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I’m Greek and my grandparents told me stories from when they were kids under the Italian invasion. The Italians were good to Greek citizens in general (Italians weren’t so fond of the war after all, just check out what happened to Mussolini after the war ended). My grandpa told me they gave the kids sweets. The true cruelty was when the Germans came...
Was that the sentiment of Greeks at the time? I read that an old Greek woman said that the Italian soldiers "werent warriors, and should be carrying mandolins instead of rifles". Of course it could be untrue.
My grandma was a kid too! She lived in Peloponnesus at the time and everything was relatively fine until an Italian soldier who was patroling warned them of the upcoming German occupation and told them to stock up whatever food they could. That action saved my grandma's family from starving early on and held out until the end of the war. Or at least that is what I was told and it could be sugarcoated because I was child. Later on I found out the true trauma in my grandma as I watched her wake up from nightmares when I visited her or calling me by her siblings' names and having panic attacks that the Nazis were bombing her home again. Once I found her hoarding food and told her that she didn't have to and that she had to eat her plate in order to get her meds, she looked at me and asked: "So, I can eat all this plate, Vivian? This is all for me? Did you ate? Is there more for the others?" My name isn't Vivian, Vivian was her younger sister If I don't mistake the birth order...they were nine kids so I confuse the order at times. Anyhow, I stood up after I calmed her down and reassured that it was her food and no one else's and she started to cry from joy that she could eat her plate. It broke me inside. I went to the bathroom and sobbed for 5 minutes before I forced myself to stop and go back to her. When I returned she was embarrassed at how weak she seemed but she wasn't. My grandma was never weak and her breaking down like that reinforced my belief that my grandma was a badass. All my grandparents were badasses and I don't think I will ever live up to them but I will try.
@@Closurenomore I really hope that just before the Italians advanced into Greek territory they sent a military attaché to meet King George II and demand terms of his surrender, who in response booted him into a giant pit... "THIS IS HELLENICA!!!"
The committed Greek troops actually outnumbered the committed Italian troops. Furthermore the infrastructure in Albania was so poor that Italy really could not easily send more. The Greek counterattack into Albania eventually ground to a halt in no small part for that same reason.
It was real cool, but those are Greek hoplites and they could be from other Greek city states but Sparta was the only city state with a fully commissioned military other states only had army’s when at war (some did have small units always ready to defend the homeland)
That was fantastic, really made me drop a tear. All their ancestors watching in spirit, and with their blood the Greek warrior advanced for the defense of his homeland.
@Legio XXI Rapax I love Italy and am not being disrespectful to the Italian people. Another reason why the Italians lost the battle of Greece was because the majority of the soldiers never wanted to fight their Greek cousins.
One of my parents are from a town in Greece, where, during the Italian occupation, a lot of people actually married and had kids with italian soldiers. Mediteranian brothers! 🇬🇷♥️🇮🇹
e e I’m sorry what. Are you trying to say let’s see how the war plays out in modern day? Thats as stupid as a french saying let’s see how the Napoleonic wars turn out in modern day. It’s just stupid, admit that you guys failed.
The most impressive agressive are the mongols and Chinese. The most impressive defence are Greek and French. The most resilient are Chinese and Mexicans. The weakest is the Americans and Italians.
@@trauko1388even hitler himself praised the balls on those Greek that against all odds still put up a fight much longer than bigger powers of the world.
My Papou (Grandfather in Greek) grew up in Greece when the Italians invaded, and he talks about how the Italians did not hate the Greeks, they were neighbors and always had mutual appreciation to each other. The mentality was just not there to fight. But once the Germans came in, it was a different story.
It's true. Even before the war and to these days we greeks think of Italians as distant brothers or cousins or something. I don't know if they view us the same way, but yeah.
During the war Greek artist Marinella sung a song called "Brunette Napolitano" which is basically about how Greeks and Italians are the same people and shouldn't be fighting other peoples war. It's a touching song especially considering that it was made during the war.
Thats the feeling I always had too.Also in times where we were under Roman or Venician occupation, we never really had a problem with it, we were treated good and they actually build nice buildings too.
You know that in salento ( south of puglia, apulia in English???) there are literally a few places where we speak Greek. To precise, a dialect Greek (apologize for my English)
@@marlon1089 Nah, the Italians did fine in WW2 when they had competent leaders. It was poor leadership that let them down. We had Italian POW's in my town in WW2 (Merseyside, UK). My grandma was 4 or 5 at the time and she remembers her older sister who had an Italian POW boyfriend, he would come over for dinner on Sundays. They didn't always need to be in the POW camp in UK because we're an island, so there was no danger of escape because nowhere to go.
@@andresvalverde5182 how could you ruin such a sweet young love story with such a hateful comment that’s so sad you mustn’t have any kind of romanticism in your life
I’m from Nafpaktos, Greece and my grandfather was in the war. He actually learned Italian and killed an Italian soldier and wore his uniform so he could find out axis plans and was responsible for many Nazi and Italian deaths, he was eventually shot in the leg and taken to a camp but his family busted him out. Crazy stories…
@Ozymandias Heliogabal Nullifidian I'm proud of my nation and family, and if you have just a little of common sense you wouldn't judge a person by his profile pic, i bet you didn't even see the film lol, average kid.
@@davidfox2056 I am Italian and my country was humiliated by the fascists, and my grand grandfather died fighting an innocent and valiant people, our Greek friends, giving his heart for Italy. Fascism sucks and is illegal in Italy. Idiota.
@John R Ok,I think I formulated this wrong. I didn't mean that the soldiers are free of fault and punishment,what I meant is that in the big picture,the officers and other higher-up are actually responsible for the ultimate success of their operations and their men's actions on the field,the soldiers are merely doing the heavy lifting. Also,an officer is supposed to ensure his men are well disciplined,trained and motivated. If,like you said,some soldiers would start raping or something,I'd say that the bigger blame is to the officer for not only allowing it to happen,but also not trying to prevent it by disciplining them. Same for when they are into combat,there are numerous examples where a weaker army managed to defeat a much stronger army due to their competent leadership. In conclusion,while the regular soldiers are not free of blame,I think their officers are to be blamed a bit more than them.
There definitely are bad soldiers. But "there are no bad soldiers, only bad officers" is absolutely the right attitude for an officer to have, especially considering that it is the concern of the NCO's, not the commissioned officers, to turn bad soldiers into good soldiers. The officer's only concern is to lead those soldiers as well as he can. A task which will be greatly undermined if he is constantly blaming his soldiers for his own failures. I categorize this statement under: False statements that are nevertheless useful to believe. Other examples include: "A five second fuse only lasts three seconds" (will prevent you from hanging onto a grenade too long) From the student's perspective-"There is no such thing as a bad teacher, only a bad student" (will prevent a student from blaming a teacher's methods for their own bad study habits) From the teacher's perspective-"There is no such thing as a bad student, only a bad teacher" (will prevent a teacher from blaming a student's study habits for their own bad teaching methods) "No good thing ever comes easily" (may motivate you to work harder for those things that really don't come easily) "Your only limit is your imagination" (will prevent you from giving up too early) "There is no problem so bad that you can't make it worse" (may prevent rash actions that could exacerbate an already bad situation)
It's so heartwarming to think that when Italy left its allies greek people helped the Italian soldiers hiding them from the Germans even if that costs them their life.
That happend in Albania aswell. Italian soldiers were treated so well they cooperated with Albanian partisans and forming a whole battalion, later brigade and whole divison of just italian soldiers. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antonio_Gramsci_Battalion
It's because italian facism was different from german facism. it sought an italian centric empire not an Italian supremacist one. Somewhat like the roman empire. It did invade those countries but did seek to treat them as equals
The worst part is that much of the Italian military was made up of southern Italians (Neapolitans, Calabrians etc.) which are Greek descendants of Magna Graecia so basically it was Greeks fighting Greeks. As someone who's dad came from Greece that small detail bothers me alot, Greeks should never war with fellow Greeks 😞
I honestly think both of them would be fairly happy, given that modern Greece is kind of a continuation of both Ancient Greece and (Eastern) Roman Empire.
Una faccia una razza. Greece and Italy is the perfect example of two neighbour countries that fought againts each other less than a century ago and now are very good friends. Feel proud for Greeks for fighting till death for Freedom, forgive Italians for their bad decision and pay some respect to the dead from both sides...they were young men who could live longer and make great things... this is the real cost of a war. RIP Heroes, I am sure that right now they are drinking some great Greek wine with a delicious Italian Napolitana
Don't you worry, and to most of us, the Italians are our brothers! In fact, this war, should never have happened, but unfortunately, for both of us, their country, was run by a madman, who tried to drag all of them, to hell, with him! Thank God though, that our brothers were smart, and by '43, they pushed, the bastard on the side, and joined the allies, otherwise, the otherwise, beautiful Italy, would have met, the terrible fate, of Germany and Japan.
tbh I don't get why people make memes on Italy when FRANCE was conquered, surrendered and became Germany's bitch in a week or two.... Also, (i'm italian) stop making pizza, mafia and spaghetti jokes, it's so fucking annoying, Italy is way more than this
If greece had a marine corps or elite unit like the american navy seals or israel's shayatet 13, the greeks should call their's spartans because they were the most feared and brave warriors in ancient greek history, its a pretty cool opportunity!
@@adankmeme651 We do have elite forces, however, they're called "OIK", translated as " "Underwater Destruction Team". Spartans where indeed fearless but so were Macedonians, Athenians and Thebes among other Greeks.
@@adankmeme651 Greece has both Marine force, SEAL teams and other elite units (rangers/raiders, paratroopers etc too). Our SEAL teams should be very similar to US ones due to literally one being an official copy of the other via instructors seed long ago. Our marines though are quite the opposite and have lots of differences than US ones, they also are all part of SF here. As for some of the elite (besides OYK our SEAL teams) you have ETA for which you wont be hear as much and almost any Greek never heard of them even, due to the formation keeping a low profile and anonimity. Hell most professionals in the Hellenic army are not aware of it existing either (again due to low profile and minimal exposure).
@@KingMacuilmiquiztli imagine what Greece's debt would be if Germany had paid the war reparations. ;) But we are talking about a lot of money that was never given to Greece.
@@vanlao6367 I was thinking that at the time. However it lacked something important, Rome and the pope. If Rome had made a miraculous comeback, I guarantee the Byzantines would not have quietly been annexed.
Conclusion, Greece after war received by our friends and allies a civil war like a gift, after all those that Greece was make for freedom! Thanks a lot "friends".
tbh I don't get why people make memes on Italy when FRANCE was conquered, surrendered and became Germany's bitch in a week or two.... Also, (i'm italian) stop making pizza, mafia and spaghetti jokes, it's so fucking annoying, Italy is way more than this
@@josephburdett this is so wrong but i am to lazy to write everything just search "why was france/Italy so bad in ww2" or something like that and you will understand why your comment is a fucking joke
As a member of a Greek family, I would say that homemade Greek bread is the best. If you have never tried any, I encourage you and everyone else to try it. I am having my dad teach me how to make one. And mix that bread and olives with feta cheese, and you have yourself one, interesting Mediterranean meal, along with cooked lamb meat.
Mussolini: "Guys we're bringing back the Roman Empire" Military and politicians: **start infighting and clambering for power and position** Mussolini: *surprised Pikachu face*
tbh I don't get why people make memes on Italy when FRANCE was conquered, surrendered and became Germany's bitch in a week or two.... Also, (i'm italian) stop making pizza, mafia and spaghetti jokes, it's so fucking annoying, Italy is way more than this
As a Greek and having read and watch a lot of documentaries the key point of this Greco-Italian war was the battle of the hill 731. Poor strategy of the Italians definitely , i would not stay on the industrial stuff because Greece had not war industry at all that time , the only thing they did was to hide some artillery and ammo from the 1st WW at caves on the mountains one week before the invasion began. Now , the hill 731 states the 731 meters height from the land , after the extensive bombardment of the Italian Air Force the hill was 726 meters height (!!!) and yet soldiers were still on top of the hill, hungry , dirty, and thirsty , the food supplies were taking 4 to 6 days to deliver , their access to water was melted snow from the bomb craters filled with mud and even blood if a fellow soldier was killed by the bomb but they were filtering the water with their bandages in order to drink it compared to the clean and well fed Italian soldiers. A lot of veterans from the 2nd WW still say that the General's ( Dimitrios Kaslas ) order was : No retreat , victory or death ,they bombarded us , stay low , stay hidden , stay safe. There is a lot of dust and smoke after the bombs exploded they cant see us trying to climb the hill, no shooting at all let them come close at 1 meter distance then you stab them with bayonets if you dare to shoot i will shoot you myself. Failling capturing the hill 731 was they key point for the Greeks to start the counter attack which pushed Italians back till the heart of Albania. Summing up , poor strategy from the Italy's point of view but a lot of courage and bravery from the Greek soldiers too.
"Failling capturing the hill 731 was they key point for the Greeks to start the counter attack which pushed Italians back till the heart of Albania." You are wrong here. The battle of hill 731 happened in March. Months after the counter attack happened. It was on the spring offensive of the Italians.
You are accurate about the description of the battle for hill 731, but this was during the spring spring offensive, when the Italians tried to brake through the Greek lines. The battle that stopped the initial Italian offence was in Kalpaki on the Kalamas river, by the Greek 8th infantry division. The Greek counter offensive began on November 3rd in the Pindos sector, in Vovousa, by the reinforced Davakis detachment (regiment size), against the Julia alpine division. Col. Davakis himself did not lead his men, being shot in the chest one day earlier while in a reconnaissance patrol on the impending battle area. The Davakis detachment was renamed Ketsea Detacment, after it's new commander. Col. Davakis, considered a hero of the pindos campaign, was found by the Italians in an Athens hospital recuperating from his injuries, after Greece capitulated to the Germans and was sent by ship to Italy as a prisoner of war. The ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Adriatic taking Col. Davakis down with it.
I read, years ago, the account of an Italian infantrymen who was part of the invasion. His unit advanced to contact, encountering a Greek strongpoint. They called for tank support, and a tank showed up. The tank fired a round, and several of its rivets popped out. It fired a second round, and its armored plating began to fall off. At this point, the whole infantry company surrendered to the Greeks en masse. Mussolini simply had no idea how unprepared his Army really was.
According to the testimonies of my grandpa and his fellow Greek comrades, who all rest in piece by now, beyond Greek heroism and Italian command's incompetence, lies the fact that the common Italian soldier did not believe in axis' cause, and deep down was unwilling to attack their Greek brothers
I've met Italian veterans of the Greek campaign who pretty much said the same thing. The average Italian soldier was a drafted farmer which surely had nothing against the neighbouring countries
Greece & Italy were always respecting each other. For sure we had our differences and sometimes war between us, but in general we love each other because basically we have the same mentallity. In WW2, Italian soldiers were not cruel like the Nazis or the Bulgarians that occupied Macedonia and Thrace, and Greek people saw that and responded with kindness when needed. When Italy turned sides and was with the allies, the Nazis tried to get rid of Italian soldiers. In the island of Kephallonia they massacred 12.000 Italian troops, and the Greek population helped Italians hide and also treated the wounded ones.
I’m Greek with ancestry from Epirus.My great grand father fought in the war.When he was alive he used to tell me stories from the war,the difficulties,bad weather and diseases.But WE ARE GREEKS AND WE NEVER GIVE UP.WE FIGHT FOR OUR FAMILIES,FRIENDS,NEIGHBOURS AND FOR GREECE.That’s the messages he passed to me.I AM PROUD TO BE GREEK,THANKS GOD FOR THIS PRESENT 🇬🇷
Me immediately after seeing the title: Call to arms, banners fly in the wind For the glory of Hellas Coat of arms reading “Freedom or death!” Blood of king Leonidas
@@ghostofathens6600 I know stories from Creta tha the greeks civilians stab with spears in the heart german airbornes..One villager kills 10 of the with his hands!!
Everyone make fun of Italians for failing to conquer Greece, yet everyone forgot that main reason why the German invasion went "smoothly" is because: 1. The bulk of Greek Army bogged down at the Albanian border 2. The Greek Army was severely weakened due to months of fighting with the Italians
My grandfather (who is now dead) often had his feet swollen because of the harsh conditions of this war. My other grandfather (he too is now dead) came back on foot from Albania and as soon as he got home my grandmother did not recognize him.
When the mountains start speaking Greek Italians: Just gas them Geneva convention: Bitch you think I'm going to let you cheat twice? Italians: *M A M M A M I A I N T E N S I F I E S*
My grandfather fought in Greece,(from the point of view of my mother because I didn't know him) he was a pacifist but he was obligated to fight. IDK if he shooted someone but I know that his best friends died there. He was captured by the German because he stole some fournitures of the German armyy he stood there 2 years and then liberated by the English but then again in prison In Italy because they fought he had ran away in war but he was in prison. My family say that he could not do some bad thing to somebody he was very kind and my mom say that he was "friend", "maybe understand them because he (and I)comes from salento( south of puglia) a very VERY VERY poor place where they do hard labour like with farm etc. There are some place in Salento where we speak Greek, Salento is the Greece of Italy. Apologize for my bad English I try to do my best to share this story, if you want more I have a lot of war story about my Italian family.
Respect though to the Italians they were the ones that failed but they weren’t the ones that would make the civilian population suffer the most in Greece my grandma’s house was blown up by the SS and italian soldiers helped rebuild it
Really now???😂 During the tripple occupation (italians, bulgarians and germans) italian army committed the most atrocities after the bulgarian army!!! Specially against the Greeks in Epirus region! After all, during the tripple occupation, italians occupied 80% of Greece. Bulgarians occupied eastern Macedonia and western Thrace and Germans occupied only the Cities of Athens, Thessaloniki and the island of Crete
@@rowingaway just saying if your in the comment section there's also plenty here to disprove the other side. It can easily be backed up with sources tho lmao
@@timothy2630 thanks bro, italians and greeks are brothers. I've never been to Bologna but I'm glad you liked it. I hope I can visit your country as well in the near future and I hope greater collaboration between our people awaits us❤️🔥
@@KingMacuilmiquiztli Been to the south of Italy it felt like Greece.North is another thing,I bet you aren't from the south.8th largest economy with debt and corruption among the highest in the world 😉
As a Greek I love Italy, the culture the art the cuisine, all those things that unite as, rather than divide us, Italy was just misled by a fascist leader who met his deserved end at the gallows pole, it's just as slight that we Greeks have already forgotten and forgave!
Italy "Were going to greece" Germany "you need help?" Italy: "Nah bro we can take care of this ourselves" Germany "Ok" Italy: "ey um were not doing to good here can you send your boyz in?" Germany "Sure but you need to help me in russia if i do" Italy "yeah no probs bro"
That's exactly what's probably gonna happen in my AU, except that prussia, Morrco and austria are allies, Rome, Greece/Byzantium,poland and Eyget are in a allies while France,belgium, and selvak are going alone (it's 1939 right now) meanwhile all of Americania, Asia and Mars are watching and eating popcorn
They hold the Germans for a week before taking the country. This week bought some time to Russia so the russian troops could move from East to West and fight the Germans. Basically if Greeks hadn’t engaged the enemy Hitler would have taken Russia
@@Κώστας-κ6φ Hitler would never have defeated Russia. Maybe what you mentioned helped to win the waar. But sooner or later Germany would have been crushed from the Allies. The Moment Hitler started Operation Barbarossa, he lost the war.
@@sheinuxx Well not true. If the USSR collapsed (if Stalingrad , Moscow and Petersburg fell) , Germany would dominate all Europe. The invasions of Italy and Normandy wouldn’t be possible
@Kristian PepajAny of people who fought against axis in Pindos, were Greeks! and any of those who offered their buttholes erm.. joined axis against Greeks, were albanians! ρε Αλβανοί κάντε ρε τουμπεκα πια!
@Kristian Pepaj Northern Epirotes yes we know ! Thankfully history already been written and it can't be rewrite! Just keep it clean the next time and don't fall to any new call of any regime against democracy and free world!
tbh I don't get why people make memes on Italy when FRANCE was conquered, surrendered and became Germany's bitch in a week or two.... Also, (i'm italian) stop making pizza, mafia and spaghetti jokes, it's so fucking annoying, Italy is way more than this
Joseph Burdett i absolutely love italy from an english person but at least i can take jokes about my own country, such as when people say we’d kill for a cup of tea and yorkshire pudding
Asking how Greeks were able to stop or delay invasions and win battles against impossible odds, is like asking how Batman can defeat Superman. Because they're Greeks and because he's Batman.
in other words: 1.] Don't question the courage and capability of the common Italian soldier, question everything else and 2.] Never underestimate the Greek people when united against a common foe.
When Mussolini invaded greece,he said "i will be drinking my tea in athens",but the invasion had been going on for 9 months in greece's favour,the greeks told the italians than Mussolini's tea was getting cold🤣
Mussolini: So hows the invasion of Greece going? Italian high command: Yeah, the defense of Albania is being set up as we speak Mussolini: oh that’s goo- THE WHAT!
Italian soldiers was rly good people i know that from my grandparents..They gave us their weapons after all and help the greek army against the germans.The greek civilians hid many italian soldiers from the germans and my family hid 2 soldiers in our home in northen western Greece for 4 months.
@@macabregeorge542 Why not? Genetically speaking, we are practically relatives....us and the Italians! Under normal circumstances, this war shouldn't have happened! But....when you have a mad man, running the show....then all bets are off! The Italians however, also payed a heavy price from that lunatic, but they were clever enough, as to finally, hang him upside down, at a Napoli gas station, at the end of the war, and be done with the bastard, once in for all!
@@macabregeorge542 That is true. My grandmother's father hid an Italian soldier, who later returned to marry one of his daughters! Whose son by the way married an Italian woman as well, making my cousins 1/4 Greeks and 3/4 Italians.
My grandpa was there, he never spoke to me about it cause I was very young. He told my father some horrid stuff that happened. He didn't kill anyone in the war, according to him he had an Italian soldier on his scope out in the open but he didn't take the shot.
@@sisidiam1096 Actually, the Greek "#Aera!" battle cry, just means "Air!", and it derives from a spontaneous cry repeated during battle by Cretan #Gendarmerie draftees, also used by the #Cretan Prime Minister of Greece #EleftheriosVenizelos (1910-16, [1917-18], 1918-20), in his elaborate war efforts.
@@SMK-SAS yes i know i m greek, but not greek-speaking people can't really understand the meaning of the battle cry when it's translated with it's literall sence
I see the chat is full of funny (I guess?) memes, but as an Italian I still wanted to apologize to our Greek friends for this shameful "invasion". Fascism was and still is a shame for my country.
It’s okay bro.You personally don’t have to apologise for anything.It was an older generation,but even the Italians fighting the war were mislead by politicians.❤️
tbh I don't get why people make memes on Italy when FRANCE was conquered, surrendered and became Germany's bitch in a week or two.... Also, (i'm italian) stop making pizza, mafia and spaghetti jokes, it's so fucking annoying, Italy is way more than this
And what's hilarious after this is that After the war ended and now even on vids like these on yt you'll see some two belligerents arguing with each other over who's better and the sort meanwhile Italians and Greeks are like "Bro" "Yes bro?" "I'm sorry bro" "I'm sorry too bro" "bro..."
To be fair Italian arms never raped killed and tortured the Greek people in the rating German and Bulgarian troops did. Plus before the war we had thousands of years of common ground (not always as friends) and many Greek cities have small communities with Italians. We didn't hate each other unlike with turks, it was just the circumstances.
My grandfather used to say that in prisoner camps, after greece was occupied, italian guards and greek prisoners would often share their food because germans never gave enough for everyone, not even for their allies
My grandpa got his medal by pointing his anti air ( mounted on a donkey) gun towards a hill, which was supposed to be a really stupid thing to do. However the bigger rate of fire, made the advancing opposite soldiers stand down, giving the momentum to his squadron to counter attack. That was my favourite story of him..........However after each battle, they tried to save as many wounded Italians possible...sometimes against their commanders' will. Also I second that according to his stories, the Italians were not ''willing'' occupants, they were also hungry and they did share their food with Greeks and vice versa...it was a common truth that most Italian soldiers actually hated occupying Greece. I had heard from my grandpa the concept of the movie ''Captain Corelli's mandolin '' (N.Cage, P. Cruz, C.Bale) long before I saw the movie...
The Greece campaign is in my opinion what really started the mistrust for Mussolini by the Italian population. The soldiers knew that they were attacking people like them, and it felt like wwi all over again, senseless massacres.
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easy the greeks were mad after the romans took over their place so they decided to get their anger on the italians
Wix is dead.
Long live Squarespace
KILL THE GREECE NOW FOR DA ITALY
They should've prayed to ares
Mussolini: How's the Greek invasion going?
Commanders: Ah yes the defense of Albania is going great!
Mussolini: The WHAT?
Lmao
Lol😂😁
didn't i see this on a sabaton song?
Greece: still got it
@@Idontknowyou05 *is going horrible
That transition from Greek soldier to ancient greek warrior was beautiful
8:56
Yup, it is!
Honestly
Yes
It was a nice touch gotta be said
I’m Greek and my grandparents told me stories from when they were kids under the Italian invasion. The Italians were good to Greek citizens in general (Italians weren’t so fond of the war after all, just check out what happened to Mussolini after the war ended). My grandpa told me they gave the kids sweets. The true cruelty was when the Germans came...
i heard the exact same stories
Was that the sentiment of Greeks at the time? I read that an old Greek woman said that the Italian soldiers "werent warriors, and should be carrying mandolins instead of rifles". Of course it could be untrue.
My grandma was a kid too! She lived in Peloponnesus at the time and everything was relatively fine until an Italian soldier who was patroling warned them of the upcoming German occupation and told them to stock up whatever food they could. That action saved my grandma's family from starving early on and held out until the end of the war. Or at least that is what I was told and it could be sugarcoated because I was child.
Later on I found out the true trauma in my grandma as I watched her wake up from nightmares when I visited her or calling me by her siblings' names and having panic attacks that the Nazis were bombing her home again. Once I found her hoarding food and told her that she didn't have to and that she had to eat her plate in order to get her meds, she looked at me and asked:
"So, I can eat all this plate, Vivian? This is all for me? Did you ate? Is there more for the others?"
My name isn't Vivian, Vivian was her younger sister If I don't mistake the birth order...they were nine kids so I confuse the order at times. Anyhow, I stood up after I calmed her down and reassured that it was her food and no one else's and she started to cry from joy that she could eat her plate. It broke me inside. I went to the bathroom and sobbed for 5 minutes before I forced myself to stop and go back to her.
When I returned she was embarrassed at how weak she seemed but she wasn't. My grandma was never weak and her breaking down like that reinforced my belief that my grandma was a badass.
All my grandparents were badasses and I don't think I will ever live up to them but I will try.
Quick question, were the Germans who committed war crimes were the SS?
@@vm-bh1dm eleftheria is a cool name
"How did the Greeks manage to repel an invasion by a seemingly much stronger power"?
Thousands of years of practice ...
Lol
Lol
**Turkish war of independence flash backs**
@@binbasesatoktayyldran5236 by help of britain and germany once again
and basically having the worst possible terrain to invade in, seriously had the greeks had ample supplies they could've shat all over german troops
Italy: You are overwhelming outnumbered.
Greece: Been there done that.
Our bullets will blot out the sun!
@@Closurenomore
I really hope that just before the Italians advanced into Greek territory they sent a military attaché to meet King George II and demand terms of his surrender, who in response booted him into a giant pit... "THIS IS HELLENICA!!!"
@@Closurenomore Then We Will Fight in the Shade. ;)
We know a thing or two because we've seen a thing or two
The committed Greek troops actually outnumbered the committed Italian troops. Furthermore the infrastructure in Albania was so poor that Italy really could not easily send more. The Greek counterattack into Albania eventually ground to a halt in no small part for that same reason.
"How did the greeks repelled an invasion from a seemingly stronger power" kinda their thing bro
@Wulfheort just a nice throw back to the greco-persian war
@Wulfheort Damn.... You really hate Greeks ...Dont ya ?
@Wulfheort Dont worry . I am pretty sure that Greeks have mutual feelings for your people too.
@Wulfheort well, sorry for not putting a challenge, at least we won the hearts of the people...
@Wulfheort you are not mad with Greece you are mad that you country losed at ww1 and ww2
When the Greek soldier marching forward turned into the ancient hoplite, gave me the chills. Simply amazing.
Same here
It was real cool, but those are Greek hoplites and they could be from other Greek city states but Sparta was the only city state with a fully commissioned military other states only had army’s when at war (some did have small units always ready to defend the homeland)
so good
That was fantastic, really made me drop a tear. All their ancestors watching in spirit, and with their blood the Greek warrior advanced for the defense of his homeland.
i start to love Greece and i'm bulgarian
Italians: *have a great amount of weapons, tanks and planes*
Greeks: "Rifle is fine."
I mean its better to have no tanks than having an Italian one.
@@friedrichwilhelmviktoralbert59 I mean since they were allied with Germany they probably had that bussin German technology (meth)
@@friedrichwilhelmviktoralbert59 when you make war alongside Germany you are sure you gonna lose
@@crnidzek1138 no man, italian tanks were like tuna boxes
@@friedrichwilhelmviktoralbert59 What a dumb, baseless remark.
Italy: taking Greece is gonna be a walk in the park.
Greece: then why are you running?
Ohh that s 200 iq
Intellectual meme level
Maybe it was a water park for them who eventually drowned!
i just hear the black dudes voicee
If Greeks aren't outnumbered it won't be a fair fight
Damn right.?😅
if they are outnumbering the enemy they usually lose.
HAHAHAHAHA! DAMN RIGHT BRO! GREETINGS FROM ALL OF US, HERE IN GREECE!
@@Giorgio21443 If
@Legio XXI Rapax I love Italy and am not being disrespectful to the Italian people. Another reason why the Italians lost the battle of Greece was because the majority of the soldiers never wanted to fight their Greek cousins.
Italy : Greece is mine
Greece : hippity hoppity get out of my property
Julius Caesar watching from heaven : *S H A M E*
That's stupid
@@Somewhereinthisuniverse I meant to say that was stupid plan by Italy
@@Somewhereinthisuniverse buddie
@@Somewhereinthisuniverse 💕💕💕
Thanks buddy 😚😘
I'm from South Italy, "Magna Grecia". I'm not only a son of the Italy, I'm a son of the Greece too! 🇮🇹♥️🇬🇷
@MICHALIS SIFAKIS I'm Calabrian, you are always welcome here, my friend. This is even your home 🇮🇹♥️🇬🇷
@@MaRcKsCo I have been to Calabria! It's beautiful
@@MaRcKsCo and when you come take away those people who looks like Maradona they come with the Mongol mussolini and their descendants are still there
If your ancestors are Sicilian then most likely your genes are greek too.
One of my parents are from a town in Greece, where, during the Italian occupation, a lot of people actually married and had kids with italian soldiers. Mediteranian brothers! 🇬🇷♥️🇮🇹
"I can take Greece"
-Someone who could not take Greece
Ah yes
Id love to see greece come back and try to exist in the landscape today
This has the same energy with
"I can take Russia"
-Everyone who failed at taking Russia.
e e I’m sorry what. Are you trying to say let’s see how the war plays out in modern day? Thats as stupid as a french saying let’s see how the Napoleonic wars turn out in modern day. It’s just stupid, admit that you guys failed.
Macedonia: "Pathetic"
A French town on the Italian border set up a sign saying:
"Greeks, this is French territory do not advance."
They knew
That’s a Mood
20k subscribers with no videos Jimmy banialis the part they are referring to was controlled by Vichy France at that time
@@greenoftreeblackofblue6625 It's okay, they know.
@@jimmyb7479 Vichy France, unoccupied territory in the south.
Greek women of Epirus,carried ammo boxes on their backs, climbing mountains through winter and coming down with injured soldiers.
Ναι αυτό είναι αλήθεια δυστυχώς πολλές πέθαναν
so true :/
Σαν τις σημερινές ένα πράγμα
@@ChildOfEarthAndSky τι λες ρε μλκ
@@ChildOfEarthAndSky Μια σημερινή: "Αχχχ δεν έχω σήμα, δεν πάω" :D
It's crazy how the Greeks have done this type of thing since Bronze Age.
Ειμαστε στρατοκαυλοι -> we like the army...
Romans
The most impressive agressive are the mongols and Chinese. The most impressive defence are Greek and French. The most resilient are Chinese and Mexicans. The weakest is the Americans and Italians.
...uuuuuuntil the Germans showed up.
@@trauko1388even hitler himself praised the balls on those Greek that against all odds still put up a fight much longer than bigger powers of the world.
My Papou (Grandfather in Greek) grew up in Greece when the Italians invaded, and he talks about how the Italians did not hate the Greeks, they were neighbors and always had mutual appreciation to each other. The mentality was just not there to fight. But once the Germans came in, it was a different story.
It's true. Even before the war and to these days we greeks think of Italians as distant brothers or cousins or something. I don't know if they view us the same way, but yeah.
During the war Greek artist Marinella sung a song called "Brunette Napolitano" which is basically about how Greeks and Italians are the same people and shouldn't be fighting other peoples war. It's a touching song especially considering that it was made during the war.
Thats the feeling I always had too.Also in times where we were under Roman or Venician occupation, we never really had a problem with it, we were treated good and they actually build nice buildings too.
You know that in salento ( south of puglia, apulia in English???) there are literally a few places where we speak Greek. To precise, a dialect Greek (apologize for my English)
@@Aimos-apo-tin-Tauris sorry for that, that s horrible
“We will destroy the Greeks”
*Task failed successfully*
here an meme drugged
Thank you Mr Kennedy
So u didnt die mr president
Haha that's reminds me "Mission failed, we will get them next time 🤣🤣"
it fails miserably the last 5000 years
"Our planes will blot out the sun"
"Then we we will fight in the shade".
Good one 👍
300 greeks, said that laughing at the italian border
But what about carpet bombing?
they didn't laugh when the Romans came
@@aleksk4151 Greeks fought each other back then.
"Mein Fuhur, the Italians have joined the war."
"Send a division."
"On our side."
"...Then send 15 divisions to help them."
True hahaha
Yes, fortunately we are better at building than destroing
@@marlon1089 Nah, the Italians did fine in WW2 when they had competent leaders. It was poor leadership that let them down. We had Italian POW's in my town in WW2 (Merseyside, UK). My grandma was 4 or 5 at the time and she remembers her older sister who had an Italian POW boyfriend, he would come over for dinner on Sundays. They didn't always need to be in the POW camp in UK because we're an island, so there was no danger of escape because nowhere to go.
@@Aethelhald Wow how honorable her older sister was, to sleep with a enemy pow. Makes Britain proud, am i rite.
@@andresvalverde5182 how could you ruin such a sweet young love story with such a hateful comment that’s so sad you mustn’t have any kind of romanticism in your life
Greece had Squarespace on their side, the force was strong with them
They ultimately lost though because Germany had Nord VPN
We meet once more
Hello we meet again
The Soviet Union won because they had Raid Shadow Legends.
Your comments do seem to get a lot of likes. Here, have some fireworks.. 🎆
Italy was just trying a new a tactic during the invasion of Greece.
Calling Germany for help.
*It's super effective!*
133 now lol
Germany: *Austria-Hungary flashbacks*
Perhaps the most effective tactic for Mussolini
That’s not really a new tactic 😂
Papagos: "Prime Minister, the Italians outnumber us 10 to 1!"
Metaxas: "Then it is an even fight."
I feel he would rather :" Good we have the advantage then ."
@@stormbringer2840 Its a reference
im from greece metaxas was
a dictator
@@dimitrislolis7670 his title was prime minister, he was de facto dictator but de Jure PM.
I'd rather have Metaxas govern my country right now rather the current traitors least Metaxas wasn't a traitor... I'm Greek
I’m from Nafpaktos, Greece and my grandfather was in the war. He actually learned Italian and killed an Italian soldier and wore his uniform so he could find out axis plans and was responsible for many Nazi and Italian deaths, he was eventually shot in the leg and taken to a camp but his family busted him out. Crazy stories…
Μην τον ξεχάσεις ποτέ ❤
Grandpa lore
The invasion was so bad that greek songs and even an animated short were made mocking Mussolini, that had to be a big blow to his ego
@@MemeMeme-lg7fb Oh sure! I wonder how he stayed in power for more than two decades! Don't say bullshit!
Wait, is there a link?!!
Daniel Escovedo in fact he has been shot by his own people lmao
Sultan Enver after being shot
@@goose4919
the animation th-cam.com/video/BNpTofJJWbo/w-d-xo.html
one of the songs th-cam.com/video/GXNLyBIr19E/w-d-xo.html
Italy: Hey, wouldn't it be funny if I invaded you?
Greece: Hey, wouldn't it be funny if I invaded you back?
I never see then invade our peninsula
@@Boretheory Albania was kinda occupied by the Italians.
@@Boretheory Yeah, we were busy to prepare fighting the Germans, Bulgarians and you at the same time...no time for coffee in Rome.
@@antoniosvidakis Always time for a cup of coffee, just don't be a fancy little bitch about it.
@@Nospoon53189 Sorry I hurt your snowflake feelings with facts, that was not my purpose.
My Grandfather fought against the Italians in Albania and I'm proud of him!
And my family fought with the italian and was fascist, I'm proud of them.
@Ozymandias Heliogabal Nullifidian I'm proud of my nation and family, and if you have just a little of common sense you wouldn't judge a person by his profile pic, i bet you didn't even see the film lol, average kid.
@@davidfox2056 I am Italian and my country was humiliated by the fascists, and my grand grandfather died fighting an innocent and valiant people, our Greek friends, giving his heart for Italy.
Fascism sucks and is illegal in Italy.
Idiota.
Mine too and the other fought as a partisan. But I still love our Italian brethren.
Luca Savelli hey Luca well said bro. At least it’s all in the past and us Greeks and Italia a still love each other... very much 🥰
"How did the Greeks manage to repel an invasion by a seemingly much stronger power"
Lots of practice.
And the brits
they say they foght.. we only saw them on labels sending bit of ammo and i guess thats all
@@emu1177
@@emu1177 Actually, no
Everyone's gangsta until the mountains start speaking greek.
XD
Πως τους πετσοκοψες έτσι μυστη μου?
σηοσξσβρξσνδηρπσηωσκρβροεκωδξρωγξσωχωζξχβχβζβζββζβχβχβχβχββχβχβχβχβχβχββχνχβχβχβχβχββχβχβχβχβχηβχβχβχβχβχβχβχβ
@@ΒασίληςΑνδρούτσος-γ3φ Πως τους γαμησες έτσι?
Enchantment table
Greece is from those countries that everyone forgets they shouldnt underestimate
Exactly 🇬🇷❤️💪
Same goes for Poland even after they were invaded they kept fighting same with France. Spain was also underestimated in the Napoleon war.
France surrendered the citizens fought not the government my respect goes to the common folk not those who commanded their army
@@RussianEmpire-sq4qi Poland was amazing during WW2. Resisting til Liberation. Badassery at its max.
@@RealRotkohlPoland was never liberated during ww2.
This guy is making the answers to the real questions.
He's trying to make serious videosn but hey, the most liked comment are the retardet one with useless and false stereothypes and meme.
@@davidfox2056 Yup welcome to the internet.
True
@DANIEL BIN OMAR - At least we have a culture instead of other countries.
The World War II channel literally chronicled the invasion week by week, they've done it as well.
9:00, Damn, the Aura of the old Spartans. This such a cool transaction. Glory for the Greeks from the Chronian Alliance. 🇦🇶🇬🇷
Wait are you antarctican?
As Napoleon once said: ,,There are no bad soldiers, only bad officers.''
@John R I don't think you understand the saying
@John R Ok,I think I formulated this wrong. I didn't mean that the soldiers are free of fault and punishment,what I meant is that in the big picture,the officers and other higher-up are actually responsible for the ultimate success of their operations and their men's actions on the field,the soldiers are merely doing the heavy lifting. Also,an officer is supposed to ensure his men are well disciplined,trained and motivated. If,like you said,some soldiers would start raping or something,I'd say that the bigger blame is to the officer for not only allowing it to happen,but also not trying to prevent it by disciplining them. Same for when they are into combat,there are numerous examples where a weaker army managed to defeat a much stronger army due to their competent leadership. In conclusion,while the regular soldiers are not free of blame,I think their officers are to be blamed a bit more than them.
@G G Yes! I'm glad someone in the comment section finally understands what I meant with the quote
John R you go conquer an empire, then you can make your own saying.
There definitely are bad soldiers. But "there are no bad soldiers, only bad officers" is absolutely the right attitude for an officer to have, especially considering that it is the concern of the NCO's, not the commissioned officers, to turn bad soldiers into good soldiers. The officer's only concern is to lead those soldiers as well as he can. A task which will be greatly undermined if he is constantly blaming his soldiers for his own failures.
I categorize this statement under: False statements that are nevertheless useful to believe.
Other examples include:
"A five second fuse only lasts three seconds" (will prevent you from hanging onto a grenade too long)
From the student's perspective-"There is no such thing as a bad teacher, only a bad student" (will prevent a student from blaming a teacher's methods for their own bad study habits)
From the teacher's perspective-"There is no such thing as a bad student, only a bad teacher" (will prevent a teacher from blaming a student's study habits for their own bad teaching methods)
"No good thing ever comes easily" (may motivate you to work harder for those things that really don't come easily)
"Your only limit is your imagination" (will prevent you from giving up too early)
"There is no problem so bad that you can't make it worse" (may prevent rash actions that could exacerbate an already bad situation)
The Greeks simply just summoned their ancestors’ power and might
Basically
@@ronaldwilson9525 the Italians mistake is that they worked with Germany (flashback to Roman era)
They didn't summon it, they already had it
Dream's Uncle didn't except to see you here.
Good for the Greeks that the Italians didn't that as well !! . But you could be strong and brave as you want, but if your leaders are imbeciles...
It's so heartwarming to think that when Italy left its allies greek people helped the Italian soldiers hiding them from the Germans even if that costs them their life.
That happend in Albania aswell.
Italian soldiers were treated so well they cooperated with Albanian partisans and forming a whole battalion, later brigade and whole divison of just italian soldiers.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antonio_Gramsci_Battalion
It's because italian facism was different from german facism. it sought an italian centric empire not an Italian supremacist one. Somewhat like the roman empire. It did invade those countries but did seek to treat them as equals
@@josephgallo5170 Ah yes, the tradition.
My great grandmother saved a young Italian soldier from the Germans when Italy switched sides. Years later he came back with his family to thank her.
The worst part is that much of the Italian military was made up of southern Italians (Neapolitans, Calabrians etc.) which are Greek descendants of Magna Graecia so basically it was Greeks fighting Greeks. As someone who's dad came from Greece that small detail bothers me alot, Greeks should never war with fellow Greeks 😞
Italians: *We have the some of the best gear in Europe*
Greeks: *As long as the gun fires, it's enogh*
Julius Caesar: Pathetic
Alexander the Great: "Happy Hellenic noises"
I honestly think both of them would be fairly happy, given that modern Greece is kind of a continuation of both Ancient Greece and (Eastern) Roman Empire.
@@StergiosMekras Roman's where Greek wannabes, they stole the god's, the architecture etc, and also Alexander the Great was older than Roman's
@@nikosx6905 lol ok
@@nikosx6905 the where actually greeks greeks from troy and the end of the minoan age
@@scgamesonline7771 speak proper English so i can understand
Una faccia una razza. Greece and Italy is the perfect example of two neighbour countries that fought againts each other less than a century ago and now are very good friends. Feel proud for Greeks for fighting till death for Freedom, forgive Italians for their bad decision and pay some respect to the dead from both sides...they were young men who could live longer and make great things... this is the real cost of a war. RIP Heroes, I am sure that right now they are drinking some great Greek wine with a delicious Italian Napolitana
Don't you worry, and to most of us, the Italians are our brothers! In fact, this war, should never have happened, but unfortunately, for both of us, their country, was run by a madman, who tried to drag all of them, to hell, with him! Thank God though, that our brothers were smart, and by '43, they pushed, the bastard on the side, and joined the allies, otherwise, the otherwise, beautiful Italy, would have met, the terrible fate, of Germany and Japan.
Tell that to Japan and America
@@DOI_ARTS well, I am sure that american sailors are having some sushi with those kamikaze pilots
@MVP Ares says who?
@@DOI_ARTS Japan got forced to become an ally lmao
Those Greeks, just like the Scandinavians, they don’t stray far from their untamable ancestors.
Mad Respect.
*laughs in swedistan and istanbul*
@@heiko5129 try to laugh at Vienna if you know what I mean😂😂😂.
@@NIKOS_GEROSIDERIS im not even turk or muslim so i laugh in vienna as well haha
@@heiko5129 all here know you are turk xD
@@tandao6900 i'm brazillian tho..
“Until now we used to say that the Greeks fight like heroes. Now we shall say: Heroes fight like Greeks.” 🇬🇧❤🇬🇷
Italy: "You can't defeat me"
Ethiopia: "I know, but he can"
**Greece**
Edit: Don't read the replies.
D B Ethiopia was annexed by italy
D B Ethiopia did not defeat Italy
tbh I don't get why people make memes on Italy when FRANCE was conquered, surrendered and became Germany's bitch in a week or two.... Also, (i'm italian) stop making pizza, mafia and spaghetti jokes, it's so fucking annoying, Italy is way more than this
Joseph Burdett chill can you just handle the joke
Joseph Burdett Mamma mia, someone cant-a take a joke about their country. And at least France didn’t switch sides.
I imagine a part of the fight went like this.
Italian commander: "This is madness".
Greek commander. "Madness? THIS IS GREECE".
If greece had a marine corps or elite unit like the american navy seals or israel's shayatet 13, the greeks should call their's spartans because they were the most feared and brave warriors in ancient greek history, its a pretty cool opportunity!
@@adankmeme651 what do you mean ?? We have elite forces at the top rank of nato rankings
@@adankmeme651 We do have elite forces, however, they're called "OIK", translated as " "Underwater Destruction Team". Spartans where indeed fearless but so were Macedonians, Athenians and Thebes among other Greeks.
@@adankmeme651 Greece has both Marine force, SEAL teams and other elite units (rangers/raiders, paratroopers etc too). Our SEAL teams should be very similar to US ones due to literally one being an official copy of the other via instructors seed long ago. Our marines though are quite the opposite and have lots of differences than US ones, they also are all part of SF here. As for some of the elite (besides OYK our SEAL teams) you have ETA for which you wont be hear as much and almost any Greek never heard of them even, due to the formation keeping a low profile and anonimity. Hell most professionals in the Hellenic army are not aware of it existing either (again due to low profile and minimal exposure).
@@KingMacuilmiquiztli imagine what Greece's debt would be if Germany had paid the war reparations. ;)
But we are talking about a lot of money that was never given to Greece.
Italy: "Guys we're bringing back the Roman Empire".
Greece: "Guys we're bringing back the Roman Empire 2.0".
Wouldn't the Greeks be bringing back the Byzantium Empire?
@@hadrianbuiltawall9531 Byzantium is just basically Eastern Roman empire, so it is still technically the Roman Empire itself.
@@vanlao6367 I was thinking that at the time. However it lacked something important, Rome and the pope. If Rome had made a miraculous comeback, I guarantee the Byzantines would not have quietly been annexed.
@ボイス I blame the Greeks. They never did appreciate been conquered by the Romans.
@@hadrianbuiltawall9531 The Greeks preserve the legacy of Rome, they were the real successor of Augustus, not Charlemagne and the Pope.
Conclusion, Greece after war received by our friends and allies a civil war like a gift, after all those that Greece was make for freedom! Thanks a lot "friends".
As the saying goes, in international relations there are no permanent friends only permanent interests!
Thank you for this comment. This is the sad truth that everyone forgets.
dont blame others for our crimes, civil war was entirely our fault
@@ΜικηςΖεζας You need history lessons.
@@georgekaragiannakis6637 100% this,and it seems like our current goverment knows this pretty well.
The Greeks living off Bread and Olives is such a Mediterranean mood 😂
tbh I don't get why people make memes on Italy when FRANCE was conquered, surrendered and became Germany's bitch in a week or two.... Also, (i'm italian) stop making pizza, mafia and spaghetti jokes, it's so fucking annoying, Italy is way more than this
@@josephburdett I m greek and I agree with you. The real joke of WW II was France, not Italy.
@@josephburdett this is so wrong but i am to lazy to write everything just search "why was france/Italy so bad in ww2" or something like that and you will understand why your comment is a fucking joke
As a member of a Greek family, I would say that homemade Greek bread is the best. If you have never tried any, I encourage you and everyone else to try it. I am having my dad teach me how to make one. And mix that bread and olives with feta cheese, and you have yourself one, interesting Mediterranean meal, along with cooked lamb meat.
Joseph Burdett because Italy fucking sucked and had to use the secret technique called “Germany”
Mussolini: "Guys we're bringing back the Roman Empire"
Military and politicians: **start infighting and clambering for power and position**
Mussolini: *surprised Pikachu face*
Sounds like he did bring back the Roman empire... Just before it's collapse.
Sounds like he actually wanted a Holy Roman Empire lol
Looks like he brought back the late Republic rather than the empire...
_Et tu, il duce?_
@@The_Greedy_Orphan He didn't count on the Greeks going full Vandal
Italy: Takes one step into Greece
Greeks: K O W A B U N G A
IT IS THEN
For the record,they were shouting Aeraaaaa.Which in translation means air but the shout itself originates from 1912-13(the siege of Ioannina city)
@@alexandrosbeleris6957 mkay...
tbh I don't get why people make memes on Italy when FRANCE was conquered, surrendered and became Germany's bitch in a week or two.... Also, (i'm italian) stop making pizza, mafia and spaghetti jokes, it's so fucking annoying, Italy is way more than this
@@josephburdett go whine on another comment, instead of my harmless one
@@jakehammond7491 just spamming it sto spread the message for my fellow italian people, nothing personal
How did the greeks manage to repel an invasion from a seemingly much stronger power? *Ask Persia.*
😂
Thats why Istanbul now turkish hand
@@A_Shanto its will be greek again soon dont worry
@@A_Shanto exactly dude you never built that city…you conquer this and soon you will loose it again because it was never yours…
Actually Persians sacked Athens, twice.
Couldn't sack Sparta though.
Italy: This is an invasion
Greece: *THIS IS SPARTA*
Imagine if the world war was in ancient lmao 300 versus 7 million
underrated
This is Arta. (A city of Epirus, the Greek province the Italians invaded)
So true
this is Greece*
As a Greek and having read and watch a lot of documentaries the key point of this Greco-Italian war was the battle of the hill 731. Poor strategy of the Italians definitely , i would not stay on the industrial stuff because Greece had not war industry at all that time , the only thing they did was to hide some artillery and ammo from the 1st WW at caves on the mountains one week before the invasion began. Now , the hill 731 states the 731 meters height from the land , after the extensive bombardment of the Italian Air Force the hill was 726 meters height (!!!) and yet soldiers were still on top of the hill, hungry , dirty, and thirsty , the food supplies were taking 4 to 6 days to deliver , their access to water was melted snow from the bomb craters filled with mud and even blood if a fellow soldier was killed by the bomb but they were filtering the water with their bandages in order to drink it compared to the clean and well fed Italian soldiers. A lot of veterans from the 2nd WW still say that the General's ( Dimitrios Kaslas ) order was : No retreat , victory or death ,they bombarded us , stay low , stay hidden , stay safe. There is a lot of dust and smoke after the bombs exploded they cant see us trying to climb the hill, no shooting at all let them come close at 1 meter distance then you stab them with bayonets if you dare to shoot i will shoot you myself. Failling capturing the hill 731 was they key point for the Greeks to start the counter attack which pushed Italians back till the heart of Albania. Summing up , poor strategy from the Italy's point of view but a lot of courage and bravery from the Greek soldiers too.
Italian soldiers didn't want to be in the war either.
“To the heart of albania”????
The Greek army never invaded albania. We liberated the old Greek north Epirus lands (for the third time)
"Failling capturing the hill 731 was they key point for the Greeks to start the counter attack which pushed Italians back till the heart of Albania." You are wrong here. The battle of hill 731 happened in March. Months after the counter attack happened. It was on the spring offensive of the Italians.
You are accurate about the description of the battle for hill 731, but this was during the spring spring offensive, when the Italians tried to brake through the Greek lines. The battle that stopped the initial Italian offence was in Kalpaki on the Kalamas river, by the Greek 8th infantry division. The Greek counter offensive began on November 3rd in the Pindos sector, in Vovousa, by the reinforced Davakis detachment (regiment size), against the Julia alpine division. Col. Davakis himself did not lead his men, being shot in the chest one day earlier while in a reconnaissance patrol on the impending battle area. The Davakis detachment was renamed Ketsea Detacment, after it's new commander. Col. Davakis, considered a hero of the pindos campaign, was found by the Italians in an Athens hospital recuperating from his injuries, after Greece capitulated to the Germans and was sent by ship to Italy as a prisoner of war. The ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Adriatic taking Col. Davakis down with it.
Looks like someone has to rewatch some docs
Italy: We invade Greece
Greece: * Pulls out uno reverse card *
Ik
I read, years ago, the account of an Italian infantrymen who was part of the invasion. His unit advanced to contact, encountering a Greek strongpoint. They called for tank support, and a tank showed up. The tank fired a round, and several of its rivets popped out. It fired a second round, and its armored plating began to fall off. At this point, the whole infantry company surrendered to the Greeks en masse. Mussolini simply had no idea how unprepared his Army really was.
Italy:*steps in greece*
Greece: So you have chosen,death!
@Davide Pel yes
@Davide Pel yes
The trees speak Vietnamese
The seas speak German
And the mountains speak greek
You forgot about the snow speaking Finnish.
The grassy hills speak irish
@@latl089er the oil speaking English
And The winter speak Russian
The Pacific Ocean and skies speaking American
According to the testimonies of my grandpa and his fellow Greek comrades, who all rest in piece by now, beyond Greek heroism and Italian command's incompetence, lies the fact that the common Italian soldier did not believe in axis' cause, and deep down was unwilling to attack their Greek brothers
I've met Italian veterans of the Greek campaign who pretty much said the same thing.
The average Italian soldier was a drafted farmer which surely had nothing against the neighbouring countries
True. There's a picture that was in multiple American newspapers at the time of an Italian POW who was smiling sitting next to a Greek Evzone.
I like this. It gives me hope that people in masses can actually accomplish something besides what the system orders them to.
Peace
Not piece
@@grimmshredsanguinus2915 you get the point
Greece & Italy were always respecting each other. For sure we had our differences and sometimes war between us, but in general we love each other because basically we have the same mentallity.
In WW2, Italian soldiers were not cruel like the Nazis or the Bulgarians that occupied Macedonia and Thrace, and Greek people saw that and responded with kindness when needed. When Italy turned sides and was with the allies, the Nazis tried to get rid of Italian soldiers. In the island of Kephallonia they massacred 12.000 Italian troops, and the Greek population helped Italians hide and also treated the wounded ones.
😂😂😂😂
italy atacks greece
The Greeks : we created you and we can destroy you
Ehm, no?
@@Frocista basically yes
WeaponizedTree maybe roman culture, but they have nothing to do with recent Italians
Well yes... but actually no
xAdri15 it wasn’t that serious just read the comment and move
Happy Anniversary 28th October. These acts of Heroism shall never be forgotten. Proud to be Greek 🇬🇷
Greeks have a very interesting history. And i love their culture.
ΟΧΙ!
OXII!!
❤
mid country
Mussolini could take an eye out with his chin
The Hapsburgs beg to differ.
His chin is better equipment than the toasters the Italians called tanks.
@@NuecKing LOL
Xnuecguy2000 CV33 is best Tonk
Josias Bernard lol
I’m Greek with ancestry from Epirus.My great grand father fought in the war.When he was alive he used to tell me stories from the war,the difficulties,bad weather and diseases.But WE ARE GREEKS AND WE NEVER GIVE UP.WE FIGHT FOR OUR FAMILIES,FRIENDS,NEIGHBOURS AND FOR GREECE.That’s the messages he passed to me.I AM PROUD TO BE GREEK,THANKS GOD FOR THIS PRESENT 🇬🇷
I don't think you are fighting anymore as anyone else in western Europe
Me immediately after seeing the title:
Call to arms, banners fly in the wind
For the glory of Hellas
Coat of arms reading “Freedom or death!”
Blood of king Leonidas
Just like their ancestors,
Saving their land!
I See a another Brother. For freedome
Sabaton is best girl
Ah yes, a man of culture
"For freedom"?
Yup. Said like a true slaveholder.
Augustus Caesar's coffin during the invasion was stated to have a measurable rpm
Italy invades Greece
Greece: so you have chosen death
Germany invades Crete
Greeks we shall shoot the sky until it falls
Germany: *UNO REVERSE CARD*
@@ghostofathens6600 I know stories from Creta tha the greeks civilians stab with spears in the heart german airbornes..One villager kills 10 of the with his hands!!
Everyone make fun of Italians for failing to conquer Greece, yet everyone forgot that main reason why the German invasion went "smoothly" is because:
1. The bulk of Greek Army bogged down at the Albanian border
2. The Greek Army was severely weakened due to months of fighting with the Italians
3. The Greeks run out of ammo and provisions
My grandfather (who is now dead) often had his feet swollen because of the harsh conditions of this war. My other grandfather (he too is now dead) came back on foot from Albania and as soon as he got home my grandmother did not recognize him.
Ευχαριστώ μέσα από την ψυχή μου τους παππούδες σου και όλους τους ήρωες που αμύνθηκαν εναντίον του εχθρού
Leonidas and his 300 must've been watching like: OOO thats my descendants
i truly think he would be jealous! hahah he would miss all the fun but he would be proud yes
@Tombstone Station HAHAHAHAHHAHAHA good one
When the mountains start speaking Greek
Italians: *M A M M A M I A*
*mamma
🍕🍕🍕
then you'll hear italian heavy blaspheme swearing resounding in the same mountains
Germany: *Sighs* Mein Gott, He’s in trouble again. (Pleasant Memories of Hetalia)
When the mountains start speaking Greek
Italians: Just gas them
Geneva convention: Bitch you think I'm going to let you cheat twice?
Italians: *M A M M A M I A I N T E N S I F I E S*
9:28 “I’m not afraid of an army of lions led by a sheep, i am afraid of an army of sheep lead my a lion”
- Alexander
My grandfather fought in Greece,(from the point of view of my mother because I didn't know him) he was a pacifist but he was obligated to fight. IDK if he shooted someone but I know that his best friends died there. He was captured by the German because he stole some fournitures of the German armyy he stood there 2 years and then liberated by the English but then again in prison In Italy because they fought he had ran away in war but he was in prison. My family say that he could not do some bad thing to somebody he was very kind and my mom say that he was "friend", "maybe understand them because he (and I)comes from salento( south of puglia) a very VERY VERY poor place where they do hard labour like with farm etc. There are some place in Salento where we speak Greek, Salento is the Greece of Italy. Apologize for my bad English I try to do my best to share this story, if you want more I have a lot of war story about my Italian family.
I don't care if we had war.
I really love Italy.
And I hope Italy and Greece are still friends.
🇮🇹♥️🇬🇷
Both countries have delicious food, cool colored flags, and awesome culture.
@@JosiahJS976 Exactly !
I am Italian and I feel Greeks like brothers!
@@cescodini I love everything that is Italian 😊
@@andritsouu Thank you, I hope to visit your beautiful country soon! :)
Respect though to the Italians they were the ones that failed but they weren’t the ones that would make the civilian population suffer the most in Greece my grandma’s house was blown up by the SS and italian soldiers helped rebuild it
Really now???😂
During the tripple occupation (italians, bulgarians and germans) italian army committed the most atrocities after the bulgarian army!!! Specially against the Greeks in Epirus region!
After all, during the tripple occupation, italians occupied 80% of Greece. Bulgarians occupied eastern Macedonia and western Thrace and Germans occupied only the Cities of Athens, Thessaloniki and the island of Crete
@@KRYPTIA-mp4ol if you take a minute t oread most of these comments, most of the atrocities came from the Germans and SS, not the Italians.
@@mitlanderson that doesnt make it true buddy
@@mitlanderson I guess youtube comments overrule historical facts now, gotcha
@@rowingaway just saying if your in the comment section there's also plenty here to disprove the other side. It can easily be backed up with sources tho lmao
The graphics are extremely epic. I'm Italian, good job Greeks for defending yourself amazingly... FOR SPARTA!!!
Thanks m8
Love to our Italian brothers. Loved Bolognia which i visited last year.
Cheers
@@timothy2630 thanks bro, italians and greeks are brothers. I've never been to Bologna but I'm glad you liked it. I hope I can visit your country as well in the near future and I hope greater collaboration between our people awaits us❤️🔥
@@aronvstheworld Amen my bro
Respect Brother!!!
@@KingMacuilmiquiztli Been to the south of Italy it felt like Greece.North is another thing,I bet you aren't from the south.8th largest economy with debt and corruption among the highest in the world 😉
You simply can’t mess with the spirit of *O P A*
In Portuguese that’s like “Oh Man..”
*Accidentally brakes the economy instead of plates
Daddy kim😍 long live the great north korean empire 🇰🇵
I don't wanna see you anymore on comment sections
@tron it's a joke
As a Greek I love Italy, the culture the art the cuisine, all those things that unite as, rather than divide us, Italy was just misled by a fascist leader who met his deserved end at the gallows pole, it's just as slight that we Greeks have already forgotten and forgave!
And we love Greece too
@Σπβγ αυτά είναι στο παρελθόν
@Σπβγ Έτσι ακριβώς είναι, μόνο κάτι ηλίθιοι δεν τα βλέπουν και πιστεύουν σε δήθεν φιλίες
Greece and Italy (especially southern Italy), two countries, one heart 💓
@Σπβγ Πρέπει να έχετε δει μια ταινία της Β σειράς.
When you're on your way to take Greece but suddenly the mountains start speaking tzatziki
A ae r a
=wind αερα
lmao
@@grimmshredsanguinus2915 well yes but tzatziki was much funnier I'll take it as a canon
@@Atlast_I_survived_through_this well ok :P
Italy "Were going to greece"
Germany "you need help?"
Italy: "Nah bro we can take care of this ourselves"
Germany "Ok"
Italy: "ey um were not doing to good here can you send your boyz in?"
Germany "Sure but you need to help me in russia if i do"
Italy "yeah no probs bro"
Imagine if the Greeks would have been well equipped to take on the Germans 🤔
That's exactly what's probably gonna happen in my AU, except that prussia, Morrco and austria are allies, Rome, Greece/Byzantium,poland and Eyget are in a allies while France,belgium, and selvak are going alone (it's 1939 right now) meanwhile all of Americania, Asia and Mars are watching and eating popcorn
But they failed :(
They hold the Germans for a week before taking the country. This week bought some time to Russia so the russian troops could move from East to West and fight the Germans. Basically if Greeks hadn’t engaged the enemy Hitler would have taken Russia
@@Κώστας-κ6φ Hitler would never have defeated Russia. Maybe what you mentioned helped to win the waar. But sooner or later Germany would have been crushed from the Allies. The Moment Hitler started Operation Barbarossa, he lost the war.
@@sheinuxx Well not true. If the USSR collapsed (if Stalingrad , Moscow and Petersburg fell) , Germany would dominate all Europe. The invasions of Italy and Normandy wouldn’t be possible
Italy: oh no
Germany: oh no
Japan: oh no
Greece: *breaks Italian line* OH YEAH
YEAH BOY!!!!!!!!
ΑΕΡΑΑΑΑΑΑΑΑΑΑΑΑ
Lol
Why was italy a negative mod to them in Eu4
Family Guy???
Never underestimate the decendants of the Spartans and Athenians
Alexander the great : hold my beer
@King many many years later..
@Kristian PepajAny of people who fought against axis in Pindos, were Greeks! and any of those who offered their buttholes erm.. joined axis against Greeks, were albanians! ρε Αλβανοί κάντε ρε τουμπεκα πια!
@Kristian Pepaj Northern Epirotes yes we know ! Thankfully history already been written and it can't be rewrite! Just keep it clean the next time and don't fall to any new call of any regime against democracy and free world!
@@nasiaermidou katagogi tou apo peloponnese Ola apo peloponnese arxisan
Italy: How? You defeated me! You where out numbered, out gunned!
Greece: ... I´m used to it
Greece was not out numbered and gunned and had the RAF on their side
Italy:**Invades Greece**
Greece:I'm gonna do what's called a pro gamer move.
tbh I don't get why people make memes on Italy when FRANCE was conquered, surrendered and became Germany's bitch in a week or two.... Also, (i'm italian) stop making pizza, mafia and spaghetti jokes, it's so fucking annoying, Italy is way more than this
@@josephburdett We do make memes on France but at least France fought back when their homeland was invaded.
Joseph Burdett i absolutely love italy from an english person but at least i can take jokes about my own country, such as when people say we’d kill for a cup of tea and yorkshire pudding
Asking how Greeks were able to stop or delay invasions and win battles against impossible odds, is like asking how Batman can defeat Superman.
Because they're Greeks and because he's Batman.
That got me 😂
Italy: Time to recreate the Roman Empire!
Greece: No I will
More like:
Greece: You know our Roman Empire lasted longer than yours did, right?
@@Aethelhald beautiful things do not last long
@aniruddh *Ottomans and 4th crusade has entered chat*
@@Aethelhald
Italy: Well, germany arrived in WW2 for u too so...
@@TechnoGuys99 the western roman empire was a mess my dude
Mussolini: listen you will let us occupy greek territories or we will invade Greece
Metaxas: I am gonna do what's called a pro-gamer move
At least our captain recognize that.
Italy: GREECE, give me your land!
Greece: ah, ah, QUICK, CALL AN AMBULANCE... BUT NOT FOR ME!
🇦🇱♥️🇮🇹
An Greek or Italian one?
Well I believe an Italian cuz the greek may come after the war
🇦🇱🇦🇱🇦🇱🇦🇱🇦🇱🇦🇱🇦🇱🇮🇹🇮🇹🇮🇹🇮🇹🇮🇹🇮🇹
No they would probably say μολον λαβέ come and get it in ancient greek
in other words: 1.] Don't question the courage and capability of the common Italian soldier, question everything else and 2.] Never underestimate the Greek people when united against a common foe.
Or when trying to get to pay at the restaurant
@@scgamesonline7771 but Greeks have all the restaurant's ..,😉
Respect to Greeks from a Turk.
Your grandfathers fought bravely for your country. Peace!
Our politicians fight a lot
But civilians want peace
@@aggelosm.9125 not only politicans keyboard warriors fights also(((
thank you my friend.
We are the same people. Separated by borders, religion, and politics.
When Mussolini invaded greece,he said "i will be drinking my tea in athens",but the invasion had been going on for 9 months in greece's favour,the greeks told the italians than Mussolini's tea was getting cold🤣
Mussolini: invading Greece will be just like taking a walk.
Greece: Are you sure about that?
Greece: Now I don't see you walking on water do I mr.jesus?
...Off a cliff.
Like a walk but the ground is on fire and you’e on fire and you’re in hell
Yeah it was a walk...to the border. Then the walk ended
Taking a walk, but backwards
Mussolini: So hows the invasion of Greece going?
Italian high command: Yeah, the defense of Albania is being set up as we speak
Mussolini: oh that’s goo- THE WHAT!
Poor Greece, always felt sorry for what we have done.
The axis is synonymous with occupation death and starvation, Greece had it all.
Italian soldiers was rly good people i know that from my grandparents..They gave us their weapons after all and help the greek army against the germans.The greek civilians hid many italian soldiers from the germans and my family hid 2 soldiers in our home in northen western Greece for 4 months.
@@macabregeorge542 Why not? Genetically speaking, we are practically relatives....us and the Italians! Under normal circumstances, this war shouldn't have happened! But....when you have a mad man, running the show....then all bets are off! The Italians however, also payed a heavy price from that lunatic, but they were clever enough, as to finally, hang him upside down, at a Napoli gas station, at the end of the war, and be done with the bastard, once in for all!
@@macabregeorge542 That is true. My grandmother's father hid an Italian soldier, who later returned to marry one of his daughters! Whose son by the way married an Italian woman as well, making my cousins 1/4 Greeks and 3/4 Italians.
Its okay idk what happen then I wasn’t born this time I got born 2012 at greece.
My grandpa was there, he never spoke to me about it cause I was very young. He told my father some horrid stuff that happened. He didn't kill anyone in the war, according to him he had an Italian soldier on his scope out in the open but he didn't take the shot.
The Greeks used their secret weapon: Shouting "This is Sparta!" In a Scottish accent.
got the joke, but just for historic reasons, the actual shout of Greek soldiers back at that war, was "Aera" which means "Air".
@@voisoddrivod9480 in free translation 'fire' or 'charge'
@@sisidiam1096 Actually, the Greek "#Aera!" battle cry, just means "Air!", and it derives from a spontaneous cry repeated during battle by Cretan #Gendarmerie draftees, also used by the #Cretan Prime Minister of Greece #EleftheriosVenizelos (1910-16, [1917-18], 1918-20), in his elaborate war efforts.
@@SMK-SAS yes i know i m greek, but not greek-speaking people can't really understand the meaning of the battle cry when it's translated with it's literall sence
@@SMK-SAS
#AERA
Type: War Cry
Effects: 75% Debuff on Resolve (85% against Italians)
I see the chat is full of funny (I guess?) memes, but as an Italian I still wanted to apologize to our Greek friends for this shameful "invasion".
Fascism was and still is a shame for my country.
You don’t have to apologise for a stupid man’s (Mussolini) actions.
@@ΓιάννηςΧαρικαπολυς Thanks man, unfortunately he wasn't the only one...
It’s okay bro.You personally don’t have to apologise for anything.It was an older generation,but even the Italians fighting the war were mislead by politicians.❤️
So we are good friends now!!!
No problem bro we are best friends now
"Don't worry amici, I will take Greece!"
- Someone who can't take Greece or keep Albania on his grasp.
The plural word of “amico” is “amici”.
We don’t make the plural like the spanish
tbh I don't get why people make memes on Italy when FRANCE was conquered, surrendered and became Germany's bitch in a week or two.... Also, (i'm italian) stop making pizza, mafia and spaghetti jokes, it's so fucking annoying, Italy is way more than this
Albos hated Greece and still do more than any country
89% of them viewed us as a threat in 2017
Greeks' resistance in World War II was epic.
Pizza vs Gyros who would win?
The german beer
Borshch: No.
Apple Pie,Tea, Baguette, Maple Syrup, Chicken Tikka: Are you sure about that!?
When you have never eaten gyros
Arnav Bhagwat And Pierogi.
Γλύψε κι άλλο, Ρουμάνε, τα γνωστά...
Italy: C’mon, let us in!
Greece: Oxi! (No)
Italy: Hey!
Greece: You again? Should i...
Germany* behind Italy.
Greece: Come in
Italy: *LET ME IN, LET ME INNNN!*
@@elion3578 i mean we fought but i got your point
And what's hilarious after this is that
After the war ended and now even on vids like these on yt you'll see some two belligerents arguing with each other over who's better and the sort meanwhile Italians and Greeks are like
"Bro"
"Yes bro?"
"I'm sorry bro"
"I'm sorry too bro"
"bro..."
To be fair Italian arms never raped killed and tortured the Greek people in the rating German and Bulgarian troops did.
Plus before the war we had thousands of years of common ground (not always as friends) and many Greek cities have small communities with Italians.
We didn't hate each other unlike with turks, it was just the circumstances.
I'm Greek and I love Italy. GO ROMA! 🇬🇷🇮🇹
My grandfather used to say that in prisoner camps, after greece was occupied, italian guards and greek prisoners would often share their food because germans never gave enough for everyone, not even for their allies
My grandpa got his medal by pointing his anti air ( mounted on a donkey) gun towards a hill, which was supposed to be a really stupid thing to do. However the bigger rate of fire, made the advancing opposite soldiers stand down, giving the momentum to his squadron to counter attack. That was my favourite story of him..........However after each battle, they tried to save as many wounded Italians possible...sometimes against their commanders' will. Also I second that according to his stories, the Italians were not ''willing'' occupants, they were also hungry and they did share their food with Greeks and vice versa...it was a common truth that most Italian soldiers actually hated occupying Greece. I had heard from my grandpa the concept of the movie ''Captain Corelli's mandolin '' (N.Cage, P. Cruz, C.Bale) long before I saw the movie...
The Greece campaign is in my opinion what really started the mistrust for Mussolini by the Italian population. The soldiers knew that they were attacking people like them, and it felt like wwi all over again, senseless massacres.