One of the news that most caught the attention of the European population in 2015 was the statement by the Greek government, represented by the president AlexisTsipras, that Greece not only would not pay its outstanding balance to the creditors with which it incurred debts, but that, in addition, Germany owed the Greeks an amount close to 278 billion euros. This statement is noteworthy because it starts from a judgment based on the discourse of “repair of historical errors”.
Germany owes Greece this amount, according to the current Greek government, due to the invasionNazi operated in the country in 1941, which was under the Nazi yoke until 1944. Despite the ideological implications that the Greek government's discourse brings with it, the use of the European past as argument for what is happening at the present moment raises a reasonable knowledge of the historical episode in question.
We know that the Second World War began, on the European continent, in September 1939, when Nazi Germany invaded Poland. Since that date, surprise attacks by the German war machine, known as
"blitzkrieg"(lightning war), caused the destruction of many defenses of countries, such as France, which was also one of the first to be occupied. The case of Greece and other countries located in the regionFromBalkans became more delicate as the greater interest in this region stemmed from the Italyfascist, in BenitoMussolini, which was geographically closer to the Balkans and began attacking Greece in October 1940.However, the Greek army surprised the fascist forces and managed to drive back the Italians and isolate them beyond the borders of neighboring Albania. The defense of the territory and the casualties caused by the Greeks made Mussolini resort to the help of Germany. As is known, Mussolini was Hitler's ally and, to participate in the management of the vast expansion program of both countries (Italy and Germany), it was necessary to solve the problem in the Balkans.
The attack program against the Greeks began to be carried out by the Nazis in 1941, the same year in which the Operation Barbarossa against the Soviets. The Greeks had the support of the British on their side, however, the German forces were superior and managed to destroy both the Greek defenses and the British support. While the mainland was completely occupied by the Nazis, the war continued on the island of Crete, as historian Norma Davies recounts in his book “Europe at War”:
“[...] The British garrison, consisting mainly of Anzac forces (Australians and New Zealanders), with good naval support, felt secure. However, the British were quickly defeated by German air transport forces. The British fleet then suffered serious losses in organizing an evacuation without air cover. The Germans considered that casualties among their paratroopers had reached an unacceptable level, and discarded the concept of large-scale air strikes.”[1]
With the conquest of Greece and its occupation, the Nazis, with the help of the Italians, came to dominate all of Western Europe, with the exception of Great Britain and some parts where there was still resistance. Greece remained occupied until 1944, when there were decisive battles waged by the Allies with a view to the liberation of Europe. However, in the years it was occupied, many calamities occurred in Greece. About 300,000 civilians died of starvation and as many died as a result of atrocities, bombings, etc.
GRADES
[1] DAVIES, Norman. Europe at War. Trans. Patricia Xavier. Lisbon: Editions 70, 2006. pp. 111-112.
By Me. Cláudio Fernandes
Source: Brazil School - https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/historiag/invasao-nazista-na-grecia.htm