Thrasyvoulos Tsakalotos was one of the greatest soldiers in modern Greek history. He fought in World War I and the Asia Minor Campaign. Hero of the North-continental mountains in charge of the heroic 3/40 Evzones Regiment, in 1940-41, he went to the Middle East and after adventures became the commander of the famous Greek III Mountain Brigade. He gloried with his men at Rimini, crushing the Germans.
However, when III Orenis returned to free Greece, she was not treated, by everyone, with the love and respect she was due. The EAM and ELAS demanded its dissolution, as if the III Mountain - which had the strength of a reinforced regiment, in fact - depended on its dominance in Greece. It is worth noting that the December movement did not explode in Athens after the "bloody suppression of the people's demonstration". It had already started in Eastern Macedonia from December 1, 1944.
It should also be mentioned that when the movement exploded both the Germans and the Bulgarians were still on Greek soil, in northern Greece. The latter would not lay down their arms until the capitulation of their homeland to the Allies, on May 8, 1945. As the climate became increasingly gloomy and the December uprising approached, Tsakalotos made a move that honors him as a Greek and as a soldier. He reached the point of punishing even his men, who, provoked by the EAM, reacted and appealed to the EAM! Here's what he said:
"The Brigade fulfilled the mandate of the Greek people and fought the Huns in Italy, after it had already fought in Africa. The Brigade consists entirely of Greeks from all over the world and of a single and unique ideology - Greek. Caito felt sorry because he saw that her military position and direction were being called into question and she reviled and reviles that she was given as a slogan for battles when it should have been given as a slogan for exemplifying religious performance of duty, yet she constantly limits herself so as not to give cause even for her presence.
"There is no case except for retreat and no provocation. Its motto is union and glorified Greece. Yet it is in front of you. It is her obligation to Greece. From this moment on, the Brigade falls under another jurisdiction.
"However, as the commander of this Brigade, I exorcise you, even though I do not have the authority to do so, do not force the soldiers to turn their weapons against you. They are soldiers and will perform their duty and never fail. For God's sake do not provoke a fratricidal struggle. Don't listen to the few criminals. Bulgarians are sarcastic, Near you Germans, Italians and Bulgarians are taking advantage.
"We all know this and nothing will prevent soldiers from defending Greece because they are defending it against the Bulgarians. BROTHERS, do not push the soldiers into a fratricidal struggle. They will perform their duty. But I beg you not to push them. The Brigade is pre-eminently Greek, only Greek and purely Greek knowing only one party:GREECE. They will give their lives for it.
Athens on December 3, 1944
The Brigadier General
Tsakalotos Thrasyvoulos, Colonel of Infantry”
Tsakalotos also distinguished himself in the operations of the Civil War, taking over the command of the 1st Army Corps and becoming a real scourge of the so-called "Democratic Army of Greece (DSE)" of the KKE, while later he also took over as chief of the Army General Staff. Many years later he shook hands with his rival Markos Vafiadis. He was also the ambassador of Greece to Yugoslavia.
