Organization for the Protection of the People's Fighters

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The Organization for the Protection of the People's Fighters (Greek: Οργάνωση Προστασίας Λαϊκών Αγωνιστών, abbreviated ΟΠΛΑ - OPLA) was an urban guerrilla organization of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) during the last phase of the Axis Occupation of Greece during World War II. It operated in the cities, and its purpose was ostensibly the "self-defense" of the members of the National Liberation Front (EAM) and its affiliated organizations from the German occupation authorities and the collaborationist government, the Police and the Security Battalions. However, it also became involved in political assassinations of political opponents of the KKE on both ends of the political spectrum, such as Trotskyites and Archive-Marxists. As a result, the activities of the OPLA are a subject of heated debate even today.

The organization was active during the December of 1944 events in Athens, and during the subsequent Greek Civil War, especially in Thessaloniki in 1946-1947. One of its more notable later actions was the assassination of Justice Minister Christos Ladas in Athens on 1 May 1948, by OPLA and KKE member Efstratios Koutsogiannis.

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• (Greek) Urban guerrilla in Thessaloniki

v • d • e Greece in World War II
1940-41 Balkans Campaign	Occupation and Resistance		Greek government in exile
Greco-Italian War Battles: Elaia-Kalamas • Pindus • Italian Spring Offensive • Cape Matapan Commanders: Greece Ioannis Metaxas • Alexander Papagos • Charalambos Katsimitros Italy Sebastiano Visconti Prasca • Ubaldo Soddu • Ugo Cavallero • Giovanni Messe German invasion Battles: Metaxas Line • Vevi • Thermopylae • Crete Commanders: Greece Alexander Papagos • Georgios Tsolakoglou British Expeditionary Corps Henry Maitland Wilson • Thomas Blamey Germany Wilhelm List • Kurt Student	Occupying powers Occupation Authorities: Germany Hermann Neubacher • Walter Schimana • Alexander Löhr • Helmuth Felmy Italy Pellegrino Ghigi • Carlo Geloso Bulgaria Atrocities: Doxato • Kommeno • Kalavryta • Distomo • The Holocaust in Greece Other topics: Greek famine of 1941-42 • Principality of Pindus • Ohrana Collaborators People: Georgios Tsolakoglou • K. Logothetopoulos • Ioannis Rallis • Georgios Poulos Organizations: Security Battalions • ESPO • EEE • Greek National Socialist Party	National Liberation Front (EAM) People: Aris Velouchiotis • Stefanos Sarafis • Georgios Siantos • Markos Vafiades • Evripidis Bakirtzis • Andreas Tzimas Organizations: KKE • ELAS • PEEA • EPON • EA • OPLA • SNOF Operations: Ryka • Mikro Chorio • Gorgopotamos Bridge • Fardykambos • Sarantaporo Non-EAM Resistance People: Napoleon Zervas • Dimitrios Psarros • Kostas Perrikos Organizations: EDES • EKKA • YVE/PAO • PEAN • ΕΟΚ British Mission in Greece (SOE) People: Eddy Myers • Chris Woodhouse • Patrick Leigh Fermor Operations: Gorgopotamos Bridge • Abduction of General Kreipe	Events: El Alamein • Dodecanese Campaign • April 1944 mutiny • Rimini People: King George II • Emm. Tsouderos • Panagiotis Kanellopoulos Notable units: III Mountain Brigade • Sacred Band • Vasilissa Olga • Adrias Towards the Civil War Events: Lebanon conference • Caserta agreement • Moscow percentages agreement • Dekemvriana People: Ronald Scobie • George Papandreou • Archbishop Damaskinos