Greece had seen a dictatorship from 1936 onwards: the 4th of August regime led by General
Ioannes Metaxas. However did you know that from 1967 another Greek dictatorship was established...
how Greece became a dictatorship in the era of the Cold War and how it did end is what
you will learn in this video about the Regime of the Colonels; the Greek Junta. Keep watching.
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subscribing and also hit that notification bell. Ater World War II the Greek Civil War
took place between the communists and the nationalists and royalists; eventually the
latter group would proclaim victory and Greece became a democracy albeit a very unstable one.
When the Greek Civil War was over Greece emerged as a US-backed anti-communist
state. Thanks to the American Marshall Aid the Greek economy grew from the 1950s.
The 1950s in Greece is often referred to as the "Greek Economic Miracle." It was a period
of rapid economic growth and modernization that transformed Greece from a primarily
agrarian society into a modern industrial state. The Greek Economic Miracle was largely driven
by a number of factors, including a favorable geopolitical environment, a rapidly expanding
population, increased investment in infrastructure and industry, and a supportive government policy.
The Marshall Plan, which provided aid to European countries after World War II, was
instrumental in the revival of the Greek economy. The Greek Economic Miracle led to the development
of new industries, such as tourism, shipping, and light manufacturing. The
government encouraged the establishment of new industries by providing tax incentives,
subsidies, and other forms of support. The growth of these industries created new job opportunities
and helped diversify the Greek economy. Despite the impressive economic growth
during the 1950s, the Greek Economic Miracle was not without its challenges. The rapid
pace of growth put a strain on the country's infrastructure, leading to problems with housing,
transportation, and pollution. Additionally, the government's focus on industrial development often
came at the expense of rural areas, which suffered from neglect and underdevelopment.
The origins of the Greek Junta can be traced back to the aftermath of World War II and
the Greek Civil War, which left the country deeply divided and politically unstable. In
the years that followed, Greece was plagued by social and economic problems, political unrest,
and a series of governments that were unable to effectively address these issues. This created a
sense of dissatisfaction and frustration among many Greeks, which the military
leaders sought to exploit in order to seize power. On 21 April 1967, several weeks before the planned
elections a group of right-wing army officers staged a coup d'état and seized power. They were
led by Brigadier Stylianos Pattakos and Colonels George Papadopoulos and Nikolaos Makarezos. Their
strategy was a mix of suprise and confusion. Tanks were placed in strategic positions
in Athens which allowed them to gain control over the Greek capital. Smaller units were sent out to
arrest opposition people. Lists were already prepared. Around 10,000 people were arrested
among which the acting prime minister. And so, the regime of the colonels was born.
The Greek Junta, also known as the Regime of the Colonels, was a military dictatorship that ruled
Greece from 1967 to 1974. This period marked a dark chapter in Greek history,
as the country was subjected to a brutal and oppressive regime led by a group of
military officers. They also adopted a new flag which looks like the current
flag although the colours were darker blue. The new regime immediately imposed a strict
censorship on the media and arrested and imprisoned many of political opponents
and intellectuals. The Junta also disbanded the parliament,
banned all political parties, and established a military government headed by Papadopoulos.
“Constitutional rights were immediately suspended, including the right of assembly. Strict censorship
was imposed, and lists drawn up of forbidden books (including some ancient Greek classics)
and forbidden music […]. Long hair on men and miniskirts on girls were prohibited – and this
at the height of the ‘swinging Sixties’! Everyone was told to go to church.”
This was not the first time modern Greece had transformed into a dictatorship. From
1936 till 1941 there was the 4th of August Regime led by General Ioannis Metaxas. The
Junta carried out a similar regime although there were differences. They avoided Metaxas
his rethoric of the Third Greek Civilization because of its echo of the Third Reich. Yet,
a slogan they did introduce was 'Hellas of Christian Hellenes'. The Junta carried out
a similar economic policy to keep large sections of Greek society obediant. For
entrepreneurs there was easier access to capital. And agricultural debts were
cancelled. The network of roads, telephone lines and television were expanded. There
were differences as well. Metaxas closely worked together with the king, but in 1967
King Constantine was left out of the coup. The king later did an attempt to overthrow the
regime which failed and ended the Greek monarchy for good. As historian Roderick Beaton wrote:
“In the conditions of the 1930s it had been the monarch, not the dictator,
to whom the armed services would ultimately owe their loyalty. Not so in the 1960s. The
king’s counter- coup, on 13 December 1967,
was a dismal failure. King Constantine fled the country, never to return as sovereign.”
The role of the armed forces was also different. During the seven years
that the colonels ruled the army was very visable in daily life: on the streets and
in propaganda where they appeared on billboards to celebrate the 'Revolution of 21 April 1967’.
The regime justified its actions by using a metaphor drawn from surgery. As Papadopoulos
stated: 'Do not forget, gentlemen, that we find ourselves in front of a patient on the operating
table, whom if the surgeon does not strap him down for the duration of surgery and anaesthesia upon
the operating table, there is a probability that instead of surgery bringing about the restoration
of his health, it will lead to his death.' Under the Junta, Greece experienced a brutal
period of repression, as the military regime sought to eliminate any form of opposition.
The regime was characterized by widespread human rights violations, including the use of torture,
arbitrary detention, and execution. Political prisoners were subjected to inhumane conditions in
prisons and detention centers, and many suffered from physical and psychological abuse. Many were
exiled to prison islands in the Aegean. Despite these repression, a resistance
movement emerged in Greece, as opposition to the Junta grew among ordinary Greeks and
the international community. The resistance took many forms, including demonstrations,
acts of civil disobedience, and underground movements that sought to overthrow the regime.
The Junta's grip on power began to loosen in the early 1970s, as international pressure
and economic problems created increasing challenges for the regime. In November 1973,
a student uprising in Athens led to a widespread strike, which was met with
brutal violence by the military. This event sparked widespread protests and demonstrations,
and put significant pressure on the Junta to step down. Let's take a look at this uprising.
The Athens Polytechnic uprising was a significant event that took place from November 14 to November
17, 1973. The uprising was a student-led protest against the military dictatorship.
The protests began as a peaceful demonstration at the Athens Polytechnic University, but soon
escalated into a nationwide uprising against the government. The students
were calling for the end of the dictatorship, the release of political prisoners, and the
restoration of democratic rights and freedoms. As the protests continued, the government
responded with increasing force. On the night of November 17, tanks entered the campus and the
army opened fire on the students. 24 were killed and hundreds injured, but it seemed the deaths
that night were caused by police bullets. The violent crackdown sparked outrage and
protests across the country. In the days after martial law was declared and sporadic violence
continued. Soldiers were stationed as snipers on rooftops and as many as 20 more civilians
were killed. It is said three thousand were arrested. The exact number may never be known.
The event is remembered as a turning point in Greek history and is celebrated each
year on November 17 as a national holiday known as "Polytechnic Day."
In July 1974, a counter-coup led by Dimitrios Ioannides overthrew Papadopoulos and the Junta,
and installed a more hard-line regime. This new regime was even more repressive than the
previous one, and led to a further crackdown on dissent and opposition.
However, the end of the Junta was near, as events in Cyprus proved to be the final straw. On July 20
the military regime in Greece ordered the invasion of Cyprus, in response to a coup staged by Greek
Cypriots seeking union with Greece. In response Turkey invaded Cyprus and in the insuing violence
thousands were killed. The war on Cyprus is a topic that deserves a video of its own. The
actions of the Greek government sparked widespread international outrage, and led to significant
diplomatic and economic pressure on Greece, which eventually forced the military to step down.
On July 24 the Junta was finally overthrown in a bloodless coup, and a democratic government
was restored by Konstantinos Karamanlis. This marked the end of the Greek Junta,
and the beginning of a long process of recovery and reconciliation for Greece. The
transition to democracy is known as Metapolitefsi. The Greek Junta remains a dark chapter in Greek
history, and a stark reminder of the dangers of military rule and dictatorship. Despite the end of
the Junta, its legacy still haunts Greece today, as the country continues to struggle with many of
the social and economic problems that contributed to the rise of the military dictatorship.
The Greek Junta was no more and the Third Hellenic Republic was born. Greece had become a democracy
once again and this republic still exists today.