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IOANNIS METAXAS
FORMER NATIONAL GOVERNOR?

Vice Admiral I. Ioannou H.N.

            Ioannis Metaxas was born in Ithaca in 1871, where his father Panagios Metaxas was a prefect. Metaxas's lineage came from the Cephalonian branch of the Antzoulakata of the Byzantine Metaxas family. It is noted that on February 10, 1841, the Venetian Senate decided that the descendants of the Metaxas family had the right to enjoy the title of Count, which they had held since 1691. His mother was Eleni Trigoni from Agrinio and she had, in addition to Ioannis Metaxas, also a son, Konstantinos, and a daughter, Marianthi.
At the age of just 14, Ioannis Metaxas entered the Military Cadet School in 1885 and in 1892 he studied at the Army Engineering School and then, after two years, he served in the Nafplio Guard, while in 1897 he was transferred to the Ministry of Military Affairs close to the Minister, his uncle, Nikolaos Metaxas and was subsequently assigned to the staff of the Commander-in-Chief, where he had the opportunity to meet the Crown Prince, the later King Constantine, from whom he "won" a scholarship for the Berlin War Academy in 1899 and graduated from it in 1902 with special distinctions. It should be noted that his classmates called him "Little Moltke" while there is a rumor that his classmates had posted a banner that read "no problem unsolved for Ioannis Metaxas".
Upon his return from Germany in 1903, he was appointed to the newly established General Staff of the Army. In this position, he drafted new regulations with Viktor Dousmanis, which were voted in Parliament in 1904. During this period, he became friendly with Prince Andrew, while in 1907 he took over the military training of the later King George II. In 1909, he married Lela Hadjiioannou, with whom he had two daughters.
After the explosion of the Military League movement in 1909, he was transferred to Larissa, and after Eleftherios Venizelos assumed the Prime Ministership in 1910, he offered him the position of his aide.
Ioannis Metaxas' activities before and during the First Balkan War were the negotiation of a military treaty between Greece and Bulgaria, the surrender of Thessaloniki by Taksin Hasan Pasha, and the negotiation of peace terms with Turkey at the London Conference as military advisor to Eleftherios Venizelos.
On 16 January 1913 he was sent to Epirus and is considered the inspirer and creator of the capture of Bizani while at the same time he was the representative of Greece in the surrender of Ioannina. The same year he was promoted to Major and at the end of the Second Balkan War he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and was appointed Director of Operations of the General Staff of the Army, as well as Director of the Higher Military Academy, while in October 1913 he was decorated by King Constantine with the Golden Cross of the Savior. In 1914, during the crisis with Turkey, he drew up plans for a sudden landing and capture of the Dardanelles Straits in the event of war. Also in the same year, Ioannis Metaxas submitted a memorandum to the General Staff which predicted the defeat of the Greek Army in the event of an intervention in Asia Minor.
In February 1915, Ioannis Metaxas came into conflict with Eleftherios Venizelos because he supported King Constantine's view of Greek neutrality. With the removal of Chief of Staff Viktor Dousmanis, he assumed the duties of Chief but shortly afterwards resigned, angered by Eleftherios Venizelos' decision for Greece to enter the war on the side of the Entente. Venizelos, following the situation that had developed, recalled Viktor Dousmanis, whom he had wrongly dismissed a short time earlier, to duty. A Crown Council followed in order to decide whether or not Greece would participate in the Gallipoli campaign. Constantine, in agreement with Dousmanis, rejected Venizelos' proposal, who submitted his resignation.
The results of the campaign in question are well known. The operation in question was one of the most abject failures of the Allies and cost the Allies incalculable human lives and material. Here is a tangible proof of the military genius of Ioannis Metaxas who was the first to develop the disadvantage of Greece's involvement in a doomed operation. With this action Constantine, who had won the love of the people as a General, now had the opportunity to renew it with his political wisdom for which, of course, in this case, the lion's share was taken by the strategic thinking of Ioannis Metaxas. In the book of the French historian Edouard Drio, which refers to the Dardanelles campaign, it is mentioned verbatim: "...The Greeks praise Constantine because he saved their homeland from certain destruction, for this reason they were more devoted to him, they knew that he did not want to waste the blood of their children lightly and for this reason they maintained a reverent gratitude to him...".
After Venizelos resigned, Metaxas was recalled as Deputy Chief of Staff until June 27, 1916, when, following an ultimatum from the Entente Powers, a general demobilization decree was issued. Upon demobilization, Ioannis Metaxas was promoted to Colonel.
With the resignation of King Constantine on 30 May 1917, the Entente High Commissioner sent Prime Minister Alexandros Zaimis a list of undesirable persons, including Ioannis Metaxas. As a result, Ioannis Metaxas was forced into exile, boarding the steamship "King Constantine" on 20 July 1917, bound for Corsica. During his exile, the Italian authorities had requested his extradition in order to stand trial in Greece, which was not granted, as the Italian Prime Minister had refused. Following this, and while Metaxas had managed to settle in the Italian city of Siena, a special military court was established which, on 14 February 1920, sentenced him to death on charges of high treason. In September of the same year, Ioannis Metaxas moved with his family and settled in Florence.
After the favorable election result for the return of King Constantine to Greece, on November 1, 1920, Ioannis Metaxas and his family returned to Greece.
On March 25, 1921, at the residence of the Minister of Finance Protopapadakis, where Prime Minister Gounaris and Minister of Military Affairs Theotokis were also present, Metaxas was also invited. He was offered the position of Chief of Staff of the Front, which Metaxas rejected due to the positions he maintained regarding the defeat of the Greek Army on the Asia Minor Front according to the memorandum he had submitted since 1914. Ioannis Metaxas' recommendations on the matter were the direct capitulation with Kemal, which unfortunately was not listened to and it was decided to continue the campaign with the tragic results known to all, resulting in the Plastiras-Gonatas revolution on September 11, 1922 and on September 14, 1922 Metaxas was summoned to the Palace. of Tatoi and, at the King's urging, drafted a proclamation to the Greek people with his abdication from the throne in favor of the Crown Prince George II.
On October 12, 1922, Ioannis Metaxas began his official involvement in political life with the founding of the "Liberals" Party. On October 21, 1923, the movement of Generals Georgios Lenordopoulou and Panagiotos Gargalidis broke out. Ioannis Metaxas was accused by his political opponents of being behind the movement, which was untrue since Metaxas was informed about this just before its outbreak by Major Theodoros Skylakakis, who informed him without the knowledge of the leaders of the movement, in order to avoid possible arrest and abuse by his political opponents who were in power. Metaxas, after some thought, decided that he had to leave Athens, which he did. At the Isthmus of Corinth, however, he was threatened by the activists not to be allowed to pass. Finally, after the intervention of some of his officer friends, he was allowed to pass and went to Tripoli and from there, via Patras, he escaped on a Norwegian ship to Italy on October 28.
On 19 December 1923, King George II left Greece, accused of being involved in the Leonardopoulos-Gargalides movement, and appointed Admiral Pavlos Kountouriotis as temporary Viceroy. On 11 January 1924, Eleftherios Venizelos returned to the political scene after his departure from Greece following his failure in the elections of 1 November 1920 and assumed the formation of a government after the dissolution of the revolutionary Gonatas government. On 6 February 1924, Eleftherios Venizelos resigned and left again abroad, while Georgios Kafantaris assumed the government. The Kafantaris government was overthrown on 12 March 1924, as the issue arose of whether the Royal Institution should be declared deposed through a referendum, as Kafantaris claimed, or through a resolution of the National Assembly. Venizelos' officers informed Kafantaris of the demand that he resign. After he resigned, Alekos Papanastasiou took over the government, who provoked a resolution to depose the Dynasty.
After the situation thus developed, Ioannis Metaxas declared that he would continue his political struggle within the framework of the new regime.
The Papanastasiou government resigned on July 25, 1924 and was succeeded by a government under Themistokles Sofoulis. The Sofoulis government resigned and a government was formed under Andreas Michalopoulos on 7 October 1924, whose government was overthrown in a military coup by Lieutenant General Theodoros Pangalos on 26 June 1925. On 30 September 1926, Pangalos dissolved the National Assembly, declared himself dictator on 4 January 1926 and forced the President of the Republic Pavlos Kountouriotis to resign on 18 March 1926, and he was elected President of the Pangalian "Republic", resigning from the office of Prime Minister and on 19 July 1926, he ceded this office to Athanasios Eftaxis. On 22 July 1926, a movement under Major General George Kondylis erupted and overthrew Pangalos. With Kondylis assuming the Prime Ministership, he called on Pavlos Kountouriotis to assume the duties of President of the Republic again on 10 September 1926. Napoleon Zervas and Vasilios Dertilis refused to disarm the "democratic" battalions, but after relative unrest, anarchy, panic and casualties, they were arrested and sentenced to life imprisonment, only to be pardoned shortly afterwards.
After the dissolution of the "democratic" battalions, Kondylis called elections on 11 November 1926, where the "Liberals" gained a strength of 54 deputies. Because the results of the elections did not allow the formation of a Government, the idea of ​​forming an Ecumenical Government under Alexandros Zaimis was rejected on 4 December 1926. The People's Party under Panayis Tsaldaris withdrew from the said Ecumenical Government, due to disagreement, and on 3 June 1927 a "broad" coalition government under Alexandros Zaimis took over in which all parties participated, except the People's Party, but this government also resigned and on 3 February 1928 a new "partial" coalition government was formed with three parties, namely: Liberals, Peasants and Freethinkers under Alexandros Zaimis. The said Government resigned and therefore the President of the Republic summoned, on July 4, 1928, Eleftherios Venizelos who in turn requested the dissolution of the Parliament and thus elections were called for August 19, 1928 where he gathered 182, out of 250, deputies. Ioannis Metaxas failed personally in these elections in his own homeland and declared that he was retiring from politics. . In the elections of September 25, his party again received a small number of votes and occupied three seats, however Metaxas managed to take the position of Minister of the Interior in the Tsaldaris Government. The government in question was overthrown by Eleftherios Venizelos, who formed a government on 16 January 1933 with a program to dissolve the Parliament and call elections. The elections took place on 5 March 1933, in which he was defeated and on 10 March 1933 Panagis Tsaldaris assumed the prime ministership. On 24 March 1933 Metaxas submitted a proposal to refer Eleftherios Venizelos to a Special Court as a moral instigator of the destruction of popular freedoms due to the movement of Plastiras and Sofokles Venizelos, who tried, due to the unfavorable electoral result for Eleftherios Venizelos, to declare a dictatorship, which failed. Metaxas' proposal resulted in a sharp confrontation and Venizelos was forced to leave the Parliament to which he never returned. On 17 November 1933, an amnesty was granted to Plastiras and Sofokles Venizelos, which angered Metaxas, who participated in the Tsaldaris-Kondylis Government through Tourkovasilis and withdrew through the resignation of the Minister in question. On 1 March 1935, a movement of pro-Venizelos officers took place, which was suppressed thanks to the measures advised by Ioannis Metaxas. These means were the declaration of Martial Law and a State of Siege, the arrest of Venizelian agents involved in the movement, the seizure of the rebels' assets, while the warships that took part in the movement were declared pirates, while at the same time the port of Thessaloniki was blocked.
After the suppression of the Venizelis movement, Ioannis Metaxas, on 18 March 1935, submitted his resignation from the position of Minister without Portfolio, as he believed that the government was unworthy of the circumstances. On 29 March, at a session of Parliament, Metaxas accused the government of being responsible for the "movement" due to negligence, negligence and indecision.
On the morning of April 1, members of the People's Party and friends of Metaxas occupied the Parliament. Metaxas spoke to the gathered crowd, attacking the government which, through its incompetence, had given complete impunity to the rebels.
Due to the chaotic situation, the Council of Ministers convened, dissolved the Parliament and the Senate, and decided to revise the Constitution by the National Assembly and call elections for May 19, 1935.
On April 16, Metaxas addressed a letter to the President of the Republic in which he emphasized the disrespect for parliamentarism, the military movements, the plunder of public wealth and the need to restore the Regime of the Reigning Republic.
On May 14, 1935, Martial Law was lifted by constitutional act and the announcement of elections was postponed to June 9, 1935. On May 18, 1935, the official organ of the Liberals, "Ephemeris ton Ellinon", was published. In the first issue, Metaxas proclaimed the beginning of the struggle for the restoration of the Kingdom.
As the elections approached, Ioannis Metaxas formed the "Union of Royalists" and inaugurated a polling station in Omonia Square. In the elections of June 9, the Liberal Party nominated seven members of parliament. From that moment on, Metaxas worked for the reinstatement of George, while Tsaldaris was reuniting the Royalists and the Democrats between the warring factions of his party. On September 18, 1935, a notice was published calling for a referendum to be held on November 3, 1935. In the meantime, Tsaldaris and Kondylis argued over which of the two would be most pleasing to George with declarations of submission and flattery, while Metaxas, on the other hand, worked with persistence, endurance and dignity, confident of the result. The result of the referendum was overwhelming for the supporters of Democracy. Tsaldaris tried to ally himself with Metaxas by offering him the leadership of the People's Party, which Metaxas rejected. Upon the King's arrival in Greece on 25 November 1935, Kondylis and Tsaldaris each attempted to win the favor of George. George, after relevant consultations, finally assigned the formation of a caretaker government to Professor Konstantinos Demertzis on 30 November 1935. Metaxas, in a hearing by the King where he was awarded the Grand Cross, emphasized that after the restoration he considered his political struggles to be over but that he would be at his disposal if ever required. On December 17, the King approved the dissolution of the National Assembly and the announcement of elections for a Revisionist Parliament, for January 26, 1936. In these elections, the parties received: Liberals 127, Popular 69, Popular Radical Union 53, Communists 15, Various Democratic Unions 15, Liberals 7, Gotzamani Reformists 4. That is, among the 143 anti-Venizelian and 142 Venizelian deputies, the Communists had a decisive influence on the fate of the Revisionist Parliament. On January 31, 1936, Georgios Kondylis died suddenly, while the next day the King was consulting with the political leaders to form a viable government. Because the King's efforts were fruitless, he convened a Council of the Crown on February 13, 1936, but without result, while at the same time the situation in the country was getting worse with the liberals flirting with the communists, something that Tsaldaris did, outbidding the liberals. Upon learning of this, the leader of the liberals, Themistocles Sofoulis, offered more, even signing on February 10, 1936 a Pact of friendship and cooperation between Sophocles and Sklavenas as leader of the communist "Old Front". The pact in question abolished the personal name of Eleftherios Venizelos, security and deportation committees, amnestied imprisoned communists, etc.
All this aroused public opinion and in order to prevent a state of emergency, the Ministers of Military Affairs, Alexandros Papagos, Deputy Minister of Military Affairs, Konstantinos Platis, the Chiefs of the Fleet, Air Force, Gendarmerie and City Police met on March 4, 1936 and authorized Alexandros Papagos to be heard by the King and to express to him the wishes of the cadres of the Armed Forces and Security Forces for the termination of the state of emergency. The King urged him to submit his resignation, which was done. Following this, the King chose Ioannis Metaxas as Minister of Military Affairs. With seriousness and lightning-fast movements, the new Minister gave clear and strict orders to the Commanders of the Guards, Army Corps and Divisions, imposing absolute discipline and submission. A characteristic fact is that Ioannis Metaxas said: "Give me the Ministry of Military Affairs, I will enter there just as I am, with my cane, and in 24 hours everything will be running smoothly in Greece."
On 6 March 1936, the Third Revisionary Parliament began its work with the Speech from the Throne, with Themistokles Sofoulis as President of the Parliament, who was supported by the 15 votes of the communists. In the face of popular disapproval, Sofoulis tried to form a viable government with the People's Party of Tsaldaris, but without success. Following this, the King, on 14 March 1936, assigned the government back to Konstantinos Demertzis, while Ioannis Metaxas took over as Vice President, who personally took over the Ministries of Military Affairs, Navy and Air Force. On 18 March 1936, the death of Eleftherios Venizelos in Paris was announced, which occurred earlier.
In order for the new government to be presented to Parliament and to request a vote of confidence, Ioannis Metaxas declared that the fate of the government would depend on the votes of the bourgeois parties since communism was not recognized as a political force since its purpose was the overthrow of the bourgeois regime.
On April 13, 1936, Konstantinos Demertzis died of a heart attack and the King assigned the government to Ioannis Metaxas, who, in addition to his other duties, also assumed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. On April 23, 1936, the government under Ioannis Metaxas requested a vote of confidence, which it received on April 30, 1936 with votes of 241 in favor and 16 against.
On May 2, 1936, he left for Belgrade in order to participate in a Balkan Conference of Foreign Ministers of Greece, Turkey and Yugoslavia, at which Greece clarified its position on its obligations in the event of an extra-Balkan attack and was thus relieved of the isolation it had incurred due to this issue.
The problem that Metaxas faced after resolving the external issue was an internal issue due to continuous strikes organized by the communists, so on May 7, 1936, a strike of railway employees and tobacco workers was declared, while on May 10, a nationwide workers' strike was declared and clashes with the police were inevitable. On May 17, 1936, Panagis Tsaldaris also died suddenly while strikes continued in Larissa, Kalamata, Lamia, Elefsina and elsewhere. On July 5, 1936, the communists stoned houses, shops and injured law enforcement officers. On July 26, 1936, "Kathimerini" in an article, among other things, stated the following: "...The political leaders should, if in the twilight of their lives they decide to take an interest in Greece, beg Ioannis Metaxas to declare a dictatorship..."
On July 28, 1936, Ioannis Metaxas went to the King to whom he exposed the danger the country was in due to the paralysis and corruption of the political world.
On July 31, 1936, a committee of communist deputies led by D. Glynos and K. Theon appeared before Metaxas and declared: "If the government did not abandon its measures, they would hold strikes of 24, 48 and 248 hours, fighting armed on the sidewalks until they impose their will." On August 3 and 4, communist groups marched through the streets of Athens-Piraeus and chanted anarchist slogans.
Due to the threatened uprising and the inaction of the political world which could lead to disaster, Ioannis Metaxas convened an emergency Council of Ministers on the 8th evening of August 4th in which he outlined the communist conspiracy and the appropriate measures to be taken, which were:

• Proclamation of Martial Law and suspension of certain articles of the Constitution.
• Recruitment of workers and employees in public utility companies.
• Dissolution of the Third Revisionist National Assembly.

Subsequently, Metaxas ascended to the Palace and, being received by the King, he explained the criticality of the situation and submitted for signature the relevant Royal Decrees which were immediately signed and published the same night in No. 324 Sheet of the Government Gazette, while in Sheet 323 a Proclamation of Metaxas to the Greek People was published. On the morning of August 5, complete order prevailed throughout the territory. It is noted that the restoration of order without any military intervention was a sample of the ability of Ioannis Metaxas who began to receive the title of National Leader since the so-called Dictatorship of August 4 was not the culmination of the efforts of a single party, as e.g. the Nazi, the Fascist and the Communist but the effort of a single man who believed that a dynamic minority collaborating with the inertia and the wickedness of the political world could drag the country into a myriad of adventures. On August 10, 1936, Metaxas addressed a speech to the Greek People over the radio, assuming the title of National Governor. This speech was addressed in large part to the youth whom Metaxas surrounded with love. I note that at an unsuspecting time I had conversations with people who lived their youth on August 4 and who were in no way close to Metaxas' philosophy but when it comes to youth issues they speak with respect and love towards him.
The work of August 4th cannot be captured in one article, it would take volumes and volumes. Therefore, I will attempt a very brief account of it below.
The work of August 4th has been diligently silenced, mainly after the fall of the situation created by the peculiar regime of April 21, 1967, and sometimes attempts are made to identify August 4th with April 21st by organizations and individuals whose only interest is in promoting left-wing ideas, regardless of the ideological space to which they declare themselves to belong and their economic standing.
August 4th is a time of reconstruction and restoration of Greece. Of course, its work has not been promoted by any government since a military man in a period of four years brought Greece out of the anarchy, vice and ascendancy of politicians by profession and worthless politicians by military men who resorted to military movements and dictatorships from 1922 to 1936 and restored it mentally and morally with the result that the entire People followed the one referred to as the National Governor in the epic of 1940. Small-minded and narrow-minded people say that the historic NO was said by the Greek people. To them it can be said that in no case has the people reacted dynamically in the last sixty years to the continuous provocations of the Turks as in the events of Constantinople, and the Cyprus issue, and if we accept that here there was no violation of Greek territory, what can we say about the Aegean and the gray zones, culminating in Mr. Simitis' "THANK YOU"? Therefore, if there is no leader, the people are in a state of despair (if I may be allowed to express myself).
Let us now see how Metaxas led Greece into this epic of 40 through the Administration in general.
First of all, the internal affairs of Greece had to be sorted out due to the fashion for communism at that time, culminating in the Spanish Civil War. Thus was created the Deputy Ministry of Public Security to which the Security Forces and the Fire Department were subordinated. With its establishment, a steady and intense persecution of communists began, but at the same time common crime, human trafficking, animal theft, larceny, gambling, usury, etc. were also suppressed. No one can claim that the Deputy Ministry of Public Security was run by angels, but on the other hand, the collapse of any concept of state required measures that were harsh for the few and beneficial for the many.
Until August 4, the Communist Party monopolized the protection of the working class while at the same time the employers exploited them. Thus, the Deputy Ministry of Labor regulated the relations between capital and labor through the measure of arbitration. Also, the eight-hour workday was implemented instead of the ten-hour workday for industrial workers, and the seven-hour workday for bank employees and employees of joint-stock companies. However, the most important achievement was the establishment of the institution of "Social Insurance" which covered workers from illness, childbirth, old age, accident, death, etc. It also granted pensions to elderly workers and founded more than 200 Agricultural Cooperatives. It also took care of education and entertainment by creating the "Working Home" with the establishment of libraries, entertainment centers, sports and the organization of concerts as well as educational lectures. Finally, May Day was established as a day to celebrate labor. Because of this, the representatives of the working class proclaimed Metaxas as the "First Worker of Greece". Some argue that this action was a product of flattery and perhaps intimidation, an accepted view without necessarily meaning that it is necessarily correct.
Let us now come to the Agricultural sector. Agriculture, due to the fact that Greece was an agricultural country, was one of Metaxas' first concerns and he implemented measures to stimulate it, reducing the interest rates on loans, distributing wheat and giving low-interest loans to grain producers. He distributed 480.000 acres of new land, distributed thousands of tons of barley and maize at a low price through the Agricultural Bank, established a Fund for waterworks in Macedonia and allocated a lot of money for drainage and irrigation projects. Finally, he drew up a ten-year program for the execution of large production projects. Interwoven with the Agricultural policy was also the Deputy Ministry of Cooperatives. Under the leadership of the President of the Government, Metaxas, through Law No. 1154 of 1938, established the "National Confederation of Agricultural Cooperatives of Greece". With this same Act, all previously serving cooperative employees were made permanent and it established "Pension and Health Fund". Also founded was the "Agricultural Cooperative School of Athens". Also the establishment of "House of the Farmer" whose presidency Metaxas holds, was the work of August 4. With the establishment of the Deputy Ministry of Cooperatives, special commissioners were assigned to each law who supervised and coordinated the agricultural and economic policy of the cooperatives of their region. However, the one that constituted the most prominent milestone in the history of the agricultural economy was Law No. 677 of 1937 on the regulation of agricultural debts. With this regulation, arrears of interest were written off and the repayment of debts was regulated in 12 years. On July 2, 1937, Ioannis Metaxas was proclaimed by the Agricultural Organizations as the "First Farmer of Greece" in correspondence with the Worker.
Great emphasis was placed by the National Government of Ioannis Metaxas on the fact that the Ministry of Interior. The main points of the policy of August 4 in this ministry were the placement, as Prefects, Officers, etc., in place of persons who were instruments of the vicious political system. The technical services of the Municipalities were completely reorganized and public works were carried out with speed and quality. Also, through the law on "Prefects", broad administrative decentralization was established. For this purpose, the "Decentralization Council". Thus, the state freed citizens from having to travel to the capital for any matter of their own free will. Moreover, the continuous and endless transfers of state employees according to the political leaders at the time came to an end. It would also be an omission if the National Government's care for the training of municipal and community employees was not mentioned with the establishment of a relevant school in Panteion. Finally, thanks to the ingenious foresight of Ioannis Metaxas, from 1936 onwards the Passive Defense.
August 4th was the one that showed interest in the capital with the creation of Ministry of Capital Administration. This new ministry carried out a multitude of projects that concerned the resolution of chronic problems in the capital, such as plumbing, electrical, landscaping, municipal baths, sports facilities, nursing and charitable institutions, etc.
A newly established Ministry was also Deputy Ministry of Press and Tourism and RadioThis Deputy Ministry was shaping the country's tourism promotion by beautifying and highlighting our archaeological sites, thermal springs and natural beauty.
As for the press, it ceased to undermine National Security and serve various interests and journalism was the only period in which it was a real function. Coming finally to radio, it should be emphasized that Ioannis Metaxas had to come for Greece to acquire a Radio Station!! Perhaps the only country in the world that did not have one. On March 25, 1938, King George II, on the National Day, personally inaugurated the Athens Radio Station, reciting his message over the radio.
However, an important work of August 4th was also carried out by Ministry of Justice. First of all, the volume of unprocessed files was cleared and the intervention of the executive branch in Justice ceased. On the initiative of the Ministry, companies were established for the protection of released convicts. The great scourge of the era, vagrancy, was completely eradicated. A characteristic feature of the era was the White flag raised in seven Courts of First Instance in the country because they were deprived of criminal cases.
Another notable project was the preparation of Civil and Military Penal Code in place of their respective outdated ones from the Kapodistrian era. The 4th of August also received beneficial care for the fundamental reorganization of Lawyers' Fund, and with the organization of Notaries Insurance FundFinally, for the first time, Juvenile Courts were organized. In general, in the field of Justice, there was a strong effort to raise the prestige of its functions.
Another newly established ministry was the Deputy Ministry of Market Law. Thanks to the foresight of the said Deputy Ministry, Greece found itself with public warehouses full of food and goods on October 28, 1940. Among the achievements of the Deputy Ministry was the maintenance of goods at low prices. Profiteering and the limitation of intermediaries were ordered, while there was price stability even during the war.
As regards the economic sector, Ministry of Finance performed true feats. First of all, it balanced deficient budgets without heavy taxation thanks to the collection of expenses and the psychology that was formed. Industry and businesses absorbed the unemployed with a parallel increase in salaries. Taxation was imposed on the reserve funds of the Joint Stock Companies, the tax on luxury goods was increased and it was reduced on essential goods. High growth rates were achieved due to an increase in National production, resulting in an increase in state revenues. The government policy followed in the economy in combination with the country's war preparations regarding orders for military equipment and fortification works and large expenses for social welfare, could only justify the necessary foundations for the acceptance of August 4 in the consciousness of the Greeks.
Where August 4th has literally accomplished a huge amount of work was in Deputy Ministry of Transport and Communications namely the Postal, Telegraphic and Telephone Service. First of all, the check and parcel service was organized with a parallel reduction in postal members, telegraph lines were also increased and a correspondence network was constructed for all the islands of the Aegean and Ionian Seas. The Postal Savings Banks were reorganized by simplifying procedures while the transmission of mail was organized through rural distributors.
August 4th also took measures on health issues through Ministry of Public Health and PerceptionThe issues that the ministry in question mainly dealt with were:

• Unhealthy working and living conditions
• Malnutrition
• Communicable diseases
• Endemic diseases
• Poor infant nutrition

August 4th became the existing Patriotic Foundation as one of the main organs of the Ministry for the protection of motherhood, childhood, and old age and established soup kitchens, dormitories, orphanages, boarding schools, and daycare centers for working mothers. In addition, attention was focused on the refugee issue, which was in an acute phase.
Since its establishment as a state, Greece has never had a reliable transportation policy, the foundations of which were laid on August 4th by Ministry of Transport which under the personal supervision of Ioannis Metaxas drew up a program for the execution of public works, road construction, port facilities and within three years over 3.000 kilometers of roads were constructed. A large number of flood control and drainage works, sewers and public buildings were also constructed. A series of measures were also taken for the personnel of the railways, tramways and cars. Finally, he took various measures for the development of excursions and a reduction in the price of tickets.
One of the most important achievements of the government of Ioannis Metaxas was the transportation policy. First of all, lignite, which is a Greek product par excellence, replaced imported coal with enormous economic benefit. Another important achievement was the sustainable exploitation of the Piraeus, Athens, Peloponnese Railways (SPAP), since due to the development of high-speed steamships and buses, the trains had completely withered, which when they were put into use in 1889 were considered a world-historical event. Measures were also taken to improve the movement of the Hellenic State Railways (SEK), all of which, apart from the economic benefit, were also important during the war against the Axis.
But where Ioannis Metaxas truly put himself first was in Ministry of National Education and Religious Affairs (It should be mentioned in passing that the National Party annoyed the new government and cut it off!!). Due to the subversive ideas of various "intellectuals", education had deviated from its principles and the national spirit of the teachers had been eroded, resulting in the vulgarization of the language that constitutes the starting point of education. Ioannis Metaxas' first action was to establish original primary schools with the application of new educational methods. Another provision established the promotion of primary school teachers after a special examination, resulting in healthy competition among them. It is noted that within a three-year period, 1739 primary schools were established and 3288 primary school teachers were appointed. The government of Ioannis Metaxas repealed Eleftherios Venizelos' law on the election of supreme educational advisors every three years by a vote of public school teachers and professors, with the result that teachers and professors have been transformed into vicious party leaders.
A prominent place in the efforts of Ioannis Metaxas was the Greek-style education of the youth in terms of spiritual education and physical development. As for the Church, Ioannis Metaxas rewrote the Statute of the Charter and took special care for the financial improvement of the priests, while at the same time he saw to the completion of existing churches and the construction of new ones.
As far as this Foreign Policy is concerned, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was personally directed by the Prime Minister himself with the objective of, without causing contradictions, having friendly relations with all countries, preparing for the coming war that he had predicted when other European leaders (Chamberlain) were talking nonsense and believed that it would never take place.
The foreign policy of Ioannis Metaxas was oriented towards the side of the allies and all this when Plastiras, residing in Paris, attempted through his letter to mediate so that Greece would side with the Axis. Although of German education, Ioannis Metaxas had no feelings and human weaknesses in foreign policy, but as a genuine technocrat he saw that Greece's interest was to side with the allies. Of course, the contribution of the ascetic King George II was decisive in this area.
Ioannis Metaxas was knowledgeable about international problems from a young age and while as a military genius he did not need to prove himself, his political career in general was destined to rank him among the best, if not the best Greek politician, culminating in the position he took on October 28, 1940, in combination with the political movements and war preparations of the country during the period 1936-1940.
Of course, what was the crowning achievement of Ioannis Metaxas was the Ministry of National Defense where the work was indeed colossal. In principle, this Ministry was under the direct supervision of King George II. Ioannis Metaxas received the Armed Forces literally in disarray due to the multiple movements of the period 1922-1935 while the material was insufficient and outdated and the warehouses empty, fortification works had not been carried out while the transportation that served the preparation for war was poorly organized and the road network was completely neglected.
General Alexander Papagos, in his book “The Greek Army and its Preparation for War”, states the following: “…..The country was led to this sad fate by the indifference and incompetence of governments and military leaders, which reached the point where no simple understanding between them has been achieved….”. It is mentioned simply as proof of the above report of the Military Attaché to Bulgaria: “……The advance of the Bulgarian army to Thessaloniki will constitute a military march for it….”. The Ministry of National Defense It included three Deputy Ministries: Military, Naval and Air. In principle, the Ministry of Military Affairs sought and achieved:

• Assessing opponents' capabilities
• Accurate knowledge of the country's material resources.
• Finding financial resources.
• Organization of the country's industrial, agricultural, livestock and general economic potential.
• Creation of adequate transportation of all forms.
• Increase in tenure.
• Reinforcement of personnel and equipment of border units.
• Increase in students entering the Military Cadet School.
• Increase and qualitative improvement of Reserve Officers.
• Intensive training and retraining of permanent staff.
• Execution of major exercises under the supervision of King and Crown Prince Paul, Princes Andrew and Peter, the Prime Minister, the Commander-in-Chief and a multitude of senior officers.

As for fortification works, defensive works were carried out along the Greek-Bulgarian border, the so-called "Metaxa Line". These works were designed under the supervision and control of Ioannis Metaxas with such technical and strategic perfection as to astonish the Germans who were attacking them. The perfection of the works of the “Metaxas Line” is described in a relevant German report which states the following: “…..We inspected, by order of the General Staff, all the fortification lines in Europe, starting from the Maginot Line to the Polish defensive line. Nowhere did we find fortifications of such perfect construction and strategic art as in Greece…..”
As for the war material, care was taken to complete and repair the armament. A small picture is the allocated credits for the period 1923-1928, amounting to 3.290.000 drachmas. while from August 4, 1936 to October 28, 1940, 9.616.000 drachmas were allocated. The government of Ioannis Metaxas, at the suggestion of General-in-Chief Alexander Papagos, introduced the institution of political and economic conscription, while Metaxas personally assumed the presidency of the relevant council. As a result of the above institution, no one under the age of 30 was suspended, while at the same time the participation of women, mainly in hospital care, was also established. Finally, discipline was restored in the army, which had been destroyed by the multitude of movements of the period 1922-1935.
As far as it concerns Royal Navy Two destroyers of the highest quality were added to the strength of the Fleet, the "King George" and the "Queen Olga". The construction of two other destroyers in Greece was also foreseen, which was cancelled due to the outbreak of the Anglo-German war. There, too, importance was given to the training of personnel. For the first time since the establishment of the Greek state, the Skaramangas Shipyards were established, as well as the construction of a shipyard for the repair of 2500-ton vessels.
However, significant weight was given to Coastal Defense with the organization of the homonymous system so that our war and merchant fleet could safely resort whenever necessary. Thus, no one could approach the country's key points, ports, naval bases, naval forts, etc. thanks to the network in question.
Finally, as far as the Deputy Ministry of Aviation On August 4, 1936, he had a very serious task, since the Ministry of Aviation, which had existed since 1930, had zero work due to lack of funds. Upon assuming power on August 4, he found himself in a very unfavorable position, since:

• 1935 was the year of increased aircraft prices due to the upcoming World War II.
• The progress of the Aviation Industry has been explosive, with the result that aircraft delivered to the energy were simultaneously obsolete.
• The number of Air Force personnel was very insufficient.

Despite the above adversities, the government of Ioannis Metaxas proceeded with difficulty in implementing the supply of two aircraft, however, with consequences on the delivery time and even cancellation due to the Greco-Italian War. Regardless of these, October 28th found Greece with an organized Air Force and trained pilots who contributed decisively to the victorious struggle.
Obviously, it is impossible to describe in one article the entire military and political career of the National Governor Ioannis Metaxas. What has been mentioned in a hurry is impossible to illuminate the personality of the man, but here the question arises as to what is the purpose of the silence if not the devaluation of his work? For every good-faith person, time is on his side, history will show the extent of Ioannis Metaxas' contribution to Greece, setting aside the smallness of the politicians who govern us, if they govern us, smallness which stems from the comparison of Ioannis Metaxas not only to the post-war governors but also to this Eleftherios Venizelos who from 1922 onwards has nothing of value to present but has left a Greece completely disreputable. A comparison of the work of August 4th as it was very briefly presented would in no way be flattering to the governments after August 4th. A simple question arises for the slanderers of August 4th. What would have happened to the political events between 1936-1940 if King George II had not returned and the solid hands of Ioannis Metaxas had not taken over the governance of the country with Kondylis, Pangalos, activists, vicious politicians and Venizelos dead? A logical answer is that there would be no NO, which various circles either want or do not want, said in a resounding way by Ioannis Metaxas, who had turned and upgraded the morale and mindset of the people to identify with the line of King George and himself since he had the foresight to predict a victory for the allies, this German-born man! Thus, our various governors have been taking care for sixty years to erase history from the memory of the Greeks with descriptions such as fascist, dictator, etc., while removing the few names of squares and streets that had been paid as a tribute to the National Governor, while at the same time honoring the controversial personality of Velouchiotis with a statue. All of this, of course, is happening in a country with a ostensibly left-wing consciousness in the majority of its inhabitants with progressive ideas and positions, but when it comes to their position on finances on a personal level alone, they are dangerously right-wing with black money, tax evasion, exploitation of labor and human existence, things that Uncle Yannis tried to and literally "brought out" of the Greek people.
Whether or not Ioannis Metaxas was a National Governor is left to time as well as the judgment of each person.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. "Political History of Modern Greece", Spyros Markezinis
2. Encyclopedia "STRUCTURE"
3. "Educational General World Encyclopedia", "FAROS" Publications
4. "Political History of Greece", Nikos Antonakeas
5. "Ioannis Metaxas" http://el.wikipedia.org
6. "George II. The Man, the Greek, the King", "KORNAROU" Publications