Nikolaos Plastiras (1883-1953), Greek general and politician.

Nikolaos Plastiras (Greek: Νικόλαος Πλαστήρας) (November 4, 1883 - July 26, 1953) was a general of the Greek army. Greek (el ελληνική γλώσσα or simply el ελληνικά — "Hellenic" is an Indo-European language, spoken today by 15-22 million people mainly Events 1333 - Flood of the Arno River, causing massive damage in Florence as recorded by the Florentine chronicler Giovanni Villani Year 1883 ( MDCCCLXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Events 657 - Battle of Siffin. 811 - Battle of Pliska; Byzantine Emperor Nicephorus Year 1953 ( MCMLIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Greece (Ελλάδα transliterated: Elláda, historically, Ellás,) officially the Hellenic Republic (Ελληνική Δημοκρατία He was known as "O Mavros Kavalaris" ("The Black Horseman"). He was a leader in the Greco-Turkish War of 1919 and after the defeat of Greece, returned to Athens to lead a coup against King Constantine I of Greece. Athens (ˈæθənz Αθήνα Athina,) the Capital and largest city of Greece, dominates the Attica periphery as one of the world's Constantine I King of the Hellenes (Κωνσταντίνος A' Βασιλεύς των Ελλήνων - 11 January 1923 was King of Greece from 1913 to 1917 and from He was one of the leaders of the Greek Resistance during the Axis occupation of Greece during World War II and after the war, he served as a centrist Prime Minister three times, often in coalition with the Liberal Party. The Axis occupation of Greece during World War II ( Η Κατοχή, I Katochi, meaning "The Occupation" began in April Komma Fileleftheron ( Greek: Κόμμα Φιλελευθέρων - literally "Party of Liberals" usually translated as "Liberal Party" was one of the major

Early life

He was born in 1883, in Karditsa, Greece. Year 1883 ( MDCCCLXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Karditsa (Καρδίτσα is a city in western Thessaly in mainland Greece. Plastiras' parents were originally from Morfovouni (formerly Vounesi), a village in the Agrafa mountains of southwestern Thessaly. For the sayings of Jesus that are not found in the canonical Gospels see Agrapha Agrafa (Greek Άγραφα is a mountainous region in Thessalia redirects here For the Butterfly Genus, see Thessalia (butterfly. The municipality was renamed for General Plastiras and Morfovouni is the present capital of Plastiras Municipality. Municipal districts Kerasea Nevropoli Lampero Agios Athanasios The family moved to Karditsa before Plastiras was born.

Military career

After finishing school in Karditsa, he joined the 5th Infantry Regiment as a volunteer in 1904. He fought in the Macedonian Struggle, and participated in the military coup of 1909. The Greek Struggle for Macedonia 1904-1908 (in Greek language: Μακεδονικός Ἀγῶν " Macedonian Struggle " is how the Greeks describe He entered the NCO School in 1910 and, after being assigned to the rank 2nd Lieutenant in 1912, he fought with distinction in the Balkan Wars, where he earned his nickname "The Black Horseman". Year 1912 ( MCMXII) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year starting The Balkan Wars were two wars in South-eastern Europe in 1912–1913 in the course of which the Balkan League ( Bulgaria, Montenegro, Greece He first rose to wider prominence when, as a Major, he supported the Movement of National Defence of Eleftherios Venizelos during the First World War. The Movement of National Defence (Κίνημα της Εθνικής Αμύνης was a revolution by Venizelist officers in Thessaloniki in 1916 against the royal Eleftherios Venizelos (full name Elefthérios Kyriákou Venizélos, Greek: Ελευθέριος Κυριάκου Βενιζέλος ( Mournies World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All He fought with distinction with the 5/42 Evzones Regiment at the battle of Skra-di-Legen and was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel. The 5/42 Evzones Regiment or 42nd Regiment ( Greek: 5/42 Σύνταγμα Εύζωνων or 42° Σύνταγμα was an elite Evzones regiment of the The Battle of Skra di Legen (Skora di Legen was a two day World War I battle which took place at the Skra fortified position located NE of Mount Paiko North In 1919, Colonel Plastiras commanded the 5/42 Evzones Regiment in the Ukraine, as part of an Allied force aiding the White Army in their ultimately unsuccessful fight against the Red Army. The 5/42 Evzones Regiment or 42nd Regiment ( Greek: 5/42 Σύνταγμα Εύζωνων or 42° Σύνταγμα was an elite Evzones regiment of the Ukraine (Україна Ukrayina, /ukrɑˈjinɑ/ is a country in Eastern Europe. The White movement (Beloie Dvijenie Белое движение whose military arm is known as the White Army (Belaia Armia Белая Армия or White Guard The Red Army ( Russian: Рабоче-Крестьянская Красная Армия R aboche- K rest'yanskaya K rasnaya A rmiya His force was then transferred to Smyrna in Asia Minor via Romania. This article is on the Ancient Greek city of Smyrna principally in connection with the ruins remaining to this day Anatolia (Anadolu Ανατολία Anatolía) or Asia minor, comprising most of modern Turkey, is the geographic region bounded by the Black Romania ( dated: Rumania, Roumania

During the botched war with Turkey from 1919-1922, the Turks called Plastiras Kara Biber ("The Black Pepper"), while the 5/42 Evzones became known as the Şeytan Asker ("Satan's Army"). The Evzones, or Evzoni, (Εύζωνες Ευζώνοι is the name of several historical elite Light infantry and Mountain units of the Greek His advance was finally halted at Kale-Grotso, just across the Sakarya River. The Sakarya ( Greek Σαγγάριος, Latinized as Sangarius) is a River in Asia Minor. Soon after, at the battle of Sakarya, the Greeks were forced to begin their retreat. The Battle of Sakarya, also known as the Battle of Sangarios, was an important engagement in the Greco-Turkish War (1919-1922 and Turkish War of Independence After the Turkish breakthrough in August 1922, Colonel Plastiras' unit was among the few retaining any coherence, withdrawing orderly to the coast, fighting off superior Turkish forces, rallying around him men from other units and saving several thousands of Anatolian Greeks along the way. Year 1922 ( MCMXXII) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Anatolia (Anadolu Ανατολία Anatolía) or Asia minor, comprising most of modern Turkey, is the geographic region bounded by the Black The Greeks ( Greek: Έλληνες) are a Nation and Ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighbouring regions For these feats he earned immense popularity, especially among the Ionian Greeks he helped save. The remnants of the Greek Army made their way to the islands of the Eastern Aegean, where the Army's resentment at the political leadership in Athens resulted in the outbreak of the 1922 Revolution on September 11, led by Plastiras, Colonel Stylianos Gonatas and Commander Phokas. Athens (ˈæθənz Αθήνα Athina,) the Capital and largest city of Greece, dominates the Attica periphery as one of the world's Events 9 - The Battle of the Teutoburg Forest ends 506 - The Bishops of Visigothic Gaul Stylianos Gonatas ( Στυλιανός Γονατάς, 1876 1966 was a Greek military officer and Prime Minister of Greece in 1922-1924

Having the support of the Army and much of the people, the Revolution quickly assumed control of the country. Plastiras forced King Constantine to resign, called upon the exiled Venizelos to lead the negotiations with Turkey which culminated in the Treaty of Lausanne, and set about to reorganize the Army to protect the Evros line against any Turkish advance into Western Thrace. Constantine I King of the Hellenes (Κωνσταντίνος A' Βασιλεύς των Ελλήνων - 11 January 1923 was King of Greece from 1913 to 1917 and from Eleftherios Venizelos (full name Elefthérios Kyriákou Venizélos, Greek: Ελευθέριος Κυριάκου Βενιζέλος ( Mournies The Treaty of Lausanne ( July 24, 1923) was a Peace treaty signed in Lausanne that settled the Anatolian part of the Partitioning One of the most controversial acts of the revolutionary government was the trial and execution of five royalist politicians, including former PM Dimitrios Gounaris and the former Commander-in-Chief, General Georgios Hatzianestis, on November 28, 1922 as those mainly responsible for the Asia Minor Disaster, in the infamous "Trial of the Six". Monarchism is the advocacy of the establishment preservation or restoration of a Monarchy as a Form of government in a nation Dimitrios Gounaris (Δημήτριος Γούναρης ( January 5, 1866 - November 15, 1922, Athens) was the Prime Minister Georgios Hatzianestis ( Greek: Γεώργιος Χατζηανέστης Yorgo Hacıanesti (1863 - 15 November 1922) was a Greek General For the town in Argentina, see 28 de Noviembre. Events Year 1922 ( MCMXXII) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. See also 1922 in Greece On August 27, 1922 the Turkish forces entered the city of Smyrni in Asia Minor which was previously annexed to Greece

Plastiras faced multiple challenges in governing Greece. The 1. 3 million refugees from the population exchange had to be catered for in a country with a ruined economy, internationally isolated and internally divided. The Corfu incident, and a botched Royalist coup in October 1923 were evidence of this. The Corfu Incident was a diplomatic emergency in 1923 between Greece and Italy under the newly empowered dictator Benito Mussolini. After the failed royalist coup, King George II was forced to leave the country. Early life first period of kingship and exile George was born at the royal villa at Tatoi, near Athens, the eldest son of Constantine I King of the Hellenes Nonetheless, he managed to restore some order to the state and to lay the groundwork for the Second Hellenic Republic. The history of the Hellenic Republic constitutes three discrete republican periods in modern Greek History: 1822 - 1832, 1924 - After the elections of December 1923 for the new National Assembly, he resigned from the Army on January 2, 1924, retiring to private life. Events 366 - The Alamanni cross the frozen Rhine River in large numbers invading the Roman Empire. Year 1924 ( MCMXXIV) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. In recognition of his services to the country, the National Assembly declared him "worthy of the fatherland" and conferred to him the rank of Lieutenant General in retirement.

Plastiras was even admired by his greatest enemy, Mustafa Kemal (Ataturk). At the end of the war, during the negotiations that took place regarding the exchange of populations between Greece and the newly formed Republic of Turkey, Ataturk is quoted telling Plastiras, "I gave gold and you gave me copper. "

Political career

The Republic that he had helped found proved an unstable one. Coups, counter-coups, the conflict between Venizelists/Republicans and Royalists, and constant economic problems plagued Greece. Plastiras, persecuted during the Pangalos dictatorship, attempted to lead a coup in March 1933, after the anti-Venizelists won the elections, but facing universal reaction (even from Venizelos himself), he was forced to flee abroad. Theodoros Pangalos (Θεόδωρος Πάγκαλος ( 11 January 1878 – 26 February 1952) was a Greek general who briefly Year 1933 ( MCMXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Finally, after the failed Venizelist revolt of 1935, although still abroad, he was condemned in absentia to death. The attempted coup of March 1935 ( Κίνημα του 1935) was a Venizelist revolt against the People's Party government of Panagis Tsaldaris Nonetheless he maintained a high prestige as a war hero and because of his integrity and staunch Republicanism. From his French exile, he watched the Germans overrun Greece, and played a role in the creation of the EDES resistance group, whose titular leadership he had. Greece (Ελλάδα transliterated: Elláda, historically, Ellás,) officially the Hellenic Republic (Ελληνική Δημοκρατία The National Republican Greek League ( Εθνικός Δημοκρατικός Ελληνικός Σύνδεσμος, Ethnikos Dimokratikos Ellinikos Syndesmos, abbreviated

He returned to Greece in 1945, after his selection as prime minister following the December events of 1944, primarily because he was a commonly accepted personality. This is a list of the heads of government of the modern Greek state from its establishment during the Greek Revolution to the present day Plastiras attempted to tread a middle path between the British, who were supporting the returned government-in-exile and the return of King George II, and the democratic-leftist guerilla of the EAM/ELAS. Early life first period of kingship and exile George was born at the royal villa at Tatoi, near Athens, the eldest son of Constantine I King of the Hellenes The National Liberation Front (EAM ( Εθνικό Απελευθερωτικό Μέτωπο (ΕΑΜ, Ethniko Apeleftherotiko Metopo) was the main movement of the The Greek People's Liberation Army ( Ελληνικός Λαϊκός Απελευθερωτικός Στρατός, Ellinikos Laïkos Apeleftherotikos Stratos) abbreviated During his premiership, the Varkiza Agreement was signed. The Treaty of Varkiza (also known as the Varkiza Pact or the Varkiza Peace Agreement) was signed in Varkiza (near Athens) on February 12 His moderate policies and republican sympathies earned the distrust of the British, and he was dismissed after only three months in office.

In 1949, after the end of the Greek Civil War, Plastiras founded a new party, the National Progressive Centre Union (Εθνική Προοδευτική Ένωση Κέντρου, EPEK), forming a following of disappointed Liberals and left-leaning democrats. The Greek Civil War (ο Eμφύλιος, "the Civil War" fought from 1946 to 1949 by the Governmental forces receiving logistical support by the United Kingdom The National Progressive Center Union (Εθνική Προοδευτική Ένωση Κέντρου EPEK was a Greek political party He preached a message of national reconciliation, which put him in conflict with the conservative establishment which sought to punish those who had fought to establish a communist government. Together with Sophoklis Venizelos and George Papandreou, Plastiras formed a coalition government in 1950, which fell, however, when his partners retired. Sophoklis Venizelos ( Greek: Σοφοκλής Βενιζέλος; 3 November 1894 - 7 February 1964) was a prominent George Papandreou (in Greek Georgios Papandreou or Γεώργιος Παπανδρέου ( 18 February 1888 - 1 November 1968) was In the September 1951 elections, EPEK emerged as the strongest of the centrist parties. Plastiras formed a coalition government with Sophoklis Venizelos' Liberals, and attempted to address the great problems of the country. Sophoklis Venizelos ( Greek: Σοφοκλής Βενιζέλος; 3 November 1894 - 7 February 1964) was a prominent His government initiated the economic recovery and the reconstruction of Greece. A monument to this is the construction of the dam at the Tavropos (Megdovas) River to form a lake, a program that he initiated. The Dam at Lake Plastiras was constructed during the period of 1958–1962 Tavropos may refer to Tavropos, a settlement that is part of the municipality of Sofades in the southeastern Karditsa prefecture The lake and dam, both formerly named Tavropos, now bear his name. His policy of conciliation, however, was bitterly assailed from the right, distrusted from the left, and undermined even by members of his own cabinet. A defining moment of his failure was the conviction and execution of Nikos Belogiannis in March 1952. Nikos Beloyannis (Νίκος Μπελογιάννης was a Greek Communist and resistance leader born in Amalias ( Peloponnese, Greece) in After losing the elections of November 1952, his political career, and with it the liberal 'Centrist Intermission', came to an end. He died in poverty in 1953 in Athens.

• Informations, maps, reservations for Lake Plastiras - Λίμνη Πλαστήρα
• Lake Plastiras - Λίμνη Πλαστήρα