- “ALL TO WORK” - Part 04

Hundreds of prisoners were taken by the Greek government to Drepano Region, near the city Kozheni, during the first half of May, where they worked around the clock under tight guard, building bunkers. The bunkers built were of the same size, durability and strength as those built in Gramos the year before and later in Mali Madi, Bela Voda, Lundzer, Iamata, Baro, Roto, Lisets, Polemata and other hills in the Vicho sector. As soon as the bunkers were constructed, the government forces began intensive training in which units of the II, IX, XI and XV Division and units I, VIII and X of the officers’ Division participated. These units were training in martial arts and in the use of new weapons such as bazookas and 75 mm cannons, which had recently arrived in Greece from the United States. The troops were training as if they were in active combat, fighting under day and night conditions in order to prepare for all conditions of warfare. They were preparing to meet a strong opponent while establishing strongholds in conjunction with tanks, artillery and aviation.

The aviation provided the government forces the opportunity to use new bombs and missiles and to rehearse the destruction of entrenched positions such as bunkers, command posts and observation posts... The newly built bunkers were bombed in order to discover their weak and breaking points. After the structures were bombed from the air the artillery was deployed and eventually the

infantry. The exercises lasted almost a month. These exercises, conducted with highly advanced military aircraft, such as the Dakota, the Harvard and the Spitfire, took place under the watchful eye of American and British military experts and instructors who were directly commanded by US General Van Fleet. Two days after the training exercises were completed all the battalion, brigade, regiment and division commanders, as well as all air force officers, were called to attend a meeting in the city council chambers, converted into a military operational headquarters. The meeting was led by Commander Marshal Alexandros Papagos, Chief of General Staff Kosmas and the commanders of I, II, III Corps - Tsakalotos, Manidakis and Grigoropoulos. General Van Fleet sat with his collaborators in the first row. General Kosmas, with a trembling voice, expressed his gratitude to the highly respected General Van Fleet and his associates for helping Greece prepare the secret operational plan known as “ΠΎΡΣΟΣ” (torch).

** The following is an excerpt from Major General D. Zafeiropoulos’s book entitled “The Anti-Bandit War 1945 – 1949” which describes DAG’s catastrophic defeat and the unforeseen consequences for the Macedonian people.

Gentlemen let’s begin with the plan. Our main goal is Vicho. However, in order to achieve a strategic surprise, we will take two steps. The first step will be to send Division XI to clean the Kaimakchalan area where, according to our information, there are about 800 active communist bandits. By taking this step, the opponent’s ability to switch from Vicho to Kaimakchalan will be taken away. Combat activities in this area, according to our operational plan, will begin on July 4 and end on July 8. Immediately afterwards, the main XI Division forces are to be made available to the Second Corps to participate in the fighting in Vicho Region. The second step has greater significance; to force the opponent to think where our main attack would be directed in Gramos. From here we will dispatch our First Corps forces, specifically the First and Eighth Division, with the 73rd Brigade, the 8th, 15th, and 24th Regiment, in conjunction with artillery and aviation, to deliver a blow to the opponent’s established strongholds and to pin him down at his current positions and thus prevent him from transferring to Vicho when we begin our main offensive.

According to our information, the opponent is defending northern Grammos with 4,900 men and women and has 16 guns, two 120 mm mortars and a large number of anti-tank and anti-aircraft pipes but hardly any grenades. This operation will start during the night between August 2nd and 3rd and must end on August 9th. This area is hilly and mountainous and has many places that are covered with forests. But, compared to Gramos, there are no high stone peaks, deep gorges and numerous goat paths. The main mountains are Bela Voda to the north, Vicho to the east, Mali Madi to the south and Chuka and Lisets to the west. The river Bistritsa, with its source under the village Psoderi, flows south dividing the mountain Verba from Prespa and the lake, Prespa. It then turns southeast near the village Breznitsa dividing Mali Mudi to the south, from Iamata, Boro, Roto and Polenata further up. One important thing about this area is the intersection of two very important roads. One of the roads begins in Kostur and leads through the village Aposkep, along the Bistritsa River which, north of the village Breznitsa, intersects with the road leading from Kostur through Maniak, Tikveni, Chetirok, Sveta Nedela, Kosinets, Smrdesh, Breznitsa, Zhelevo, Psoderi where it descends down Mount Bigla ending in Lerin. From the map we can see that it also forks just before Zhelevo and continues to Prespa. The road sections connecting Smrdesh with the Greek-Albanian border, Psoderi with Bigla, and Zhelevo with Prespa are invaluable routes for our opponent. These are road sections that are utilized for the overall supply of weapons and food delivered by trucks from Albania and Yugoslavia to warehouses dug near the road. A rapid breakthrough with our tanks along these roads will curtail the opponent’s supply. Closure of these roads will cut off the opponent’s escape route to Albania and Yugoslavia.

With what will our opponent resist? His bunkers are exactly the same as those we constructed in Drepano. His entire defensive line is a minefield, barbed wire and other obstacles. The enemy will defend the area in Vicho with the following forces: X Division with its 18th and 103rd Brigade. More specifically enemy forces are deployed as follows: On the northern part of the front line Bela Voda - Bigla - Lundzer – Kulkuturi there are 4 infantry battalions, 8 mountain, 5 valley and 5 anti-tank cannons; a total of 1,450 fighters of whom thirty percent are women. On the central part of the front line Polenata – Plati – Kula – Roto there are 3 infantry battalions, 12

mountain, 4 valley and 10 anti-tank cannons; a total of 1,250 fighters. On the second line Baro - Iamata - Lisets - Moro – Chuka there are 3 infantry battalions, 6 mountain and 6 anti-tank cannons; a total of 1,060 fighters. On the southern part of the front line in Mali Madi there are 3 infantry battalions, 6 mountain, 3 valley and 6 anti-tank cannons; a total of 1,250 fighters. In the reserve Brigade 105 there are 1,000 fighters located in the region near the village Smrdesh. In the officer’s school there are 500 fighters located in the region near the villages Breznitsa and Trnaa. The enemy also has an auxiliary force of about 1,500 people.

Basically, the enemy is organized along two defensive lines consisting of trenches, bunkers and minefields. The first line runs along Bigla - Lundzer linking the hills Iorgova Glava – Golinata – Chuka – Lisets – Baro - Iamata. Behind the defensive line is the road that connects Smrdesh – Breznitsa – Zhelevo - Psoderi. The second defense line, to the north, runs along Bela Voda, drops down south and runs along Prevalot and Verba and ends in the valley at Smrdesh. The next defensive stronghold is in Prespa connecting the hills between the villages Shtrkovo - Rabi and then runs along the peninsula connecting the villages Nivitsi – Vineni – Orovo -Grazhdeno. Our research and analysis has confirmed that enemy morale is high. This is mainly due to the successes it had in last year’s fighting at Gramos and Vicho, in the battle for Mali Madi and other successful battles it won including the re-taking of Gramos. The enemy, during the winter, also carried out a reorganization of its units and has improved its supply of clothing and food. This situation has given the senior leadership the prerogative to think that it will have a complete victory in 1949; hence the morale of our opponents is quite high.

What is our enemy’s goal? Their goal is to preserve this last “free space” by firmly defending the mountains Bela Voda - Vicho – Mali Madi. Their aim is to actively defend this territory during our offensive, pin us down in defensive positions and, when conditions are right, change the situation with a counter-offensive and destroy our national forces.

With what forces will we attack? We have Infantry Divisions II, IX, X, XI, a total of eleven teams, crack Division III and two infantry

brigades, a light infantry regiment and six National Guard battalions in a combat ready situation. In terms of artillery we have 4 units of field cannons, 3 units of medium cannons, 5 units of mountain cannons, almost half of the available tanks and military vehicles are combat ready and we have 90 aircraft. In terms of reserves, belonging to the supreme commander, we have Division XV in Rupishta and brigade 32 in Derven. The main and most important task of the Second Corps is to overcome enemy positions and destroy all opposing forces. The offensive in Vicho Region will take place in four phases:

The first phase will take place on August 10, 1949 during the day at 10:00 am, after all aviation bombing and artillery preparations are completed. The 22nd Infantry Brigade will depart in the Derven -Kulkuturia - Polenata direction and arrive at hill 1685, with aims at overcoming the positions in Polenata, elevation 1685, located behind the first defensive line. The Brigade’s task will be to create suitable conditions and a base from which to prepare attacks and penetrate the defensive line in the village Statitsa. The Brigade is to surprise the enemy and overcome the hills Chuka and Lisets.

The second phase will take place during the night of August 10th -11th with synchronized attacks. Infantry Division X will depart from Bukovik with aims at overcoming enemy positions in the Iamata – Baro line elevation 1709. Infantry Division XI will depart from Derven - Kulkuturia and continue to attack the Chuka – Lisets line. At the same time crack Division III is to proceed towards the Bigla – Lundser – Gogova Glava line and attack Mali Madi. The 21st Brigade is to depart from the extreme north, from the village Dolna Kleshtina, through Bouf to German with aims at closing a possible escape route to Yugoslavia. Then, after taking the village Rabi in Prespa, to close the transitional road called Kula located between the two Prespa Lakes. The attack is to commence at 20:00 hours on August 10th.

The third phase will take place on August 12th - 13th with the transfer of our forces on the Vrba – Preval – Korbech line to infiltrate Prespa valley in order to prevent the enemy from escaping to Albania and Yugoslavia.

The fourth phase will take place from August 14 to August 16, with aims at cleaning up the peninsula beyond the lakes and the entire area of Vicho. Two powerful artillery groups will be made available to provide support to the infantry. The northern group will support Lerin and the southern group will support Kostur with all kinds of cannons. Similarly, support will also be provided by the mechanized units, consisting mainly of tanks.

The start of the offensive will belong to our glorious Aviation which will commence its attacks in the morning. Its aims will be to destroy established enemy positions including artillery and mortar nests; to carry out reconnaissance flights and inform the ground of enemy movements; and to photograph the current situation at the front. In total, ninety fighter planes will participate.

The interaction between the aviation, artillery, infantry and mechanized units, in the beginning of the offensive, must be preserved at any cost. This is especially important during the time crack Division III is attacking Polenata on hill 1685, and the Divisions IX, X and XI are tasked to cut off the enemy escape route to Albania...

Gentlemen !!! The Greek army has never before been exposed to so much combat power, people, combat equipment and combat techniques as it has today. Thanks to our friends and allies the United States, whose officers and professional team are commanded by our dear and respected General Van Fleet, we are now widely prepared to crush our enemy. We are interested in one thing: victory! There will be no negotiations. Only our weapons will speak. There will be no capitulation. There will only be defeat from which the enemy will never survive! Gentlemen, I am honoured to announce that the offensive will start on August 10th, at 5am. Cheers from all sides.

General Van Fleet got up, stood in front of the map and, in a loud voice, addressed the audience as follows: “Here, generals, this is the only space you need to master. Two handfuls! Two handfuls of space”, pointing at the map, “and nothing more. We dressed and fed your army well, and supplied it with the best weapons we have. Now you have everything! Aircraft - the newest. New cannons and

mortars, bazookas and napalm bombs!” Van Fleet paused while staring at length at the audience in front of him and then shouted: “Having such weapons should muster a lot of courage for you and in just five days, gentlemen, in just five days you can put an end to this war. Here,” he pointed at the map, “this place will be crushed by 90 aircraft dropping bombs and napalm… beaten down with hundreds of thundering artillery tubes and just as many missiles… then almost 80 thousand soldiers will rush in, backed by over two hundred tanks and military vehicles… No more, just five days! You have five days to remove the communists from the trenches and bunkers. They will remain there, but they will all be dead ... I said five days… in these five days if you do not destroy the enemy, adios amigos, we are gone... The US taxpayer wasted a lot of money for you and for this war.”

** End of excerpt.

What happened to the Macedonian population during this war? The “Macedonian Question” was handled in accordance with the situation at the front. When the Macedonian people were needed to support and fight in the war, they were promised rights; schools in the Macedonian language, self-determination up to secession, Macedonian military units, etc. This however was very brief and took place in March 1948 which, by the way, was coincidental with the gathering of the children who were then taken to the People’s Republics. Then in 1949 everyone, young and old, civilian and military, was given their marching orders to leave for Albania, presumably to save themselves. This was also the time when the CPG and DAG made another big mistake; they did not secure the return of the civilians so that they could go back to their homes. And as such, the Greeks were able to realize all their goals, including the complete extermination of all those who felt Macedonian. This was an unprecedented exodus which had never before been experienced in that part of the region.

The most important CPG slogans in 1949 were: “The enemy will never set foot on Vicho”, and “Gramos will be ours forever.” Sadly, despite all the weapons available to the partisans, they did not have enough fighters to preserve the “free territories”. The war took its toll on the male population and the remnant DAG units were

composed mostly of women and much smaller units. Overall, after the children were taken out of the country in 1948, the entire able population in the “free territories” became engaged in the war. Even so, even with the entire population being involved, still it was not enough to defend the free territories. Many fighters from the ranks of DAG fled to Yugoslavia and yet others surrendered to the Monarcho-Fascists. Great damage was also done to these people due to the 1949 Informburo Resolution which forced the closing of the Yugoslav border. This unfortunately caused much confusion and additional unnecessary casualties on the side of the partisans.

The Monarcho-Fascists received much aid and assistance from all the Western countries. They got everything they needed. Also, the international situation was in support of the Monarcho-Fascists. And while the Cold War was active, the Soviet Union lagged behind in its support for the partisans in Greece, unlike the American side which openly supported the Monarcho-Fascists with much of the public being on its side.

After DAG’s defeat, the CPG leadership turned against the Macedonian leaders and commanders in the ranks of DAG, blaming them for the defeat because they were supposedly on the side of Yugoslavia and against DAG, which of course was a great lie and very slanderous to the Macedonian people. Later, when more things came to light, it was proven that these allegations were not only false, but just the opposite. That CPG leadership was directly responsible for DAG’s defeat; specifically Nikos Zahariadis, Mihalis Parkalidis, Vlandas, Gusias, Markos and others, they were the direct culprits that caused DAG’s defeat.

Risto’s view of the DAG leadership

Who were CPG General Secretary Nikos Zahariadis and General Markos Vafiadis?

The two most influential men, Asia Minor Christian Turk colonists and settlers deposited in Greek occupied Macedonia in the 1920’s, who led the Greek Civil War with the lure of the CPY/CPM (NOF and AFZH) and who promised to create a new awareness for us (the Macedonian people), were Nikos Zahariadis and Markos Vafiadis.

Nikos Zahariadis was born on April 27, 1903 in Edirne, Eastern Thrace. His father was employed as a clerk at “Razim”, a commercial French tobacco company based in Constantinople. From 1911 to 1912 Nikos Zahariadis lived and attended school in the “Ibin Paiko” settlement in Skopje where his father worked as a representative of the “Razim” Company. In 1913 he moved to Solun. In 1922 and 1923 he worked as a sailor, a job which took him to the Soviet Union where he became a member of the Communist Party. In 1924, with the exchange of populations between Turkey and Greece, Zahariadis’s family was moved to Greece. In 1924 he visited the famous Communist University of Eastern European nations KUTVE in Moscow. Nikos Zahariadis was leader of the Greek communist movement and secretary general of the CPG from 1936 to 1956. Zahariadis treated the CPG like a cult and had absolute confidence in Stalin and his Communist Party, which he believed to be infallible. He himself admitted to this. Zahariadis committed suicide in 1973 while serving a prison sentence in Sorgun, Siberia.

Markos Vafiadis was born in 1906 in the village Tosie in Asia Minor. He graduated from fourth grade in public school before he was exiled by the Turkish authorities and brought to Greek occupied Macedonia as a colonist by the Greek authorities. During the Greek Civil War (1945-1949) Zahariadis chose Markos and made him General and Supreme Commander of the army and then appointed him President of the interim government (in the mountains) for one day. He did this in August 1948. General Markos Vafiadis was known for his position (strategy and tactics) that the armed struggle should be developed and carried out by small and effective partisan groups and not by fighting at a front. Zahariadis declared him sick, suspended him and sent him to exile in the city Penza, USSR. Zahariadis replaced Markos with himself and took overall command of the partisans, striving to create DAG armed units for frontal combat and tactics against the national army of Greece, which was 10 times larger and assisted by the US and Britain.

During the war these two individuals were responsible for building the “new world” and cruelly trampled on the dignity of the

Macedonian people, slandering their national feelings and persistently denying their Macedonian national identity.

Prologue *

The images of the people in the photographs seem to float, to come alive, to reflect on the life which now appears to me only in spirit and in shadows. Through the photographs I was able to see the people with their joy, sorrow and pain of what once was. What once was is now gone. Everything is gone. Only the ghosts and the shadows of the ghosts remain...

I look at the images in the photographs and imagine the people leaving, taking the road to banishment.

To what country did they go? To what unknown latitudes of the world did time take them? When did they leave? Under what circumstances did they leave? Did they travel one behind the other? Did they leave quickly, en masse? Time… What is time and what are people in time? Time kills. Time wounds. Time heals. Time forgets. Time leaves no footprints. Time destroys. Time is a killer. Is time a witness? Time passes. Time brings concerns. Time remembers. Time tells. Time verifies. Time accepts and rejects. It is said at this and this time. During the time of great upheaval. During the time of war. During the time of so and so plagues.

We are here. At the empty, naked, scarred place. Time has passed, it has expired. And here, now, at this time, today, at this moment in time, we are in a moment of time. We are at the time divided between now and yesterday. Time… Whose and what kind of time?... We are here in time past, time without people and without homes; we are here in time present without life, only empty fields and flocks of crows. Time. Whose time? What kind of time? Time for what? Time measured with what? Time marked with what and how? Time lost. Time brings. Time brings what? Time of happiness. Time of hunger. Time of fear. For victims, lies and curses. Time for cursing, lies and betrayals. Time for cursing and waiting. Time compressed between times. What kind? Time for remembering. Remembering what? Time for existence, time for endurance, time for safeguarding time. Here time was measured with time for digging foundations, for carving stones, for building walls, for laying roof tiles, for plowing and sowing, for living, for reaping crops, for celebrations, for holidays, for growing and aging, for happiness and sadness, for life… After that time came time for war. It was a time of bad times, a time of great promises and many lies. It was time to separate the children from their mothers, it was time for eradication. It was a time of silence of the church bells.

It was a time without faith in God. Where did time stop? Now there is only time for recollection of time past so that time past is not forgotten. Here now there is only now. Will it last only that much, as long as we remain bowed over the burned out places and foundation remains of our homes? Time remains in us forever preserved and baked in our memory. Time over which the fog and dust of forgetfulness whirls and glides. It is time for the fog to lift. It is time for the dust that rests in time to be blown off. It is time for ripening. It is time to change time.

* Petre Nakovski, “On the Road of Time”, Skopje, 2010