Thrasyvoulos Tsakalotos
Encyclopedia
Thrasyvoulos Tsakalotos ' onMouseout='HidePop("73064")' href="/topics/Preveza">Preveza
, Ottoman Empire
— 15 August 1989, Athens
), was a Hellenic Army
officer who served in World War I
, the Greco-Turkish War of 1919–1922 and World War II
, rising to become Chief of the Hellenic Army General Staff
.
Tsakalotos was born in Preveza
in 1897. He entered the Hellenic Army Academy in 1913 and graduated from it as an Infantry 2nd Lieutenant in 1916. He fought at the Macedonian Front of World War I
as well as in Anatolia against the Turks, being promoted to Lieutenant in 1917 and Captain in 1920. In the interwar period he held various staff appointments and commands, as well as a teaching post in the War Academy. He was promoted to Major in 1924, Lt Colonel in 1930 and Colonel in 1938.
During the Greco-Italian War
, he commanded the 3/40 Evzone Regiment
, until he was appointed Chief of Staff of II Army Corps on 22 March 1941, shortly before the German attack and occupation
of Greece. In 1942, he managed to escape the country and reach Egypt, where the Greek government in exile
resided. There he was placed in charge of the Ismaïlia
training centre, before assuming command of the newly formed 3rd Greek Mountain Brigade
in April 1944. He led his brigade during the Gothic Line offensive in Italy, including the Battle of Rimini
, and then in the Dekemvriana clashes with the pro-Communist EAM-ELAS in Athens in December 1944.
In March 1945 he was appointed CO of the 2nd Infantry Division. In the next year he was placed as the head of the Supreme War Academy and promoted to Major General. In 1947, he was appointed Assistant Deputy Chief of the Army General Staff. In 1948 he was promoted to Lt General and given command of I Army Corps and then II Army Corps, from which position he contributed to the victory of the Hellenic Army in the Greek Civil War
. From May 1951 he served as Chief of the Army General Staff, resigning the post in November 1952. In 1957–1960, Tsakalotos also served as Greece's ambassador
in Yugoslavia
. Following the Metapolitefsi
of 1974, Tsakalotos became a supporter of Andreas Papandreou
and PASOK; in the elections of 1985 he published a statement encouraging people to vote for PASOK and saying that he felt Andreas was like a brother to him. (Avriani, May 1985)
On 23 March 1984, as a symbolic gesture of reconciliation and healing of the divisions caused by the Civil War, Tsakalotos publicly met and shook hands with his erstwhile adversary, Markos Vafiades, the commander of the Communist forces.
Thrasyvoulos Tsakalotos died in Athens on 15 August 1989.
Preveza
Preveza is a town in the region of Epirus, northwestern Greece, located at the mouth of the Ambracian Gulf. It is the capital of the regional unit of Preveza, which is part of the region of Epirus. An immersed tunnel, completed in 2002 which runs between Preveza and Actium, connects the town...
, Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
— 15 August 1989, Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
), was a Hellenic Army
Hellenic Army
The Hellenic Army , formed in 1828, is the land force of Greece.The motto of the Hellenic Army is , "Freedom Stems from Valor", from Thucydides's History of the Peloponnesian War...
officer who served in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, the Greco-Turkish War of 1919–1922 and World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, rising to become Chief of the Hellenic Army General Staff
Hellenic Army General Staff
The Hellenic Army General Staff is the general staff of the Hellenic Army, the terrestrial component of the Greek Armed Forces. It was established in 1906 as the Army Staff Service . Since 1950, the HAGS is subordinated to the Hellenic National Defense General Staff...
.
Tsakalotos was born in Preveza
Preveza
Preveza is a town in the region of Epirus, northwestern Greece, located at the mouth of the Ambracian Gulf. It is the capital of the regional unit of Preveza, which is part of the region of Epirus. An immersed tunnel, completed in 2002 which runs between Preveza and Actium, connects the town...
in 1897. He entered the Hellenic Army Academy in 1913 and graduated from it as an Infantry 2nd Lieutenant in 1916. He fought at the Macedonian Front of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
as well as in Anatolia against the Turks, being promoted to Lieutenant in 1917 and Captain in 1920. In the interwar period he held various staff appointments and commands, as well as a teaching post in the War Academy. He was promoted to Major in 1924, Lt Colonel in 1930 and Colonel in 1938.
During the Greco-Italian War
Greco-Italian War
The Greco-Italian War was a conflict between Italy and Greece which lasted from 28 October 1940 to 23 April 1941. It marked the beginning of the Balkans Campaign of World War II...
, he commanded the 3/40 Evzone Regiment
3/40 Evzone Regiment
The 3/40 Evzone Regiment or 40th Regiment was an elite regiment of Evzones of the Hellenic Army, recruited in Epirus and headquartered in Arta. It was formed in 1913 after the Balkan Wars. In 1920, it was the first Greek unit to enter Adrianople, the capital of Eastern Thrace which had been ceded...
, until he was appointed Chief of Staff of II Army Corps on 22 March 1941, shortly before the German attack and occupation
Battle of Greece
The Battle of Greece is the common name for the invasion and conquest of Greece by Nazi Germany in April 1941. Greece was supported by British Commonwealth forces, while the Germans' Axis allies Italy and Bulgaria played secondary roles...
of Greece. In 1942, he managed to escape the country and reach Egypt, where the Greek government in exile
Greek government in exile
The Greek government in exile was the official government of Greece, headed by King George II, which evacuated from Athens in April 1941, after the German invasion of the country, first to the island of Crete and then to Cairo in Egypt. Hence it is also referred to as the "Cairo Government"...
resided. There he was placed in charge of the Ismaïlia
Ismaïlia
-Notable natives:*Osman Ahmed Osman, a famous and influential Egyptian engineer, contractor, entrepreneur, and politician, was born in this town on 6 April 1917....
training centre, before assuming command of the newly formed 3rd Greek Mountain Brigade
3rd Greek Mountain Brigade
The 3rd Greek Mountain Brigade was a unit of mountain infantry formed by the Greek government in exile in Egypt during World War II. It was formed from politically reliable right-wing and pro-royalist personnel following a pro-EAM mutiny among the Greek armed forces in Egypt in April 1944...
in April 1944. He led his brigade during the Gothic Line offensive in Italy, including the Battle of Rimini
Battle of Rimini (1944)
The Battle of Rimini took place in between 13 and 21 September 1944 during Operation Olive, the main Allied offensive on the Gothic Line in August and September 1944, part of the Italian Campaign in the Second World War. Rimini, a town on the Adriatic coast of Italy, anchored the Rimini Line, a...
, and then in the Dekemvriana clashes with the pro-Communist EAM-ELAS in Athens in December 1944.
In March 1945 he was appointed CO of the 2nd Infantry Division. In the next year he was placed as the head of the Supreme War Academy and promoted to Major General. In 1947, he was appointed Assistant Deputy Chief of the Army General Staff. In 1948 he was promoted to Lt General and given command of I Army Corps and then II Army Corps, from which position he contributed to the victory of the Hellenic Army in the Greek Civil War
Greek Civil War
The Greek Civil War was fought from 1946 to 1949 between the Greek governmental army, backed by the United Kingdom and United States, and the Democratic Army of Greece , the military branch of the Greek Communist Party , backed by Bulgaria, Yugoslavia and Albania...
. From May 1951 he served as Chief of the Army General Staff, resigning the post in November 1952. In 1957–1960, Tsakalotos also served as Greece's ambassador
Ambassador
An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
in Yugoslavia
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was the Yugoslav state that existed from the abolition of the Yugoslav monarchy until it was dissolved in 1992 amid the Yugoslav Wars. It was a socialist state and a federation made up of six socialist republics: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia,...
. Following the Metapolitefsi
Metapolitefsi
The Metapolitefsi was a period in Greek history after the fall of the Greek military junta of 1967–1974 that includes the transitional period from the fall of the dictatorship to the Greek legislative elections of 1974 and the democratic period immediately after these elections.The long...
of 1974, Tsakalotos became a supporter of Andreas Papandreou
Andreas Papandreou
Andreas G. Papandreou ; 5 February 1919 – 23 June 1996) was a Greek economist, a socialist politician and a dominant figure in Greek politics. The son of Georgios Papandreou, Andreas was a Harvard-trained academic...
and PASOK; in the elections of 1985 he published a statement encouraging people to vote for PASOK and saying that he felt Andreas was like a brother to him. (Avriani, May 1985)
On 23 March 1984, as a symbolic gesture of reconciliation and healing of the divisions caused by the Civil War, Tsakalotos publicly met and shook hands with his erstwhile adversary, Markos Vafiades, the commander of the Communist forces.
Thrasyvoulos Tsakalotos died in Athens on 15 August 1989.