The Metaxas Myth

A detailed account of General Ioannis Metaxas's attempts to mimic the fascist models of Mussolini, Hitler, and Franco by portraying himself as the 'saviour' of the Greek nation in an effort to build his power base as dictator.

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The first detailed study of Ioannis Metaxas and his self-promotion as 'Saviour of theNation', this book includes a fascinating examination of propaganda techniques based on Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany that brings tha personality of Metaxas to life with vivid writing. Why did the propaganda efforts that succeeded so thoroughly in Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany fail so drastically in Greece? "The Metaxas Myth" is the first detailed account of General Ioannis Metaxas's attempts to mimic the fascist models of Mussolini, Hitler, and Franco by portraying himself as the 'saviour' of the Greek nation in an effort to build his power base as dictator. Following the dissolution of parliament in 1936 up to his death in 1941, Metaxas used every media outlet available to promote his great myth: newspapers, periodicals, cinema, theatre and radio. Marina Petrakis analyses the nature of Metaxas's shortcomings: the errors made and the policies that eventually bred not loyalty, but at best apathy and at worst hostility towards his would-be autocracy.