellow Brit, I thank you for that!;

[@shaneabreu9271]

Sparta would have been proud of those soldiers.

[@oz_jones]

Most undoubtedly.

[@JoelRH12]

I didnt even realise greece was part of WWII. This while very sad, is absolutely awesome and i dont think there would be many other countries or ethnicities willing to do what greece did

[@kekwnerd9464]

Balkans are underrated in WW2 history

[@akhsdenlew1861]

USA and Britain took ALL the credit. USSR too. But let's be realistic. They did most of the heavy lifting. Especially britain. There was a time when britain was alone in this war...and germans never set a foot on their island. Respect to them. But i don't like how Greece and yugoslavia, 2 of the BIGGEST and bravest resistances of the war were not mentioned. Greece and yugoslavia had absurd death counts cus they kept fighting even when they were occupied. Look it up.

[@akhsdenlew1861]

@RadTheLad Britain had some certain things going on for them. And they took advantage of EVERYTHING they could. The channel is a natural geographical advantage of britain that hitler knew it was there all along... Same goes for Russia's cold winter. So i don't like when things like britain being an island and russia being cold are used as excuses. it's like invading the ocean and then complain that u found fish in it... Absurd. The point is that britain was ALONE in the war for too long.. And the battle of britain was very important, as well as breaking the enigma code with polish help. If u ask me, britain was the most important factor of winning the war. If britain fell when it was alone, we would all be dead now. USSR wouldn't stand a chance alone.

[@kotsoskotsou8864]

You must be an American. The first allied victory, lost 10% of its population, resisted for more than 220 days which was way more than any other country, praised by enemies and allies, delayed the German invasion of USSR and fought against 4 nations at once. Yes you can say Greece was kind of involved in WWII. Unfortunately many young people would know some of it only if it was in a Hollywood movie.

[@antimimoniakos]

430 thousand dead Greeks in German occupation. 300 thousand starved to death in winter of 1941/1942 because Germans took all the food. Hundreds of holocausts have been made most of them with women and children slaughtered.

[@nyx3155]

My grandmothers experience of WWll: She used to live in a small village outside of Sparta. Whenever the Italians came to patrol they’d give food to children, dance and sing and it didn’t feel like they were at war at all. They even helped my great grandma find my grandma. However when the Germans came people would look a place to hide their children and men would go to the mountains and fight for the village’s freedom.

[@proxcess4946]

Never knew about Greece’s involvement in the war. Always great to learn something new

[@DomiAngel]

In the 21st of August 1944 my great-grandfather was rounded up and executed along with 18 other men of Marathos (small village in Crete near Heraklion) by the Germans as retaliation for some partisan activity. The victims included his brother and other extended family members. My grandmother who was born in 1926 has told me many stories about this event, the German invasion and the following occupation. I still talk to her about that sometimes. Yes you read that right she is still alive!

[@petrospetromixos6962]

My grand father was send to Bulgary with others they killed a guard and escaped they would have killed them. He came back to Greece during winter bare foot , he had problem with his feet his whole life after that

[@Chris-ct1qf]

My grandmother and her mother were part of EAM , not communists at all, they just didn't like occupation.

[@niko7877]

That's how it went for almost all communist organizations during the war in every country, such as Albania. The normal people weren't communists, they just wanted to fight for liberation

[@brunodrivel2487]

Well my grandmoter fled to ukraine no choice. fun fact my father is a manati and ver y much a royalist as most of our maniates still are and my mother a Ukrainian greek. Met in australia in the early 1960's and boom, me . They are now in there late 80's and still the funniest arguments my mther raboling in russian and my father loosing it in greek. You just cant write comedy like that.

[@klausbrinck2137]

EAM/ELAS was putting up huge resistance, while other organisations didn´t really, and often were more occupied harming EAM/ELAS than the Germans (the Right in Greece will always prefer to fight against the Left more, than against the invader). People noticed that, and prefered to fight for EAM/ELAS cause of its effectiveness, organisation-degree and just aims, even if those people weren´t communists... Of course, all the EAM/ELAS leaders and officers were communists, so, I ask myself what a difference it makes, if some, or even many soldiers aren´t actual communists, but solely socialists or apolitical persons. EAM/ELAS accomplished the great general strike, that led to the Germans to stop deportations to concentration camps (from greek lands). Of course, the Germans might have thought "if we won´t eliminate them now, we still can eliminate them in 5-10 years from now (when we already rule the world), it´s a small country, and so, a small trouble for just some additional years"... But this supposed world-domination never came, so, Greece was in a priviledged position compared to others, thanks to EAM/ELAS. EAM/ELAS were the ones the british/americans were cooperating with on the ground, cause other greek organizations (who carried the british/american ideologies), were simply incompetent and untrained/uneducated. Still, the british/americans would co-op with all those incompetent resistance organizations, but MAINLY with the greek Nazi-collaborators a single day after the war´s end, in order to slaughter the victorious (but communist) EAM/ELAS... EAM/ELAS taught farmers about modern agriculture, so that not only the resources against starvation keep existing, but also so that they finally escape their medieval-ages-state, in which they were kept in by the past greek governments, in order to keep farmers subdued...

[@TheMrLittlepianist]

My Greek grandad, from my father's side of the family, was just 6 years old when he had his first experience from the war. His parents, his siblings and himself were at Sunday mass and once it concluded, everyone went outside to the skies filled with bomber planes. To their dismay, after they had found shelter and was deemed ''safe'' to go home, they walked home only to find it blown to its foundations. They spent the rest of the war rebuilding what they could, living in poverty with minimal food as I am sure so many families had to endure as well. Only 8 out of his 12 siblings survived due to illness and malnutrition but bless him he is still going strong to this day!

[@papertoyss]

Both my grandfathers fought these wars. I was lucky enough to meet them both. There's practically no family in Greece without at least one dead in these wars. *This is what* shows the sheer ferocity of the Greek resistance. My family then lost many of its members. One of them is still being remembered as a war hero, another got killed during a bombing inside a church, but to me all these people who whether they fought, lived, died or simply endured, they were extraordinary people, almost mythical. And we got to meet them. It's like meeting Achilles. They are responsible for all we are both as individuals and as a nation. May they rest in peace.

[@muhammadscott1488]

What did the germans expect? They dont call it Hellas for nothing

[@user-qk2qe7pq9p]

My great Grandfather gave shelter to a New Zealand and an Australian soldier for some years in his home's cellar in the island of Naxos. These to soldiers were sparks and gave intelligent of the Luftwaffe movements to the British in Northern Africa, as Naxos is in the middle of the Aegean sea and many Axis planes that would assist the Germans in North Africa passed above the island. After his death he was awarded for his acts from the greek government. Also he had lost one of his sons to German fire and one other son of his (my grandad) used to steal german bikes

[@killmetuesday]

I always admired the Greek for their historical glory, I know it became divided because of the war and invasion, always understood how the Greece must have retaliated. Now i know better. Thank you so much for sharing this.

[@gabes6899]

Something that I don’t think other people know is that when a war starts in Greece the people see it as a chance to prove to the people again that they are worthy of the history that they have behind. And that’s why in every video that was saved showing Greeks going to war they were smiling and celebrating

[@bigjotzin8566]

ΑΕΡΑΑΑΑΑΑ!!!

[@apokos8871]

i have two short stories about my home city of Larissa. during the war, there was a big earthquake that ruined many buildings. the Italian airforce bombed the city soon after. it was considered a war crime by the international press. funny thing though, they ruined the bridge the Germans needed some time later in their invasion second story, when the city was liberated, it was by the communist resistance just as the Germans had started to leave. my street even has the name of that date. on the victory parade, my great grandfather was in the very front, doing tricks on his war horse :) he said the leader of the resistance had asked for this horse and he replied "when we achieve communism it will be our horse. until we make it, this horse is mine"

[@TheFront]

Thanks for sharing!

[@DomiAngel]

Great stories. Thankfully we avoided communism and he kept the horse.

[@apokos8871]

@@DomiAngel the horse and the man are long gone by now. and we would have had a democratic socialist government of cooperation if the British didnt insist on bringing back the king.

[@DomiAngel]

@@apokos8871 We would have a soviet hell on earth.

[@apokos8871]

@@DomiAngel im not going to disrespect the channel by starting a politics flame war in the comments, but please read the specifics on the agreement between ELAS and the government in exile and the stance of the British and how this led to the breakup of the new government in late '44. we had the chance to organize something unique in the world, with actual cooperative democratic socialism, even before Allende in Chile. nothing like a one-party government like in the USSR

[@sophiamac9100]

Thank you so much for this video. I was very young when my father told me of fighting in the forefront in Albania, when a bomb went off almost beside him and as he looked around almost his whole battalion were killed, amputated or deathly injured. I was too young to appreciate the gravity of what he was telling me, and you jogged this memory. Now I remember the pain and determination in his gaze while telling me this story and cry bitterly because I no longer have the opportunity to tell him how proud I am to be his daughter.

[@ub3rfr3nzy94]

My great grandfather helped some Jewish families on Lesvos escape before the Nazis came. One of his friends who was a nazi sympathiser told the Germans what he had done and he was taken and interrogated. They stripped him naked and beat him so badly one of his eyes was destroyed and had to be removed. He was thrown onto the streets with no clothes, covered in blood. He was also a veteran of the Greco-Turkish war but that's another story. I believe he was involved with the resistance movement as well.

[@cp1cupcake]

Greeks don't fight like heroes. Heroes fight like Greeks.

[@aproudeuropean559]

I suddenly strongly feel this feeling called patriotism

[@caleb-gd7wp]

My history professor told us a story from his grandmother. Her mom died in a field, shooting down germans as they parachuted in with her husband's hunting rifle, until she got hit. I always remembered that, and was the one story I had to truly understand how powerful these people were