[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 644 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 644

Expressing support for the designation of October 28 as ``Oxi Day'' to 
 commemorate the anniversary of Greek Prime Minister Ioannis Metaxas' 
    answer of ``Oxi!'' or ``No!'' to surrender to the Axis forces, 
   inflicting a fatal wound that helped save democracy for the world.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 18, 2019

Mr. Pappas (for himself, Mr. Bilirakis, and Mr. Sarbanes) submitted the 
following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight 
                               and Reform

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Expressing support for the designation of October 28 as ``Oxi Day'' to 
 commemorate the anniversary of Greek Prime Minister Ioannis Metaxas' 
    answer of ``Oxi!'' or ``No!'' to surrender to the Axis forces, 
   inflicting a fatal wound that helped save democracy for the world.

Whereas the National Fascist Party, headed by Benito Mussolini, imposed 
        totalitarian rule over Italy from 1922 to 1943;
Whereas Fascist Italy, in alliance with Nazi Germany, formed the Axis forces and 
        sought to promote fascist and racist policies throughout Europe in the 
        World War II era;
Whereas, on October 28, 1940, the Italian dictator Benito Mussolini delivered a 
        3 a.m. ultimatum to Greek Prime Minister Ioannis Metaxas, demanding he 
        allow Axis forces to enter Greece or face war;
Whereas Prime Minister Metaxas answered the Axis force's request for surrender 
        with one word: ``Oxi!'' or ``No!'';
Whereas Italian troops attacked the Greek border hours later, marking the 
        beginning of Greece's involvement in World War II;
Whereas that same morning, thousands of Greek citizens took to the streets, 
        chanting ``Oxi!'', in honor of Prime Minister Metaxas' refusal to relent 
        to fascism;
Whereas after the world watched the Axis forces overwhelm 15 countries in less 
        than a year, Greece became the first to repel the Axis invasion, leading 
        United States President Franklin Roosevelt to say, ``When the entire 
        world had lost all hope, the Greek people dared to question the 
        invincibility of the German monster, raising against it in the proud 
        spirit of freedom'';
Whereas British Prime Minister Winston Churchill observed of the Greek people's 
        courageous actions, ``Hence we will not say that Greeks fight like 
        heroes, but that heroes fight like Greeks'';
Whereas Nazi forces had to delay their invasion of Russia to intervene in the 
        Greco-Italian War to ensure the ultimate surrender of Greece and the 
        Greek people's spirited resistance;
Whereas this delay caused the Nazi regime to face a brutal Russian winter which 
        hindered their advance and ultimately led to their eventual defeat;
Whereas the Greek people's bravery changed the trajectory of the war, leading 
        Hitler's Field Marshal and Chief of Staff Wilhelm Keitel to say, ``The 
        Greeks delayed by two or more vital months the German attack against 
        Russia; if we did not have this long delay, the outcome of the war would 
        have been different'';
Whereas Prime Minister Churchill concluded that ``if there had not been the 
        virtue and courage of the Greeks, we do not know which the outcome of 
        World War II would have been'';
Whereas this was a consequential victory for freedom and democracy in the modern 
        world and, at the time, an act that inspired and gave hope to the free 
        world;
Whereas, since 1942, ``Oxi Day'' has been celebrated in Greece and Cyprus on 
        October 28, commemorating Greece's refusal to submit to fascism; and
Whereas, October 28, 2019, would be an appropriate date to designate as ``Oxi 
        Day'': Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) supports the designation of ``Oxi Day'' in 
        commemoration of Greece's refusal to submit to the Axis Powers 
        during World War II, noting that this resistance likely led to 
        the ultimate defeat of Nazi Germany; and
            (2) encourages the people of the United States to support 
        and participate in appropriate ceremonies, programs, and other 
        activities in observance of such a day of remembrance.
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