Nikolaos Plastiras

Military career

In 1919, Plastiras commanded the 5/42 Evzones Regiment in Ukraine as part of an Allied force aiding the White Army in their ultimately unsuccesful fight against the Red Army. His force was then transferred to Smyrna in Asia Minor via a port in Romania.

Related Topics:
5/42 Evzones Regiment - Ukraine - White Army - Red Army - Smyrna - Asia Minor - Romania

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During the botched war with Turkey from 1921-1923, General Plastiras was responsible for arresting the Greek army's retreat and stabilising the front in Thrace along the Evros River. His stance is considered heroic since it helped save the lives of large masses of Anatolian Greeks.

Related Topics:
Turkey - 1921 - 1923 - Thrace - Evros - Anatolia - Greeks

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The Turks called Plastiras Kara Piper ("The Black Pepper"), while the 5/42 Evzones were known as the Seitan Asker ("Satan's Army"). His advance was finally halted at Kale-Grotso, just across the river Sakarya. Soon after, at the battle of Battle of Sakarya, the Greeks were forced to begin their retreat.

Related Topics:
Evzones - Kale-Grotso - Sakarya - Battle of Sakarya

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After the war he had six royalist generals and politicians who were held responsible for the defeat court-marshalled and executed. Plastiras also forced Greece's King Constantine I to leave the country in 1923. Plastiras help to lay the groundwork for the 1st Hellenic Republic. These actions gave him widespread fame for being one of the few republican officers in the Greek army.

Related Topics:
Royalist - Court-marshalled - Constantine I - 1923 - 1st Hellenic Republic - Republican

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

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