Ohi Day
Celebrated throughout Greece, Cyprus and the Greek communities around the world on October 28 each year, Ohi Day (also spelled Ochi Day, Greek: Επέτειος του «'Οχι», Anniversary of the "No") commemorates Greek Prime Minister Ioannis Metaxas's (in power from August 4 1936 until January 29 1941) rejection of the ultimatum made by Italian dictator Mussolini on October 28, 1940.
The Italian ultimatum
This ultimatum, which was presented to Metaxas by the Italian ambassador in Greece, Emanuele Grazzi, on October 28 1940, at dawn (04:00 AM), after a party in the German embassy in Athens, demanded that Greece allow Axis forces to enter Greek territory and occupy certain unspecified "strategic locations" or otherwise face war. It was allegedly answered with a single laconic word: όχι or no. Most scholars dismiss the use of the word 'Ohi' as an urban legend, claiming that the actual reply was the French phrase "Alors, c'est la guerre" ("Then it is war"). In response to Metaxas's refusal, Italian troops stationed in Albania, then an Italian protectorate, attacked the Greek border at 05:30 AM. Metaxas's reply marked the beginning of Greece's participation in World War II (see Greco-Italian War and Battle of Greece).
On the morning of October 28 the Greek population took to the streets, irrespective of political affiliation, shouting 'ohi'. From 1942, it was celebrated as Ohi Day.
Anniversary
During the war, October 28 was commemorated yearly by Greek communities around the world and in Greece, and after WWII it became a public holiday in Greece. The events of 1940 are commemorated every year with military and student parades. On every anniversary, most public buildings and residences are decorated with Greek flags.
Pronunciation
The Greek word for no is όχι ([pronunciation?], with the ό stressed and pronounced; χ is pronounced similar to the h in the British Received Pronunciation of human (voiceless palatal fricative) — ι is pronounced like the 'e' in 'he'.
Cultural References
The novel Captain Corelli's Mandolin features a fictionalized account of the meeting between Metaxas and Grazzi, written from Grazzi's point of view.