BROTHERHOOD UNITY - Part 05

The machine for sending and receiving encrypted telegrams suddenly came on and began to type. The decipherer, who at the time was leafing through a newspaper, looked at the calendar pinned to the wall. The date was July 5th, 1949. After the machine finished typing he took the paper out, spread it on the table and, with surprise on his face, began to read: <<Μοναρχοφασιστικ‘α στρατ‘ευµατα περν‘οντας απο γιυκοσλαυικ‘ο ‘εδαφος, καβ’αλησαν τις θ’εσεις µας και κατ’ελαβαν την εκλης’ια.>> (Monarcho-Fascist units passing through Yugoslav territory attacked our positions and occupied the church.) The decoded part of the tape that came out of the machine read: “Monarcho-Fascist units, in agreement with the Yugoslav border units, entered Yugoslav territory and fiercely attacked, units of the DAG (Democratic Army of Greece) XXIV Brigade from behind, killing and wounding many and inflicting great losses.” After a short pause, the machine resumed typing, repeating the same message. The duty officer cut off a long piece of paper with the recorded message and without delay ran to General Headquarters. Vlandas then conveyed the news to Zahariadis by telephone who, without delay, called a meeting of the Military Council. As a first measure, a decision was made to announce the contents of the telegram on Radio Free Greece the same day. By the afternoon the news was transmitted on radio stations all over Europe. There was shock in Belgrade and Skopje, joy in Athens and restraint in Moscow… A response from Belgrade was eagerly awaited by DAG at the General Headquarters. Three days after the radio announcement, early in the morning, the General Headquarters decipherer delivered to the duty officer a message which read: “Today, July 10th, 1949 there will be an announcement on Radio Belgrade at 10.00 hours with a direct transfer from Pula where Marshal Tito will be speaking and Radio Skopje will carry the same message at 14.00 hours.” “Tito,” said the decipherer, “attacked our movement with a strong message and ordered the border to be closed.” There was surprise, silence and anticipation at the DAG Central Committee and General Headquarters when the news first arrived. Seeing the calm reaction in the others, Zahariadis also reacted unemotionally. He then ordered the technicians to move the radio to the larger barracks and to let everyone know that their presence was requested there at 13.55 hours to listen to the program and hear Tito’s speech. The technicians changed the batteries and moved the radio from the cave to the barracks. A few minutes before 14.00 hours members of the Supreme Military Council and the General Staff gathered in the barracks. Zahariadis sat in the front row with a bunch of papers in his hands and ignored questions from Vlandas and Bardzotas. The barracks went silent. There was a table in the corner. A middle aged woman was sharpening pencils with a pocket knife. Next to her was a man with headphones on his ears. The radio operator turned on the radio. Radio Skopje was broadcasting Macedonian folk songs. Suddenly there was a break and a voice was heard over the speaker: “This is Radio Skopje. This is Radio Skopje. Dear listeners we present the speech of Yugoslavia’s Marshal, Comrade Tito, who today is attending the great national rally in Pula.” The silence that followed was broken by Tito’s loud voice and immediately after that by the sound of the translator who translated the speech from Serbian to Greek. Vlandas leaned his head towards Zahariadis and with a smiling tone of voice said: “He is talking about internal matters…” “Keep quiet and listen,” ordered Zahariadis. The translator was calm; he knew both languages well and accurately translated the speech. There was a small pause. A quiet knock was heard. “Tito must be drinking water,” piped up Bardzotas. “Comrades,” thundered the speaker on the radio, “I now would like to elaborate with a few words on the question of our relations with Greece. Almost daily you read in the newspapers about conflicts often occurring at the Greek border where Monarcho-Fascists cause disruptions while blatantly crossing the border.

If you recall a while ago 18 of our soldiers who lost their way and accidentally crossed into Greek territory were wounded or killed. You will also recall that recently there was an attack on our village Skochvir, where more of our people were killed. We protested against these acts yet still we don’t know how our protests will be treated at the United Nations and whether there will be a positive response or not. Some time ago there was an incident of Greek troops crossing into our territory, where a Greek soldier was killed. Shots are heard every day and hundreds, hundreds of grenades and bullets fall on our territory as if a small war was taking place. We have taken measures and have requested that the United Nations put an end to that. Our appeals to the Greek government however have yielded no results. We can’t appeal to Tsaldaris’s regime because we know very well that they are Monarcho-Fascists. Our protests are constantly being ignored. Their behaviour is arrogant and that, of course, can have very bad consequences for which we cannot further bear responsibility. Now allow me to tell you about another side of Greece and the reverse of that. A few days ago the radio station Free Greece broadcasted information implicating us as having an agreement with the Monarcho-Fascists to allow their army to enter our territory for the purpose of attacking the Democratic forces. More treachery, greater notoriety! This information, I am sure, was not invented by our Greek comrades. I am sure it was invented somewhere else, they are only repeating what they heard, I am convinced of that. But then, when Monarcho-Fascists spill the blood of our people, these other people accuse us of negotiating with the Monarcho-Fascists. This can only mean that these other people in Democratic Greece are inclined to believe in the one thing that could, and probably would, have fatal consequences for the Greek liberation movement. Callously, these people are playing with the blood spilled every day, heroically, by the fighters fighting against their oppressors. They soil that blood for their own dishonest purposes, in order to demonstrate the legitimacy of their decisions. They want to blame us for their mistakes. They blame us for the losses experienced by their Greek Democratic Army even though we bear none of the responsibility. But, I assure you that they will fail. So, where is all this leading to? On one hand the Monarcho-Fascist provocations endanger the lives of our citizens and on the other they slander us. We have arrived at the point where we must now completely shut down the border in order to protect the lives of our working people in that region. I think these are the wishes of our people, who often have asked, ‘how long is this going to go on and where is it leading to?’ This problem, one day, needs to be solved and of course we will defend our country without hesitation and we will not let our citizens suffer. That is all I want to say regarding this issue with Greece. We need to defend the peaceful development of socialism in our country and we will do it against all opposition! I therefore appeal to Western countries, primarily to Britain and the United States, to take these provocations seriously and to put an end to them. At the same time we will not allow our people, our citizens, to suffer. That is all I want to say about Greece,” concluded the broadcast. “Turn it off!” motioned Zahariadis with his hand and, leaning towards the stenographer, said: “Re-type the text, make several copies and bring them to me. He then looked at his associates and without saying a word, dismissed them. In the evening Zahariadis invited Vlandas, Gusias, Bardzotas, Stringos and Porphirogenis to a meeting. “Comrades,” he said. “The situation is obvious. Tito has openly revealed his intentions. We can now announce our own intentions, the intentions of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Greece (CPG). We now will fully support the Inform-Bureau’s position.

In other words, we will now fully support Moscow’s position in relation to the Communist Party of Yugoslavia and Moscow’s attitude towards Tito. We need to immediately send instructions about this to our contacts in Belgrade. Radio Free Greece needs to be informed to commence broadcasting part of Tito’s speech and emphasize the part in which Tito says that he is closing the border on us. I want the message about that part to be repeated every hour. We need to also prepare and broadcast a message with strong criticism against Tito and make him look like the destroyer of our movement and an agent of the imperialists. Find every word in his commentary that characterizes him negatively and all the ugliest words spoken by the Inform Bureau and printed by communist publications and use them. With a single word we, the Greek communists, will wage a full blown, open ideological war against that imperialistic agent and lackey, Tito. Also, put the entire NOF (People’s Liberation Front) leadership under control. Shoot anyone caught attempting to escape to Yugoslavia and isolate all suspects. Place all intelligence services, political commissars and party secretaries on alert. From today on our movement begins a difficult period, perhaps the most difficult period since its inception. So, go now, think about what further steps need to be taken and I will see you at my place at 21.00 hours. They left. Zahariadis read the entire speech one more time. He thought for a moment and, after slamming the papers on the table with open hands, yelled out: “I’ve got you fatso, I’ve got you now… If by any chance my movement fails, you will be my biggest excuse… Yes, I have the culprit!” Zahariadis whispered out loudly and, with both hands, scrunched up Tito’s speech. He kept squeezing the paper and clenching his fists until they began to hurt. In the evening of the same day, uphill, along the crooked, narrow path leading to the meadows under the Kajmakchalan hilltop, was a stretched out column of wounded DAG fighters on the move. “Halt!” yelled out a sharp and authoritative voice. The head of the column stopped. “Who are you?” asked the same voice. “Partisans, fighters of DAG…” answered the leader of the column and walked towards the Yugoslav border patrol. “We are bringing wounded… friend.” “Wait,” said the Yugoslav soldier in a quiet voice. The column stopped and the wounded fighters sat down for a rest. Many could be heard moaning in pain. They were tired, irritated, thirsty, hungry and in pain and could not tolerate the wait. The column leader and his patrol approached the Yugoslav soldier and asked to meet with the Yugoslav Border Checkpoint commander. “Wait…” replied the soldier. “Comrade, I can’t wait. Over there,” the leader pointed with his head, “I have about fifty wounded fighters, some heavily wounded. Call your commander…” “I told you to wait!” repeated the soldier with a firm sounding voice. “Step back! You are on Yugoslav territory. Step back!” “Please, call your commander, I beg you. I want to speak with him. I know you have your orders to stop us… Tell him we have many wounded. Call the commander,” insisted the column leader. “He has been summoned. Have some patience…” answered the soldier. A little past midnight the column leader was summoned to the checkpoint commander’s barracks. “I am Lieutenant Mihailovski,” the officer introduced himself and extended his hand for a handshake. “Mavridis,” said the column leader, shaking the extended hand and in poor Serbian said: “On the other side there I have thirty lightly and heavily wounded fighters. I am asking for permission to have them cross your border and be immediately taken to the hospital.” Lieutenant Mihailovski put his cigarette in the ashtray and sharply said: “We will take the wounded and we will send them for treatment, but not because you asked us to!...” his sharp tone of voice loudly filled the entire room. Mavridis wanted to say something, but was interrupted. “We accepted 80 wounded fighters yesterday and all were placed in hospitals.

My soldiers transported the wounded on our territory. You will have to wait until the trucks arrive. And after that they will be seen by doctors and will be fed…” concluded the Lieutenant. After some moments of silence Mihailovski asked with a milder tone of voice: “Where did you learn Serbian?” “In Serbia, in Bulkesh. I was there for two years,” said Mavridis. “Are you Greek?” asked Mihailovski. “Yes, pure blooded…” answered Mavridis. Mihailovski looked at him and hid his smile with his hand. “Why do you ask?” asked Mavridis. “Under hung eyes, vulture-like nose, black hair…” answered Mihailovski. “Yes, my parents were from the Caucasus but I was born in Greece…” replied Mavridis. “Ah, and that’s why you are a pureblooded Greek ha? But let’s leave it at that… As I understand it, as soon as you began the battle for Kajmakchalan you lost it…” said Mihailovski. “Sadly that’s correct. But…” replied Mavridis. “But what?” asked Mihailovski. “Our brigade political commissar told us that you, the Yugoslavs, allowed Greek government forces to enter into your territory and to attack us from behind,” replied Mavridis. “And you believed that?” asked Mihailovski. “Personally I don’t, but whatever the brigade political commissar said took root. We suffered much loss due to the mistakes of our leaders and their inability to command but those mistakes are now being blamed on others…” said Mavridis. The conversation was interrupted by a knock on the door. The guard on duty reported that the trucks had arrived and asked if they could now start loading the wounded. “Drive the trucks under the trees and cover them with branches,” ordered the Lieutenant. “We cannot allow the other side to see us transporting people.” The wounded, along with their leader, Mavridis, were transported to the hospital in Esenovo which the Yugoslav National Army had set up especially for the DAG fighters. Here, some ten days after the Kajmakchalan defeat, Greek hospital administrators, by order from a representative of the CPG’s Central Committee stationed in the Headquarters in Prespa, were sent to visit the hospitals in Esenovo and Katlanovo where they brought news to the wounded of the alleged ‘behind the back attacks’ and the reasons why the Yugoslavs closed the border. Even though there was no gathering and no meeting between the patients and the hospital administrators, word got around and the patients prepared for resistance. They began by resisting the Yugoslav doctors and nurses and not allowing them to enter their hospital rooms, and then they refused to allow change of bandages and would not take their medication. Some days later they called for a general strike, demanding to be transferred to Czechoslovakia for treatment. News of this reached Skopje first and then Belgrade and after much discussion a decision was reached and those who requested to stay in Yugoslavia in writing were allowed to remain there, the others were to be loaded on a train and sent to Czechoslovakia. And that is how it was done. But somewhere north of Kumanovo something unexpected happened. Two trains stopped side by side parallel to one another. Boarding the one were the wounded DAG fighters headed for Czechoslovakia and on the other were a bunch of happy Yugoslav youths going to work. The youths were singing songs and shouting slogans praising Tito and criticizing Stalin. This angered the DAG fighters and they then began to sing songs praising Stalin and Zahariadis and shouting criticism against Tito. Then while the singing was going on, a Yugoslav youth carrying a bucket got off the car and with a large brush painted the words “Long live Tito – death to Stalin!” along the entire length of his car. Seeing this, Mavridis jumped off his car, grabbed the brush and bucket and painted the words “Ζ’ητω ο Στ’αλιν – κ’ατω ο Τ’ιτο” (Long live Stalin, down with Tito) on his car. Someone then jumped Mavridis from behind and hit him on the head with a shovel. So, instead of going to Czechoslovakia he ended up going to a hospital in Belgrade.

The Great Lie – Chapter 16

During the first half of May several hundred men from various prison camps were brought to the Drepano locality near the town Kozhani. Working under tight guard day and night in shifts, they built bunkers of various sizes and strength similar to those built last year in Gramos but now they were built in Mali-Madi, Bela Voda, Bigla, Lundzer, Iamato, Baro, Roto, Lisets, Polenata and on other hills in the Vicho Sector. Following about a month of forced labor, prisoners were then returned to the camps. Without delay, as soon as the newly constructed polygon was completed, Greek Royal Military units of the II, IX, XI, XV Divisions as well as officers of the I, X and VIII Government Divisions began intensive training exercises. For a month these soldiers and officers were subjected to military training to master military skills and the use of new weapons such as bazookas and 75 mm cannons that had recently arrived in Greece from the United States. In combination with tanks, artillery and airplanes, they were training to fight active combat for both day and night conditions; skills they would require in order to defeat a well established, strong opponent. Priority was given to the Air Force, which, well stocked with new bombs and rockets, was responsible for destroying well-established enemy positions such as bunkers, command posts and observation towers… After that came the artillery whose objective was to destroy the bunkers and trenches leading up to strongholds and the minefields and obstacles surrounding them such as barbed wire. The infantry rehearsed coordinated night attacks and by day carried out charges assisted by tanks. Additionally, training exercises were also important in strengthening the fighting spirit of the officers and soldiers, increasing the level of combat readiness and raising the army’s faith in the upcoming summer offensive designed to destroy their opponent once and for all. All training exercises were designed to master the new weapons, especially the piloting skills required to fly the advanced military aircraft such as the Dakota, Harvard and Spitfire, which were constantly under the watchful eyes of United States and British military specialists and instructors all reporting directly to U.S. General Van Fleet. Two days after training was completed the battalion, regiment, brigade and division commanders, as well as high ranking air force officers, were invited to a meeting at the City Council Great Hall now converted into a military operational headquarters. Inside, beside the front wall, there was a long table covered with a white tablecloth and behind it sat the Chief Commander Marshal Alexandros Papagos, Chief of Staff Kozmas and the commanders of the I, II and III Corps Tsakalotos, Manidakis and Grigoropoulos. Sitting in the first row was General Van Fleet with his associates and staff. Chief of Staff Kozmas lightly tapped his pencil on his crystal glass and stood up. The quiet conversations died down and everyone stopped talking. “Marshal, General Van Fleet,” Kozmas greeted the two with a slight bow as he turned to face each. He then continued: “Generals, officers…” He paused again for a moment, seemingly listening to his own voice echo in the great hall. “The day when we combine forces is coming closer and when as allies with massive firepower we will finally subdue our enemy at Vicho…” He paused again. At that moment Colonel Zafiropulos pulled a white canvas off the wall exposing a large operational map. General Kozmas stepped back from the table, stood next to the map and with a trembling voice continued: “Gentlemen, I am honoured to express my gratitude to the highly respected General Van Fleet and his colleagues with their vast military knowledge who have helped us prepare this operational plan, which will carry the secret name <<ΠΥΡΣΟΣ>> (Torch). [The information referred to in this chapter, has been taken from the book “Ο αντισυµµοριακος αγων 1945-1949” (Anti-Bandit War 1945-1949) by D. Zafiropoulos, Major General, 1956.].

I want to express my gratitude to our Chief Commander Alexandros Papagos who spared no expense or energy in the preparation of this plan…” Kozmas bowed slightly, wiped the sweat off his forehead with his white handkerchief and continued: “Gentlemen, I need to emphasize that all materials, presentations and matters discussed in this meeting are military secrets and strictly confidential. Gentlemen, it is my honour and pleasure to familiarize you with the basics of the operational plan. Layout details of each combat division, brigade, regiment, battalion and reserves, as well as combat activities of the artillery, tanks, military aircraft, supply centres and ancillary services you will find sealed in envelopes that you will be given after the meeting. Over the course of the next few weeks you are responsible for studying the plans in detail and preparing your units for combat operations under the combat tasks assigned to your unit...” Kozmas turned to the operational map. “Gentlemen, I will resume going over the plan. Our main objective is Vicho Region. But in order to achieve a strategic surprise, we decided on two secondary steps. The first step is to clean up the Kajmakchalan Region with the forces of XI Division, where, according to our information, there are approximately 800 communist bandits. By implementing this step we will take our enemy’s ability to transfer forces from Vicho to Kajmakchalan. According to our operational plan, combat actions in this region will commence on July 4th and end on July 8th. Immediately after that, most of the forces of Division XI will become available to join the Second Corps and participate in the Vicho area operations. The second step is even more important. The objective of this step is to make the opponent think that our main thrust is directed at Gramos. From here, we predict, the forces of the First Corps, specifically the First and Eighth Division with the 73rd Brigade, and the 8th, 15th and 24th Infantry Regiment, together with the artillery and aviation will make a strong impact on the opponent’s established strongholds and nail him down at these positions and thus prevent him from transferring his forces to Vicho when the major offensive begins. According to our information, our opponent is defending Northern Gramos with 4,900 men and women, 16 cannons, two 120 mm mortars and many anti-aircraft and anti-tank weapons for which he has limited grenades. This operation, gentlemen, according to our plan, will commence on the night between the 2nd and 3rd of August and must end on the 9th of August... I will now speak about the main target. Vicho! Vicho Region is a mountainous area with many forested patches. Compared to Gramos, there are no high rocky peaks, deep gorges, or numerous goat trails. The key mountains in Vicho Region are Bela Voda on the north, Vicho on the east, Mali-Madi on the south and Chuka and Lisets on the west. Belitsa River, which passes under the village Psoderi, flows to the south and divides this region between Mount Vrba on one side and Prespa and Lake Prespa on the other. It then turns southeast near the village Breznitsa splitting Mali-Madi from Iamata, Baro, Roto and Polenata further up. Characteristic of this region is that it has two very important roads. One road travels from Kostur through the village Aposkep along the Belitsa River, then north of the village Breznitsa it intersects with the road that travels from Kostur over Maniak, Tikveni, Chetirok, Sveta Nedela, Kosiners, Smrdesh, Breznitsa, Zhelevo and Psoderi then crosses over Mount Bigla and ends in Lerin. The map will show that the road forks before Zhelevo with one fork heading up to Prespa. The road section between Smrdesh (Greek-Albanian border), Psoderi-Bigla and Zhelevo-Prespa is invaluable to our opponent. Their entire supply of weapons and food supplied by trucks from Albania and Yugoslavia is stored in depots and dugouts along this road. Of course these roads also have enormous strategic significance for us.

A rapid penetration with our tanks on these roads…” Kozmas paused, stared at the audience for a moment and with a wide circular sweep of his hand, finished his thought, “will mean that the roads will be closed to our opponent and will stop him from retreating to Albania and Yugoslavia. In other words his escape route will be closed…Yes, gentlemen, just like that, his escape route will be closed... And now let's see with what and how we will confront the enemy. Thanks to our scout planes, our brave and heroic air force and to our fearless intelligence, we now have an accurate picture of the terrain. We know exactly how many bunkers there are and their durability. We built exactly the same kind of bunkers at the polygon in Drepano, used them for target practice and now we know exactly how to destroy them with all of our weapons. All their positions of strength are known to us and so is their whole line of defense, minefields, obstacles, barbed wire, etc. Enemy forces will defend Vicho Region with Division X, Brigades 14 and 102 and with Division XI, Brigades 18 and 103. Specifically, their forces will be deployed on the northern front spanning along the Bela Voda-Bigla-Lundzer-Kulkutria line with 4 infantry battalions, 8 mountain, 5 field and 5 anti-tank cannons. Enemy forces will total about 1,450 fighters of whom thirty percent will be women. The central front spanning along the Polenata-Plati-Kula and Roto line will be defended by 3 infantry battalions, 12 mountain, 4 field and 10 anti-tank cannons. Enemy forces will total about 1,250 fighters. The second line spanning along the Baro-Iamata-Lisets-Moro-Chuka line will be defended with 3 infantry battalions, 6 mountain and 6 anti-tank cannons. Enemy forces will total about 1,060 fighters. The south front spanning along the Mali-Madi line will be defended with 3 infantry battalions, 6 mountain and 3 anti-tank cannons. Enemy forces will total about 1,250 fighters. Brigade 105, consisting of about 1,000 fighters, will remain on reserve in the region around the village Smrdesh as well as about 500 fighters from the School for Officers in the region near the villages Breznitsa-Trnaa. Enemy reserve forces will total about 1500 fighters. From the information given above we can see that the enemy line of defense to the north is located along Bela Voda and Vicho (with a very strong foothold in the middle along the Bigla-Lundzer line) and continues from there to the east along the Kula-Plati-Glavata-Roto line and south where it leans on Mali-Madi with particularly fixed positions on the hills above the villages Kosinets and Labanitsa from where the entry into the village Smrdesh is defended. In depth analysis shows that the enemy is organized around two defensive lines. The first is drawn from Bigla-Lundzer linking the hills of Iorgova Glava-Golinata-Chuka-Lisets-Baro-Iamato with trenches, bunkers and minefields. Behind this defensive line is the road linking Smrdesh-Breznitsa-Zhelevo-Psoderi. The second defensive line lies to the north around Bela Voda turning south to cover Preval and Vrba and ends in the valley near Smrdesh. The final defensive stronghold is in Prespa beginning in the hills between the villages Shtrkovo and Rabi, following along the Lake Prespa peninsula and encompassing the villages Nivitsi, Vineni, Orovo and Grazhdeno. Our research has confirmed that the enemy's morale is high. This is due to last year’s combat successes in Gramos and Vicho (during the battle of Mali-Madi) where they had some successes in the battles for the smaller cities and in taking Gramos in the spring. During the winter and in the spring our enemy reorganized its units and improved its supply of food and clothing. This situation instilled confidence in High Command in believing that 1949 will be a year full of victories, thus raising the morale of our opponent. What is their aim? Their aim is to preserve the last “free space”, by decisively defending the mountains Bela Voda, Vicho and Mali-Madi.

During the offensive, believing that the enemy (us) has been actively engaged and nailed down, they will wait for the situation to change and when conditions are right, they intend to destroy our forces with a counter offensive.” Kozmas paused and stared at the packed hall with people listening to his speech. He filled his glass with orange juice from the crystal jug and drank it slowly. His Adam’s apple jumped up and down violently with every swallow. He then placed his glass to the side and opened a new envelope. “With what forces will we defeat our enemy? Ready for combat we have Infantry Divisions II, IX, X and XI with a total of eleven brigades; Search and Destroy Division III with two infantry brigades, one light infantry regiment and six National Guard battalions. In terms of artillery we have 4 field cannon regiments, 3 medium cannon units, 5 mountain cannon units and nearly half of the available tanks and battle cars that we have, as well as 90 aircraft. Division XV will remain in Rupishta and the 32nd Brigade will remain in Derven as reserves of Supreme Command. The main and major battle task of the Second Corps will be to overpower enemy positions and destroy the opposing forces. The offensive in Vicho Region will take place in four phases. The first phase will commence on August 10th, 1949. The day after the airplane bombings and artillery preparation, Brigade 22 will depart at 10:00 pm and head in the direction of Derven-Kulkuturia-Polenata to take possession of Polenata Hill, elevation 1685 located behind the first line of defense. There it will set up a base and create favourable conditions for further attacks and for the penetration of the Statitsa defense line where our forces will surprise the enemy and occupy the Chuka-Lisets hills. The second phase will commence during the night of August 10th and 11th with a number of synchronized attacks. Division X will depart from Bukovik in order to overcome enemy positions on the Iamata-Baro line, elevation 1,709. Division XI will commence its attacks from Derven-Kulkuturia and continue to attack the Chuka-Lisets line. At the same time the Third Search and Destroy Brigade will commence its attack on the Bigla-Lundzer-Gogova Glava line, elevation 1695, and Brigade 36 will attack Mali-Madi in the south. The 21st Brigade will commence its attacks at the north end, from village Dolno Kleshteni then go over Buf in the direction of German and eventually close the escape route to Yugoslavia after it captures the village Rabi in Prespa Region and closes the Kula road located between the two Prespa lakes. The time for commencing these attacks will be 8 pm on August 10th. The third phase will commence during the night of August 12th and 13th, 1949 with the transfer of our forces to the Vrba-Preval-Korben line and the infiltration of the Prespa valley with the aim of closing off our enemy’s escape route into Albania and Yugoslavia. The fourth phase will commence during August 14th to 16th with the clean up of the Lake Prespa Peninsula area and Vicho Region. Two powerful artillery groups will be allocated to support the infantry. The northern group located in Lerin and south of Lerin and the southern group located in Kostur will have all kinds of immobile cannons. The mechanized artillery units, consisting mostly of tanks, will also provide support. The offensive will commence in the morning with our glorious aviation attacking and destroying set enemy targets and continuing with the destruction of enemy artillery and mortar nests. The aviation will also perform reconnaissance flights by air in order to inform us of ongoing enemy developments and take photographs of the current situation on the front. Ninety combat aircraft will be participating in total.” Kozmas paused for a moment, looked down the hall and, pointing with his finger on the map, said: “At any rate, at the start of the offensive we need to intensify the interaction between our aviation, artillery, infantry and mechanized units.

This is especially important during the assault on Polenata and Hill 1685, which Division III will be attacking first while the task of Divisions X, XI and IX will be to prevent enemy forces from escaping to Albania. You will find details of each phase in the envelopes that you will receive after the meeting. In the Divisional Headquarters of the brigades, regiments and battalions it would be good for the troops and their leaders to study their combat actions and memorize the details of the battlefield. Gentlemen! Until now the Greek army has never handled such a huge combat force of people, assets and equipment. Thanks to our friends and allies, the United States, whose officers and team of experts under the command of our dear and respected General, Mr. Van Fleet, we are more than ready to exterminate our enemy. We are interested in one thing: victory! There will be no negotiations. Only our weapons will speak. No capitulation. There will only be defeat from which they will never recover! Gentlemen, it is my honour to tell you that the offensive will commence on August 10th at 5 am.” The hall thundered with applause. Before Kozmas had a chance to sit down, General Van Fleet stood up and, like a victor parading before an army in formation, stood in front of the map, looked at everyone with a measured look, covered the entire area of Vicho with both his hands and loudly said: “Well, dear generals, you only have to take two handfuls of space. Two handfuls of space and nothing more! We dressed and fed your army well and armed it with the best weapons we have. Now you have everything! The most modern aircraft, the most modern cannons, mine throwers, mortars, napalm bombs and bazookas!” Van Fleet paused for a moment, looked at the audience and continued: “Being in possession of such weapons should boost your courage but for only five days, gentlemen, in just five days you can put an end to this war. Here, he hit the map with his left hand, “here 90 aircraft will drop their bombs and napalm, hundreds of artillery pieces will thunder and just as many mortars will be dropped. On top of that, nearly 80 thousand troops, assisted by over two hundred tanks and armored cars will be stomping this ground! For no more than five days! Don’t take the communists out of the trenches and bunkers, leave them there dead… You have five days and if you don’t destroy the enemy in these five days, adios amigos, we're gone... The American taxpayer spent a lot of money for you and for this war,” concluded Van Fleet. The Great Lie – Chapter 17