Frances L. Lewis

Happy Oxi Day! 

Tomorrow Greece celebrates a  holiday few Americans recognize.  It is Oxi Day, pronounced  "O-hee," with a guttural h-sound.” 1

This holiday does not represents a military victory, but rather a moral one. It celebrates the determination of the Greek people. Those Greek patriots who trod a difficult path, remind us to be strong and not to give up when times start getting tough. When the course is right, we must be determined to stay the course, regardless of the consequences.

By  September 1940, Czechoslovakia, France, Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Luxembourg, and Romania, like dominoes in a line, fell to Germany. Hitler decided Italy, Germany’s ally, should conquer Greece and planned for them to do so in two weeks. On October 28, 1940, at 3:00 a.m., the Italian ambassador arrived at the residence of Greek Prime Minister Ioannis Metaxas delivering an ultimatum. The demand stated the Italian army be allowed to occupy Greek territory. Germany, through Italy, her ally was demanding control of Greece without a fight.2

The Greek prime minister, though not a saint himself, would not surrender his country. The  Prime Minister replied, in French, the diplomatic language of the day, “Alors, c’est la guerre”(Then it is war.)3 But like people do today, the Greek people shortened the answer to “Oxi!” ( No!) Thus began the battle for Greece. The Italians invaded through Bulgaria.  They chose to advance in winter, and through the Pindos Mountains. Both sides had difficulties being supplied,  but the Greeks were supplied by civilian men and who women carried supplies on their backs up the treacherous paths. This battle went on for six months with Mussolini himself leading the battle at one point, but the Greeks held fast. Until this prolonged fight, little good news had been reported that showed any hope for the free world. Winston Churchill lauded the Greeks by saying, ”Hence, we will not say that Greeks fight like heroes, but heroes fight like Greeks.”4 Finally, Hitler, embarrassed, had to divert German forces headed elsewhere to conquer the Greeks, and he did, but not before many Germans died trying to take something that was not theirs to take in the first place. Stalin credited the Greeks for stalling the German war machine long enough for the Russians have time to build up their defenses.5  Through the Greek's struggle,the free world began to realize Hitler’s machine could have a monkey wrench thrown into it. 

Every October 28, Greeks celebrate Oxi Day, the day when might did not make right and when giving in to wrong did not happen. It is the day when the Greek people screamed in one voice, “No! No! No!’

The Washington Oxi Day Foundation celebrates Oxi Day.  It awards a person for David courage in the fight to preserve freedom and democracy against Goliath forces  in his or her own country. This year’s recipient will James Foley, (posthumously) American journalist, beheaded in Syria.6

We will not always win over might and wrong in this world, but as St. Paul said, we must “press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:13) He also said, “….let us not grow weary in well doing, for in due time we shall reap, if we faint not.” (Galatians 6:9).We are to keep doing what we were called to do—be a light in a dark world.

To learn more about Oxi Day follow these links:

1. Map.http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/greece.html

2.  Ochi Day. The Free Dictionary by Farlex. Retrieved October 25, 2014 from http://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/Ochi+Day

3.Washington Oxi Day Foundation. Retrieved October 27, 2014 from oxidayfoundation.org/the-story-of-oxi-day/video-the-oxi-day-story/

4. Ibid.

5. Ibid.

6. ( 2014. October 27). Beheaded Journalist James Foley’s Last Days. The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved from http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=11348778