What autonomy? Even teaching in Germans was not permitted and against the law
Good point, the autonomy came later. The lack of autonomy for the region does increase the possibility of local revolt (probably somewhat passive
ala Catalunya at first and an Italian over reaction that leads to IRA level armed revolt. Austria then threatens to intervene as the guardian of the local German speaking population.
If Italy is not involved in the general war, Greece is not in the same position than OTL as even if the first campaign go as OTL, now she have the reserve to strike again while the Greeks...not, plus consider that the best army and air force unit were in North Africa fighting against the British at the time...so no, there is no way that Greece get out of this on the winning side.
I am thinking that the Metaxas follows fellow fascist Franco and becomes a pro axis nueteral. They could also become a co belligerant, but not a formal ally of Germany. Maybe.....
- Greece permits the Germans to establish naval and airbases in Greece.
- Germany facilitates the transfer of southern Albania to Greece, and also allows Greek troops to occupy disputed areas in Yugoslav Macedonia- or heck, maybe all of Yugoslav Macedonia.
- Greece, like Finland, never declares war on the western allies. But Greece does allows several thousand right wing zealots to be deployed to the Eastern Front as Waffen Legion "Sparta".
- Greece, with no history of anti Semitism beyond a few broken shop windows, also refuses to cooperate in the Holocaust.
After the war, the Greek position is looking good:
Sure, the axis lost- but Greece’s commitment was one brigade of volunteer zealots. The Greeks petition to keep southern Albania and at least the border parts of Macedonia (do the allies really want these regions going communist?).
And….. Oh yeah, the former cooperation with Germany was a “misunderstanding”. Now, Metaxas wants military aid from the allies to defeat Greek leftists. Of course, removing Metaxas could lead to chaos…. and a communist Greece.
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