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World War II directly affected hundreds of millions of people in dozens of nations all around the globe, with Greece placed directly in the crosshairs of the action during the height of the international conflict in the early 1940s. It was at that time that Italian dictator Benito Mussolini, whose nation was notoriously aligned with the Axis Powers (which then also included Germany and Japan), threatened the following to Greece: let the Italians occupy “strategic locations” in Greek territory or become embroiled in war against the Mediterranean nation.
On October 28, 1940, Italian ambassador to Greece Emanuele Grazzi presented the pitch to Greek Prime Minister Ioannis Metaxas, who – as history remembers – replied to the ultimatum with a simple “NO,” which in Greek is said as “όχι,” or “ohi” – or “OH-hee.” It was later clarified that Metexas gave his reply in French with the words “Alors, c’est la guerre!” or “Then it is war.”
And war it soon was for the Greeks, who suffered terrible losses during World War II, which lasted until 1945. It is believed Greece lost more than 500,000 people during the war, with the nation’s Jewish population suffering nearly complete decimation after German forces entered the Hellenic republic.
Eventually, the Axis powers were defeated by the Greeks and the rest of the Allied Front, which included United States forces. Greece’s decision to say “no” to Mussolini had been celebrated by Greeks since some of the darkest days of the war; as Italy began its invasion within hours of the defiant “no,” Greeks took to the streets and resiliently shouted “όχι!” in large-scale protests.
Ohi Day is a national public holiday in Greece and neighboring Cyprus, and it is celebrated with parades, community events, church services, and in a variety of other ways. The day honors Greece’s courageous stand against fascism, and it also commemorates national unity while remembering those who served or were killed during the war. The early through mid-1990s was a period during which many 50th anniversaries were held around the world to commemorate various landmark events of World War II. At the time, Greece fittingly paid homage to the events of October 28, 1940, with a 1,000 drachmai silver coin struck in 1990 that marks the Italian invasion. The 1990 Greece Italian Invasion 1,000 Drachmai can be included in various Greek PCGS Registry Sets.