Operation Koronis

v t e Greek Civil War
Prelude 5/42 dissolution Meligalas Kilkis Dekemvriana Thiseio-Makrygianni War Litochoro attack Operation Terminus Operation Limnes Konitsa Thessaloniki bombing) Ierapetra Operation Charavgi Makronisos Kalavryta Operation Koronis Kastoria Operation Peristera Agios Vasileios Karditsa Naousa Karpenisi Florina Operation Pyravlos Metaxades Operation Pyrsos

Greek Civil War

Prelude

War

Operation Koronis (Greek: Επιχείρηση «Κορωνίς», "crown" in Greek) was a military campaign launched by the royalist government in Athens against the main stronghold of the communist forces during the Greek Civil War. The communist defenses were two lines of fortifications with minefields and concealed bunkers. Initial air attacks used small-sized bombs and inaccurate targeting, but eventually, the frequency of attacks was more than tripled. After neutralizing the minefields by forcing herds of animals to walk over them, the government army launched simultaneous attacks from two sides. In the southwest, the hill of Kleftis changed hands repeatedly. With heavier casualties against a numerically superior opponent, the communists had their wounded and artillery moved across the border to the People's Republic of Albania. At the same time, the remaining 8,000 retreated to Mount Vitsi.

Aftermath

Although the Hellenic Army failed to completely defeat the communists, the latter realized the lack of assistance they received from the Soviet Union, and the royalist government became stronger with assistance from the United States (Truman Doctrine). During the campaign, the Tito–Stalin Split developed between Yugoslavia and the Soviet Union which would eventually split the Greek communists into separate factions.

Bibliography

This article includes a list of references, related reading, or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. Please help improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (May 2016) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

A Military History of the Cold War, 1944–1962 By Jonathan M. House
Encyclopedia of Insurgency and Counterinsurgency: A New Era of Modern Warfare edited by Spencer C. Tucker

v t e Greek Civil War
Background	4th of August Regime Axis occupation of Greece Greek Resistance National Liberation Front Greek People's Liberation Army National Republican Greek League (EDES) Collaborationist governments Security Battalions Greek government-in-exile Red Terror Lebanon Conference Caserta Agreement Battle of Meligalas Battle of Kilkis (1944) Dekemvriana Treaty of Varkiza White Terror 1946 election 1946 referendum
Events (1946-1949)	Litochoro attack Truman Doctrine Battle of Konitsa Thessaloniki bombing Capture of Ierapetra Operation Charavgi Massacre of the First Sapper Battalion Operation Koronis Operation Peristera Operation Pyravlos Tito–Stalin split Operation Pyrsos
Communists	Communist Party of Greece Provisional Democratic Government Democratic Army of Greece Popular Civil Guard National Liberation Front (Macedonia) Nikos Zachariadis Markos Vafiadis Charilaos Florakis Alexandros Rosios Petros Kokkalis
National Government	George II of Greece Paul of Greece Archbishop Damaskinos of Athens Themistoklis Sofoulis Konstantinos Tsaldaris Alexandros Papagos Konstantinos Ventiris Konstantinos Dovas Thrasyvoulos Tsakalotos Dimitrios Giatzis James Van Fleet Hellenic Army Royal Hellenic Air Force Greek Gendarmerie Countryside Security Units TEA
Impact and aftermath	Refugees Internal exile Sacred Bond of Greek Officers Centrist Interlude Greek junta Metapolitefsi

Categories: