著者

斎藤 治子

出版者

一般財団法人 日本国際政治学会

雑誌

国際政治 (ISSN:04542215)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.1988, no.89, pp.7-23,L6, 1988

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The study of Greek anti-fascist movements during the Second World War has developed since the 1970s. The Colonels' dictatorship dissolved in 1974 and the Greek Communist Party (KKE), outlawed by the dictatorship, was then legalised. Books and articles written by KKE members who had took part in the anti-fascist movement have been published.<br>The anti-fascist movement in Greece had two aims; national liberation and democratization. In 1936 Prime Minister Metaxas secured the assent of King George II to the suspension of the democratic articles in the Constitution and parliament was adjourned without delay. Metaxas outlawed the KKE, introduced censorship and dealt badly with anti-monarchists. He organized the National Youth Organization on totalitarian lines. This quasi-fascism, however, was not popular among the Greeks because of their traditional individualism. Metaxas, who monopolised seven portfolios in the government, had a less massive party than Hitler had.<br>On 28 October 1940 the Italian ambassador handed to Metaxas the ultimatum claiming some important areas in Greek territory, but the latter said &ldquo;No (0 &chi; &iota; in Greek)&rdquo;. He appealed to the people for fierce resistance against the Italian forces invading across the Albanian-Greek frontier. His rejection of the ultimatum and the appeal set fire to the patriotism of the Greeks. For the first time he succeeded in the unification of the nation. Rank and file, young and old, who opposed the Metaxas' dictatorship (4 August Regime), in the front and the rear fought against the invaders. Soon they liberated the occupied territory, and counter-attacked across the border and occupied the Greek-inhabited southern area in Albania which Greek nationalists had long aspired to. The victory has temporarily identified the people with the dictatorship.<br>In April 1941 the Germans attacked Greece assisting the Italians and in two weeks occupied Athens. King and the government (Metaxas had died in January but &ldquo;4 August Regime&rdquo; succeeded) withdrew to Crete, which the Germans occupied in May, and then to Egypt. They established a government-in-exile in London at first, then in Cairo. In the Axis-occupied Greece a puppet government was established, headed by the ex-commander of the Greek Army.<br>Resistance groups were formed during the occupation. They were led by outlawed KKE members or democratic civilians or republicans. The general secretary of KKE had been imprisoned and the party had been divided. The underground and imprisoned cadres decided to unify the party and to organize the nation-wide resistance movement in order to struggle for national liberation and independence. The struggle was also aimed at the abolition of the &ldquo;4 August Regime&rdquo;.<br>In September 1941 the National Liberation Front (EAM) was founded on the initiative of KKE. EAM consisting of four political parties that declared their common struggle against the occupants. Its slogans were national liberation and people's democracy (laocratia).<br>The main object of the article is the analysis of the interrelation between national liberation and social evolution in Greece.