In October, 1940, Italy, backed by Hitler, wanted to occupy Greece; Metaxas simply responded "Ochi!" - "No!" in Greek. It was a "No!" that brought Greece into the war on the Allied side; for a time, Greece was Britain's only ally against Hitler.
Greece not only did not give Mussolini's forces free passage, they seized the offensive and drove them back through most of Albania.
Some historians credit the Greeks' fierce resistance to the later German paratrooper landings during the Battle of Crete with convincing Hitler that such attacks cost too many German lives. The from-the-air invasion of Crete was the last attempt by the Nazis to use this technique, and the extra resources required to subdue Greece drained and distracted the Third Reich from its efforts on other fronts.
Had Metaxas not said "No!", World War II might well have lasted considerably longer. One theory suggests that had Greece agreed to surrender without resistance, Hitler would have been able to invade Russia in spring, rather than making his disastrous attempt to take it in winter. Western nations, always happy to credit ancient Greece with the development of democracy, may owe modern Greece an equal but usually unrecognized debt for helping to preserve democracy against its enemies during World War II.
What's the Effect on Your Travel?
On Ochi Day, all major cities will offer a military parade, and many Greek Orthodox churches will be holding special services. Coastal towns may have naval parades or other celebrations on the waterfront.
Thessaloniki offers a triple celebration, paying reverence to the patron saint of the city, Saint Dimitrios, celebrating its freedom from Turkey, and commemorating the entry of Greece into World War II.
This year, as some anti-American and anti-war protests have heated up the always-warm Greek political landscape, Ochi Day may be celebrated with more than usual vigor and with some additional political overtones. However vocal or visual any protests may be, they are very unlikely to be anything more than merely inconvenient.
Expect traffic delays, especially near parade routes, and some streets may be blocked for different events and celebrations.
Go ahead and enjoy the parades - most archaeological sites will be closed, along with most businesses and services. In years when Ochi Day falls on a Sunday, even more places will be closed than usual.
