The National Herald presents its special edition dedicated to 28η Οκτωβρίου 1940 OCTOBER24 , 2015 T H D E L N A AT ER IONAL H The National Herald 10 0 th an niversa ry www.thenationalherald.com 1 9 1 5 - 2 0 1 5 1 2 OXI Day Special THE NATIONAL HERALD, OCTOBER 24, 2015 OXI Beyond WWII and Beyond Greece By Constantinos E. Scaros losing its sovereignty, that Greece has already passed that point, and that millions in the Middle reek leader Ioannis Metaxas’ famous “NO East on the wrong side of the sword-wielders’ ide - heard ‘round the world” to Italy’s Benito ologies risk have their heads chopped off. GMussolini on October 28, 1940, regarding OXI, then, was brilliance in its simplicity: bold the fascist dictator’s demand for Italian troops to words backed by bold actions. Today’s Greeks, occupy certain regions of Greece for strategic pur - Americans, and leaders the world over can learn a poses during WWII led to the subsequent celebra - thing or two from the WWII-era Greeks. tion of OXI Day. Just as the critics of individuals on public assis - The fanfare and camaraderie, though largely but tance who falsify a claim and cheat the government not exclusively limited to Greece – as evidenced by out of a few dollars extra on a welfare payment an opinion piece in this issue by U.S. Congressman miss the point when they don’t criticize – or even Bob Dold (R-IL) (see page 5) – needs to extend be - recognize – the existence and abuse of corporate yond a single event and even a single nation. welfare, i.e., welfare for the rich, so, too, is the That the modest Greek forces stood up to Mus - irony lost on Americans who condemn the Greeks solini, a bully who aligned himself with the world’s for having destroyed their nation yet fail to ac - supreme bully at the time, Adolf Hitler, was a re - knowledge that “there but for the span of a few markable accomplishment in itself, rendered even more years go I.” more noteworthy in that the soldiers’ battlefield We Greek-Americans should not be defensive when performance matched their off-field valor. our fellow Americans take cheap shots at the cur - Speaking to that, Great Britain’s timeless states - rent state of the Hellenic Republic. It’s not that they man Winston Churchill said “Hence, we will not are entirely wrong, it’s that they are predominantly say that Greeks fight like heroes, but that heroes clueless that their – our – own doom is not that far fight like Greeks.” away, either; whether the battlefield in question is The significance of OXI, which earned Greece the a military or economic one. accolades of Churchill, the United States, and the To many, OXI is a way to celebrate past glories world, was twofold: 1) the righteous indignation to amid present embarrassment. Like a sports team stand up for oneself; and 2) the means by which to that hasn’t won a championship in decades saying: back up that stance. “we were really something back in the day…” And on a host of issues spanning the globe nowa - Instead, OXI needs to be a call to action: not protest days, that is what good people – who comprise the for the sake of protest, but a principled and coura - majority of every nation – need to do. To say OXI to geous response where circumstances warrant. political corruption, violent religious zealotry, OXI Day was Greece’s “NO heard ‘round the world,” as captured on the New York Times’ front Then, perhaps, one day, an addendum to greed, incompetence, and indifference. It is an page, Oct. 28, 1940. But OXI Day must be more than a celebration of past glories; it must be a call Churchill’s unforgettable quote can be: “the people abomination that America, which continues to bor - to action by the people of many nations regarding an array of principled positions long ignored. sought and gained empowerment – how very row almost half a million dollars per minute, risks Greek of them.” Hence, we will not say When the entire world 75 Years Later, OXI that Greeks fight like had lost all hope, the “heroes, but that heroes “Greek people dared to fight like Greeks…“If question the invincibility Day Still Inspires there had not been the of the German monster virtue and courage of the raising against it the By Constantine S. Sirigos days and untimely deaths of great Greeks, we do not know proud spirit of freedom,” men and women who shaped the which the outcome of President Franklin D. In history’s long sweep, it world we know are countless. would appear to be folly to de - And who can say which days WW II would have been.” Roosevelt clare that one date stands above were critical for the survival of Winston Churchill all the rest. The dates of the bat - humanity in the time before there It is to the discredit of Europe tles fought between the flower of were calendars and scribes? that only one of its top religious the youth of great nations that al - But each nation and devotee “The free world watched as leaders publicly challenged the tered its course, the lucky birth of history can nominate a mo - one by one countries across Eu - nazi’s plans for the holocaust. rope surrendered to Hitler’s Axis That one was the Archbishop of I am sorry because I am ment in time for special note. We forces. At 3:00 a.m. on October of Greece’s victory flooded the ra - Athens and All Greece, Damaski - getting old and I shall not Hellenes can do the same. 28, 1940, a representative of the dio airwaves and covered the nos. The significance of his ac - live long to thank the Greek Before October 28, 1940 the Axis forces arrived at the Greek front pages of newspapers around tions has been documented the future looked bleak. The litera - prime minister’s residence and the globe. A grateful world cele - Raoul Wallenberg Foundation. “People, whose resistance ture of the Washington Oxi Day demanded Greece’s surrender. brated – no one expected such a The Archbishop’s response to decided WW II… You fought Foundation, which is “dedicated The prime minister replied with small nation to derail the seem - the threat of death by nazi firing unarmed and won, small to informing American policy - one single word – Oxi – No. ingly unstoppable Axis forces.” squad still inspires. He informed against big… You gave us makers and the public about the “A few hours later, the Axis The heroic acts of the Greek the nazi officials that Greek clerics profound role Greece played in forces descended on Greece, ex - people during WW II were not are not shot, but hanged, and time to defend ourselves… bringing about the outcome of pecting that it would quickly fall, limited to the battlefield, and they asked that that they respect tra - We owe you gratitude.” World War II” describes the world but the Greek resistance forced were enacted at all levels of soci - dition. Time Magazine featured Joseph Stalin scene this way: Hitler to change his plans. News ety. him on its cover. THE NATIONAL HERALD, OCTOBER 24, 2015 OXI Day Special 3 LongLivetheHeroesandtheGlory ofOctober28th1940 Drs. Spiro & Amalia Spireas and Sigmapharm Laboratories Στην υπηρεσία της υγείας με όραμα, συνέπεια και αφοσίωση Innovative Pharmaceutical Formulations, Maximizing Drug Therapy. SigmapharmLaboratories,LLC 3375 Progress Drive, Bensalem - PA 19020 Tel.: (215) 352-6655 - Fax: (215) 352-6644 www.sigmapharm.com 4 OXI Day Special THE NATIONAL HERALD, OCTOBER 24, 2015 We Salute the Heroes of «OXI Day» Who Defied Fascism and Tyranny «The heroic struggle of the Greek people to defend their liberties and their homes against the aggression of Germany after they had so signally defeated the Italian attempt at invasion has stirred the hearts and aroused the sympathy of the whole American people.» – President Franklin Delano Roosevelt (AHEPA Member) to the AHEPA Supreme Lodge, April 25, 1941 The American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association Strengthening Communities since 1922 1909 Q Street, NW, Suite 500, Washington, DC 20009 www.ahepa.org Are you a Member? Join Today! THE NATIONAL HERALD, OCTOBER 24, 2015 OXI Day Special 5 German soldiers raising the German War Flag over the Acropolis. It would be taken down by Manolis Glezos and Apostolos Santas in one of the first acts of resistance. German soldiers enter Athens in 1941. German soldiers enter Athens in 1941. OXI Then, and OXI Now to meet with Prime Minister prior that made Prime Minister filled with despair and lament men, or we can learn from the tolerate this evil barbarity. We Metaxas, one can only assume Metaxas make his decision to that we are powerless to do any - Greeks and say in a clear and can band together and say, that they viewed their meeting fight rather than allow that evil thing to stop the work of evil strong voice that, no we will not “OXI.” with the Greek leader as a mere be directed elsewhere. While formality – that any sensible others in Europe chose to stay country would have witnessed out of the conflict in hopes they the carnage brought upon Eu - would be spared, the Greeks rope and would be desperate to willingly inserted themselves avoid bringing that home at all into the fray, costing hundreds costs. of thousands of Greek lives but The Axis’ agenda for the saving millions by continually Carter, DeLuca, Farrell & Schmidt, LLP meeting was short. They came stunting and stifling the Axis with only a simple demand: forces.