User blog:4th of Augustball/Ioannis Metaxas: a Greek Patriot and Hero

For some reason, Greece is plaugued with an abundance of extremely politically correct and ultra left populist people (thanks for the Tsipras). These same people have now attempted to slander the name of Ioannis Metaxas by referring to him as a tyrant and a dictator rather than a WW2 hero or a true Greek leader.

Ioannis Metaxas in my eyes is no less than one of the greatest leaders to ever grace the Hellenic Republic. I don't want to go on a historical rant (I am too tired and lazy for that) but I am going to highlight the various feats Metaxas has accomplished:

> He stood up against Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany so much so that he gave the allies their first victory in Europe. He also famously launch a successful counter attack that led to the Italians to retreat from the Greek mainland back into Albania. He also managed to take over North Epirus of the then Italian Occupied Albania which basically humiliated Italy more infront of the world stage.

> His policies lifted Greece from the economic turmoil it faced during the Great Depression. Without him, Greece's economy would've gone to complete shit (but then again thats nothing new).

> He reinstated the reinstated traditionalist institutions such as the Monarchy and the Greek Orthodox Church. Unlike the modern Greek politicians he wasn't going to sell off the religious and traditionalist culture of Greece.

> His nationalist policies further developed Greece and it's culture. Nationalism in my eyes and in Metaxas's eyes was to unify Greek people through culture, religion and nationality rather than dismiss it or dismantle it for the sake of a warped idea of "progress".

> He deported Albanian Nationalists. While tragic in some areas, the deportation was necessary in order to cement Greek sovereignty. Without the deportations, we would see a repeat of Kosovo in Greece.

> He attempted to restore peace with Kemalist Turkey (if only that had succeeded).

> He was tolerant of all minority religions and races. However assimilation was necessary in the Metaxist Regime and so if anyone failed to assimulate into the Greek culture they were deported or persecuted (as far as I know, Metaxas did not excecute anyone!)

> He banned certain ideologies that would oonly further destroy Greece as a nation such as Anarchism and Communism (to those who support those ideologies i don't know what to say either than those ideologies were obsolete).

From the points that I have mentioned I can only think of two things Metaxas did which were questionable: Abolishing the Parlimentary system (not very democratic on his part) and deporting Macedonian Slavs for the sake of Hellenisation of the Macedonian region (because unlike the Albanians the Slavs were not revolting and were just living their lives until Metaxas's policies were inacted on them).

In conclusion, Ioannis Metaxas was and still is a Greek hero and debatebly one of the best leaders of the Hellenic Republic to this day. I don't want to see anymore radical leftists, communists or anarchists taking for granted the sacrifice Ioannis Metaxas made for the Greek people. And I certainly don't want to hear ignorant Greeks calling this man a traitor!

As always if you have any qualms or arguments against this post please make an educated comment in the comment section where I will promptly answer and rebut any arguments made. God bless you all and have a good day!