Greek junta
The Greek junta refers to a period of military rule in Greece from April 21, 1967, to July 24, 1974, marked by the overthrow of the legitimate government and the establishment of a repressive regime known as the "colonels." This regime instituted widespread censorship and human rights abuses, including torture and illegal detentions, as it sought to quell dissent and maintain control. The junta's leaders, facing opposition, restricted media freedom, imposed loyalty oaths on civil servants, and prohibited public gatherings. King Constantine II attempted to challenge the junta but was forced into exile, which ultimately strengthened Colonel George Papadopoulos's grip on power.
The junta's actions escalated tensions, leading to violent repression of protests, notably during a student uprising at the Athens Polytechnic in 1973. The regime's ambitions to annex Cyprus culminated in a military crisis that prompted Turkey to intervene. This failure contributed to the junta's collapse, leading to the return of former Prime Minister Constantine Karamanlis and the restoration of democracy in Greece. The end of the junta marked a significant transition for the country, which was declared a republic in 1975, illustrating the ongoing struggle for democratic governance in a nation with a complex historical context.
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Greek junta
- DATE: April 21, 1967-July 24, 1974
- PLACE: Greece
- SIGNIFICANCE: The rule of the junta, with its policies of repression and censorship, tarnished Greece’s democratic reputation
Since its independence in 1830, Greece has experienced incidents of censorship and abuse of human rights. War, enemy occupation, and civil unrest brought the country to its darkest hours between 1940 and 1952. Aware, however, of being the cradle of democracy, Greece has always valued basic freedoms, which the 1952 constitution guaranteed. It, therefore, came as a shock to many when, on April 21, 1967, a military junta deposed the legitimate government.
Knowing they would face opposition, the colonels, as the leaders of the military junta were called because of their lower rank, instituted a repressive program of censorship and abuse of human rights, including torture and illegal confinement. All media, including the classical theater, were placed under strict censorship. Prominent civil servants were forced to resign, and other civil servants were required to take an oath of loyalty to the government; hundreds of senior military officers were forcibly retired; trade unions were restricted; gatherings by more than five persons were prohibited; thousands of persons were detained or imprisoned without trial; other prominent figures, including artists, were placed under house arrest. To facilitate their repressive program, the junta created a powerful secret police.
Late in 1967, King Constantine II attempted to dismiss the junta's leaders but was forced into exile. The king's departure strengthened the hand of Colonel George Papadopoulos, who emerged as the junta's leader. He appointed a regent, declared himself prime minister, and continued the policy of censorship and human rights abuse. To appease public opinion, a new constitution, never ratified, was to go into effect in 1968, which it did not.
In 1969, the government moved against the judiciary, the military, academicians, and intellectuals. Twenty-one senior judges and public prosecutors, including the president of the Council of State, the country’s highest judicial office, were removed from office. Academicians critical of the junta were dismissed, and military deferment was withdrawn from students suspected of disloyal activities. Papadopoulos, meanwhile, assumed the title of prime minister and regent.
In November 1973, students of the Athens Polytechnic staged a sit-in protest strike. The government sent in the army with tanks to break the strike. In the ensuing confrontation, ten students were killed and dozens wounded. It was the beginning of the end of the junta. The head of the secret police replaced Papadopoulos. Hoping to stabilize itself by successful military action, the junta interfered in Cyprus, an island they wished to join Greece. The island's government was to be replaced by one sympathetic to the union. Turkey, to protect its minority, landed troops on Cyprus on July 20, 1974. Greek attempts to mobilize were a failure. On July 24, former prime minister Constantine Karamanlis was invited to return from exile and form a new government that brought the junta's leaders to justice and restored democracy. In 1975, Greece was declared a republic.
Bibliography
Chrysopoulos, Philip. "April 21, 1967: Military Junta Places Greece in Shackles." Greek Reporter, 28 Apr. 2024, greekreporter.com/2024/04/21/april-21-1967-greek-junta. Accessed 20 Oct. 2024.
"The Greek Junta." Central Intelligence Agency, 2005, www.cia.gov/readingroom/docs/CIA-RDP79T00826A002000010036-4.pdf. Accessed 20 Oct. 2024.
Klapsēs, Antōnios V., et al. The Greek Junta and the International System: A Case Study of Southern European Dictatorships, 1967-74. Routledge, 2020.
Stearns, Monteagle. Gifted Greek: The Enigma of Andreas Papandreou. Potomac Books, U of Nebraska P, 2021.