Battle for Greece

The soldiers of the Greek government army take the fight to Communist Party rebels in this dispatch from one of the first conflicts of the Cold War. Gripping footage from the mountain villages show that there was more to guerilla warfare than fighting, as members of the rebel army perform the traditional Syrtos dance in front of a special UN commission, to prove that they are genuine Greek patriots, rather than traitors sponsored by neighbouring Communist states.

This March of Time film is a valuable document of a relatively little known and discussed conflict: the Greek Civil War of 1946 - 1949. Despite its pro-American, anti-Communist line, this issue evokes something of the drama, complexity and pathos of the situation, and presents the insurgency as a human tragedy peopled by refugee children, rebel soldiers forced to fight against their will, and political prisoners whose only crime (it is hinted) may be dissent. Despite the often grim subject matter, the British army’s presence in Greece provides a rare moment of humour in the form of a sign bearing the legend: ‘Last taverna for miles and miles - try our egg and chips’.