Greece was the gateway for the Nazis to enter Russia. When Mussolini gave an ultimatium for Greece to let the Italian army freely pass through Greece and occupy sites in Greece unopposed.
They were not expecting resistance from Greece and to their great surprise, Mextas – Prime Minister of Greece at the time, responded in French, the diplomatic language at the time, with a strong and simple phrase ““Alors, c’est la guerre.” (“Then, it is war,”)
Without notice, the Italian army began attempting to invade Greece along the Northern border. But again they were surprised as Greek provided a powerful defense.
This lasted for six months, and although Greece was able to hold back the Italian Army, when the Germans came to help they were delayed one month by the Greece opposition. The Germans triumphed and raised a Swastika over the Acropolis, but this served as one of their last victories.
Due to the German armies extended time in Greece, they traveled to Russia in unknown conditions.
Being ill-prepared, the German army came to tough times in the USSR and this
was one major defeat that ultimately resulted in the downfall of the Nazi
Party.
Winston Churchill made note of the Greeks bravery saying, “…until now we would say that the Greeks fight like heroes. From now on we will say that heroes fight like Greeks.”