>1967 Greek Military Stages Coup
On April 21 1967 the Greek military staged a coupe against the civilian government of Greece. The coup was led by General Pattakos and Colonels Papadopoulos and Makarezos. The military arrested all of the leading member of the government as well a Leftist politicians. The King initially supported the coup fearing he had no other option. By initially supporting the coup he gave the army some legitimacy. The King regretted his support and tried to stage a countercoup. The countercoup failed and the King was forced into exile..
The military coup in Greece, which took place on April 21, 1967, was a significant event that led to the establishment of a military dictatorship that lasted seven years, until 1974. The coup was executed by a group of right-wing army officers, who were led by Colonel Georgios Papadopoulos, Brigadier General Stylianos Pattakos, and Colonel Nikolaos Makarezos. These officers, known as "The Colonels," overthrew the elected government and suspended civil liberties, establishing a regime that would become known for its human rights abuses and suppression of political dissent.
The roots of the 1967 coup can be traced back to the political and social unrest that gripped Greece in the aftermath of World War II. The country was devastated by the war and faced a brutal civil war between communist and nationalist forces from 1946 to 1949. This conflict left the country deeply divided along ideological lines, with the right-wing factions fearing the rise of communism, while the left-wing factions sought social and political reforms.
In the years leading up to the coup, Greece experienced a series of unstable governments, with numerous changes in leadership and political alliances. This instability was exacerbated by the Cyprus crisis, a conflict between Greece and Turkey over the future of the island of Cyprus, which further deepened the divisions within Greek society.
The Colonels, who were staunchly anti-communist and nationalist in their views, believed that the country was on the brink of a communist takeover and that drastic action was necessary to prevent this from happening. They saw themselves as the defenders of Greek values and traditions and aimed to restore stability and order to the country.
On the night of April 20-21, 1967, the coup plotters executed a well-organized plan, seizing control of key government buildings, communications centers, and transportation hubs in Athens. They quickly arrested the country's political leaders, including the Prime Minister Panagiotis Kanellopoulos, and other prominent politicians. The coup was largely bloodless, with only a few casualties reported.
In the immediate aftermath of the coup, the new military regime moved swiftly to consolidate its power. They imposed martial law, dissolved the Greek Parliament, and suspended the Constitution. Political parties were banned, and all forms of political activity were strictly controlled. The regime also implemented a widespread crackdown on perceived opponents, arresting thousands of people, including left-wing politicians, trade unionists, journalists, and intellectuals. Many of those arrested were tortured, imprisoned, or exiled.
The international response to the coup was mixed. While the United States initially expressed concern over the suspension of democracy in Greece, it eventually came to support the military regime due to its staunch anti-communist stance and the strategic importance of Greece within the context of the Cold War. The Soviet Union and its Eastern European allies condemned the coup and severed diplomatic relations with Greece. The European Economic Community, of which Greece was an associate member, also condemned the coup and suspended financial aid to the country.
Throughout its seven-year rule, the military junta faced significant opposition from within Greece and abroad. Numerous protests and demonstrations were held, both in Greece and by Greek expatriate communities around the world, demanding the restoration of democracy and the release of political prisoners. The regime's human rights abuses drew widespread condemnation from international organizations and governments.
In 1973, the junta faced a major crisis when a student uprising at the Athens Polytechnic was violently suppressed, leading to the deaths of several protesters. This event sparked widespread outrage and further weakened the regime's grip on power. In July 1974, a failed coup attempt in Cyprus, which was backed by the Greek junta, led to the Turkish invasion of the island and the collapse of the military regime in Greece.