Ioannis metaxas biography for kids
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OHI Day &#; October &#;Greeks Fight to Death&#;
What is Ohi Day is?
October 28th is a Greek National Holiday celebrated by military and student parades across the country.
October 28 is one of the most important national holidays in Greece. All businesses and shops are closed except cafes and restaurants.
What do Greeks celebrate on Ohi Day?
Every year on October 28, Greeks celebrate the moment when their then Prime Minister Ioannis Metaxas refused the entry to Italian troops on the Greek border. This happened in , during the Second World War.
What makes the Ohi Day so important?
On October 28, Italy demanded that Greece give up control over certain areas of its territory or face war with Italy and Germany.
On the morning of October 28, , Greek leader Ioannis Metaxas faced the following ultimatum from Italian dictator, Benito Mussolini: Surrender to Axis Powers, or fight for survival by entering World War II.
This was known as “the Battle for Greece” because
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Ioannis Metaxas
Greek military officer and politician (–)
Ioannis Metaxas[a] (12 April [1]&#;&#; 29 January ) was a Greek military officer and politician who was dictator of Greece from until his death in He governed constitutionally for the first four months of his tenure, and thereafter as the strongman leader of the 4th of August Regime following his appointment by King George II.[2]
Born to an aristocratic family in Ithaca, Metaxas took part in the Greco-Turkish War of and the Balkan Wars (–13), and quickly rose through the ranks of the Hellenic Army. As a monarchist during the National Schism, Metaxas unsuccessfully opposed Prime Minister Eleftherios Venizelos and Greece's entry in World War I; he was exiled to Corsica in response in On his return, Metaxas moved into politics and founded the Freethinkers' Party, but had only limited success under the Second Hellenic Republic.
Metaxas was appointed prime minister in April , a year after
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Metaxas Line facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Metaxas Line | |
|---|---|
| Northeastern Greece | |
Dragon's teeth along the Metaxas line, nära the Greek-Bulgarian border | |
| Type | Defensive line |
| Site information | |
| Controlled by | Greece |
| Open to the public | Yes |
| Site history | |
| Built | – |
| In use | – |
| Materials | Concrete and steel |
| Battles/wars | Battle of Greece in World War II |
The Metaxas Line (Greek: Γραμμή Μεταξά, Grammi Metaxa) was a chain of fortifications constructed along the line of the Greco-Bulgarian border, designed to skydda Greece in case of a Bulgarian invasion after the rearmament of Bulgaria. It was named after Ioannis Metaxas, then Prime Minister of Greece, and chiefly consists of tunnels that led to observatories, emplacements and machine gun nests. The constructions are so sturdy that they survive to this day, some of which are still in active service. Some of them are open to the public.
The Metaxas Line consists of 21 independent fortification comp