At 3:00 am today, 72 years ago, a representative of the Axis forces arrived at the Greek prime minister’s residence and demanded Greece’s surrender. While the free world had watched countries across Europe surrender, one-by-one, to Hitler’s Axis forces, Greek Prime Minister Metaxas responded to this demand by saying — Oxi — No!

While the world had cowered in fear as the greatest military force the world had known crushed the previously greatest military powers and country after country, the people of little Greece refused to surrender and bravely stepped forward to fight. Franklin Roosevelt said, “When the entire world had lost all hope the Greek people dared to question the invincibility of the German monster, raising against it the proud spirit of Freedom.”

In doing so, Greece inflicted a fatal wound on the Axis forces at a crucial moment in World War II, forcing Hitler to change his timeline, delaying the attack on Russia where the Axis Forces met defeat. Winston Churchill said, “If there had not been the virtue and courage of the Greeks, we do not know which the outcome of World War II would have been.”

To see — and share with others — a short video on the story of Oxi Day, click here.

To see — and share with others — a short video on the story of The Battle of Crete, click here.

On this special day, the Washington Oxi Day Foundation salutes:

• Those who gave their lives, and those who risked their lives in the fight to defend democracy for the world, including our Greatest Generation Award recipients:

• American WWI Veterans Senator Bob Dole (2011) and Congressman Ben Gilman (2012)
• Greek WWI Veterans Panagiotis Sakellaris (2011) and Antonios Kounalakis (2012)
• Greek-American WWII Veterans Andrew Athens (2011) and Brigadier General Mike Cokinos (2012)

• Modern day Davids versus Goliaths who, in the spirit of Oxi day, fight to defend democracy and freedom and fight against anti-Semitism and discrimination including:

• Nobel Peace Prize Laureates and Congressional Gold Medal recipients Aung San Suu Kyi (2011 Battle of Crete Award) and Elie Wiesel (2012 Metropolitan Chrysostomos Award)
• Chinese human rights activist Chen Guangcheng (2012 Oxi Day Award)
• Pakistani women’s rights activist Dr. Fouzia Saeed (2012 Battle of Crete Award)
• One of the fathers of the Arab Spring, Jamel Batteieb, (2011 Oxi Day Award)
• Greek historical archivist Photini Tomai (2011 Metropolitan Chrysostomos Award)