[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 140 (Friday, October 28, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2221]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[[Page E2221]]
                                OXI DAY

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. MICHAEL BILIRAKIS

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, October 28, 2005

  Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise proudly to celebrate ``oxi'' day. 
The historical significance of this day and what it meant to the 
outcome of World War II cannot be overstated. The outcome of a decision 
made on a day in 1940, had a profound impact on the conducting of the 
war by Nazi Germany. We're talking about a stand made by a small, 
battered and courageous nation, namely Greece, against the larger, more 
powerful aggressors Italy and Germany.
  By October of 1940, World War II had begun, and the Nazi war machine 
was already in high gear. Along with Hitler's ally, Italian dictator 
Benito Mussolini, the German and Italian forces were threatening the 
whole of Europe. European nations were bowing to tyranny and 
destruction as the Germans and the Italians marched through Europe.
  Great Britain endured Germany's aerial bombardment, forcing Hitler to 
seek another avenue to subdue the British. Hitler intended to eliminate 
British operations in the Mediterranean in order to weaken their 
ability to deter German advances.
  To achieve this, Hitler needed the Axis powers to strike at British 
forces in Greece. By conquering Greece, Hitler would gain access to an 
important connecting link with Italian bases in the Dodecanese islands. 
This would give the Italians a strangle hold on British positions in 
Egypt, where British forces were already facing attack from the Italian 
army in north Africa. The British considered the defense of Egypt vital 
to allied positions in the oil rich Middle East.
  On October 28, 1940, the Italian Ambassador in Athens presented an 
insulting ultimatum to Greek Prime Minister Metaxas, demanding the 
unconditional surrender of Greece or Italy would declare war and invade 
Greece. Mussolini had given the Greek Prime Minister Metaxas three 
hours to reply.
  Prime Minister Metaxas responded with the now historic word ``oxi,'' 
which means ``no'' in Greek. His statement embodied the true spirit of 
the Greek people. His words of defiance echoed the same devotion and 
love of country that Greek patriots exhibited during their war of 
independence against the Ottoman empire when they shouted the defiant 
words ``liberty or death.'' Prime Minister Metaxas'' actions marked the 
beginning of one of the world's most heroic efforts against tyranny and 
oppression. Italy then invaded.
  It is important to note that in addition to Greece having a 
population seven times smaller than Italy, the disparity in their armed 
forces was even greater: Italy had close to ten times the firepower of 
Greece in its army and navy and seven times the troops. Italy's large 
air force had total air superiority since Greece had a very small 
defensive air force. However, despite their lack of equipment, the 
Greek army proved to be well-trained and resourceful. Within a week of 
the invasion, it was clear that Italian forces were suffering serious 
setbacks despite having control of the air and fielding superior 
armored vehicles.
  On November 14th, the Greek army launched a counter-offensive and 
quickly drove the Italian forces back into Albania. By the next month, 
the Greeks had captured the town of Pogradec in eastern Albania. The 
fighting continued for a few more months . . . it was clear that the 
Greeks were not going to stand for defeat. In a last ditch effort to 
bring the war to a close before the Italians would be forced to ask 
Hitler to intervene, they launched another assault on March 12, 1941. 
After six days of fighting, the Italians had made only insignificant 
gains, and it became clear that German intervention was necessary.
  On April 6, 1941, Hitler ordered the German invasion of Greece. It 
took the Germans five weeks to finally end the conflict. This delay 
proved to be critical to the outcome of the war. Italy's inability to 
capture Greece enabled the British to win major victories against 
Mussolini's forces in north Africa. This solidified British positions 
in the region as well as in Cyprus. In addition, it contributed to the 
failure of the German Barbarossa campaign to conquer Russia.
  Due to Mussolini's humiliating defeat by the Greeks in Albania and 
Greece, Hitler was compelled to capture the Balkans, mainly Yugoslavia 
and Greece, thus, delaying his Barbarossa plan to invade and capture 
the Soviet Union before the winter of 1941. The Greek resistance, both 
in Albania, and in the other famous battle in Crete, altered, favorably 
for the allies, his Barbarossa time table by at least six months.
  Perhaps most importantly, the Germans never gained the advantage 
against the British. Although Germany had conquered much of Europe, its 
inability to decimate British and Russian forces early in the war would 
eventually prove to be fatal. Thanks to the heroic Greek resistance and 
their countless sacrifices, the war tide had been permanently changed 
for Hitler due to the delay of this critical time table.
  Nearly one million Hellenes died during that time. That was 14 
percent of the population in 1940. That is equivalent to losing 39 
million people in this country today in the case of a war to defend our 
country.
  The entire Western world, discouraged and fearful of the Axis powers 
and the growing ugly war, took hope from these incredible victories. 
British Prime Minister Winston Churchill said of the Greeks: ``Today we 
say that Greeks fight like heroes, from now on we will say that heroes 
fight like Greeks.''
  Mr. Speaker, ``oxi'' day is an inspiration to all those who cherish 
democracy and freedom. It marks defiance against terrible odds. As an 
American of Greek descent, I am proud to honor the memory of those 
brave patriots who fought for freedom for themselves and ultimately for 
all the free world on this important day.

                          ____________________