[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 12]
[House]
[Page 16742]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                                OXI DAY

  (Mr. DOLD asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. DOLD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today because 75 years ago this week, 
the Nazis were sweeping through Europe with frightening ease. This was 
the backdrop on the early morning of October 28, 1940, when the Axis 
forces requested a meeting with the Greek Prime Minister, Ioannis 
Metaxas.
  The Axis' agenda for the meeting was a short one. They came with only 
one simple demand: Greece must unconditionally surrender and allow the 
Axis forces unfettered use of strategic military sites or the Greek 
people would face war.
  The Axis forces clearly underestimated the resolve of the Greeks. 
Prime Minister Metaxas shocked the Axis powers by giving his now famous 
one-word answer: ``Oxi.''
  While others in Europe were choosing to stay out of the conflict in 
hopes that they would be spared, the Greeks willingly inserted 
themselves into the fray, costing hundreds of thousands of Greek lives, 
but saving millions by continually stifling the Axis forces.
  Greece's refusal saved countless lives as Greek forces fought 
heroically; but Greece paid a terrible price as well, losing 
practically an entire generation of men and women.
  As we remember Oxi Day and the bravery of the Greek people, let us 
also remember the millions of Greeks who perished so that Hitler might 
be stopped.

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