Ioannis Sotiris Alexakis (1885–1980) was a

Cretan Crete ( el, Κρήτη, translit=, Modern: , Ancient: ) is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the 88th largest island in the world and the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, after Sicily, Sardinia, Cyprus, and ...

lieutenant general who fought in several major conflicts such as the

Balkan Wars The Balkan Wars refers to a series of two conflicts that took place in the Balkan States in 1912 and 1913. In the First Balkan War, the four Balkan States of Greece, Serbia, Montenegro and Bulgaria declared war upon the Ottoman Empire and defe ...

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, the

Asia Minor Campaign Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Afr ...

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, and numerous other battles. He was awarded 20 medals for bravery.

Early life and education

Ioannis was born on 1 November 1885 in the village of Potamoi, at the

Lasithi Plateau The Lasithi Plateau ( el, Οροπέδιο Λασιθίου, ''Oropedio Lasithiou''), sometimes spelt Lassithi Plateau, is a high endorheic plateau, located in the Lasithi regional unit in eastern Crete, Greece. Since the 1997 Kapodistrias reform, ...

on the then-Turkish occupied island of

Crete Crete ( el, Κρήτη, translit=, Modern: , Ancient: ) is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the 88th largest island in the world and the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, after Sicily, Sardinia, Cyprus, and ...

. Many of his relatives fought for Crete's independence from the

Ottomans The Ottoman Turks ( tr, Osmanlı Türkleri), were the Turkic founding and sociopolitically the most dominant ethnic group of the Ottoman Empire ( 1299/1302–1922). Reliable information about the early history of Ottoman Turks remains scarce, ...

, including Michael Alexis,

Nicholas Alexios Alexis Nicholas Alexios Alexis (1761-1818) was a key figure and a resistance leader in the independence struggle in Crete. He was born in Marmaketo, a village of Lassithi Plateau, in 1761 when Crete was part of the Ottoman Empire. He was a son of Alexios ...

, Alexios Alexis, and the nobleman Misser Alexis. He spent a majority of his later school years in the nearby city of

Agios Nikolaos, Crete Agios Nikolaos, Hagios Nikolaos or Aghios Nikolaos ( el, Άγιος Νικόλαος ) is a coastal town on the Greek island of Crete, lying east of the island's capital Heraklion, north of the town of Ierapetra and west of the town of Sitia. In t ...

. Alexakis entered service in the

Hellenic Army The Hellenic Army ( el, Ελληνικός Στρατός, Ellinikós Stratós, sometimes abbreviated as ΕΣ), formed in 1828, is the land force of Greece. The term ''Hellenic'' is the endogenous synonym for ''Greek''. The Hellenic Army is the ...

and graduated from the

Hellenic Military Academy The Hellenic Army Academy ( el, Στρατιωτική Σχολή Ευελπίδων), commonly known as the Evelpidon, is a military academy. It is the Officer cadet school of the Greek Army and the oldest third-level educational institution in G ...

. He quickly climbed the ranks. One of his first successes came when Alexakis was 27 and received orders to proceed to

Thessaloniki Thessaloniki (; el, Θεσσαλονίκη, , also known as Thessalonica (), Saloniki, or Salonica (), is the second-largest city in Greece, with over one million inhabitants in its Thessaloniki metropolitan area, metropolitan area, and the capi ...

. He executed the order quickly and his platoon was the first to enter Thessaloniki on 26 October 1912.

Junior army officer, Balkan Wars of 1912 and 1913

The Greek Army accepted the surrender of the Ottoman garrison at Thessaloniki on 26 October 1912. The Bulgarian army arrived at Thessaloniki one day after the surrender of the city to Greece.

Hasan Tahsin Pasha Hasan Tahsin Pasha (1845–1918), also known as Hasan Tahsin Mesarea, was a senior Ottoman military officer, who served in the Greco-Turkish War of 1897, and in the First Balkan War. Biography and career Hasan Tahsin was an Albanian, born i ...

, the Ottoman ruler of the city, told the Bulgarian officer: "I had only one Thessaloniki, which I had to surrender." On 14 October 1912, Crete was annexed to Greece. Alexakis, who was an avid supporter of

Eleftherios Venizelos Eleftherios Kyriakou Venizelos ( el, Ελευθέριος Κυριάκου Βενιζέλος, translit=Elefthérios Kyriákou Venizélos, ; – 18 March 1936) was a Greek statesman and a prominent leader of the Greek national liberation movem ...

and his

Venizelism Venizelism ( el, Βενιζελισμός) was one of the major political movements in Greece from the 1900s until the mid-1970s. Main ideas Named after Eleftherios Venizelos, the key characteristics of Venizelism were: *Greek irredentism: T ...

, continued to advance towards the north. With the

Allies An alliance is a relationship among people, groups, or states that have joined together for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not explicit agreement has been worked out among them. Members of an alliance are called ...

' support Greece advanced and extended its borders. During both

of 1912 and 1913, Alexakis’ troops moved swiftly and brought key battles to successful conclusions, including the Battle of

Arnaia Arnaia ( el, Αρναία), is a town and a former municipality in Chalkidiki, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Aristotelis, of which it is a municipal unit. The municipal unit has an area of 288.739&nbs ...

on 2 November 1912,

Ierissos Ierissos ( el, Ιερισσός) is a small town on the east coast of the Akti peninsula in Chalkidiki, Greece. It is located 160 km from Thessaloniki, and 10 km from the border of the Autonomous Monastic State of the Holy Mountain, or M ...

and the capture of

Mount Athos Mount Athos (; el, Ἄθως, ) is a mountain in the distal part of the eponymous Athos peninsula and site of an important centre of Eastern Orthodox monasticism in northeastern Greece. The mountain along with the respective part of the penins ...

from the Turks before the arrival of the Bulgarians, the

Battle of Kilkis–Lachanas The Battle of Kilkis–Lachanas took place between Greece and Bulgaria during the Second Balkan War. The two countries fought for the town of Kilkis in Central Macedonia from 19 to 21 June 1913 O.S. with Greece ultimately being victorious. B ...

in June 1913, and the fight over Height 1378 in July 1913. These victories came with heavy casualties on both sides, with Greece suffering 8652 killed and wounded; Bulgaria, 7000 killed and wounded, and 2500 captured. During these battles Alexakis was injured twice: on 12 July 1913, he was wounded seriously in the heart. But after these battles, Bulgaria was driven from Macedonia.

First World War, 1914–1918

When the Balkan Wars ended in autumn of 1913, the balance of power had changed. The

Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...

had lost almost all its European holdings, Bulgaria was defeated, Serbia made some gains and Greece was enlarged. This rearrangement soon ignited a new crisis, the prelude to the First World War, which started on 28 July 1914. By September 1916, Bulgaria had seized considerable territories in northeastern Greece. The Prime Minister

formed a Provisional Government of National Defense in

and Alexakis was an

adjutant Adjutant is a military appointment given to an officer who assists the commanding officer with unit administration, mostly the management of human resources in an army unit. The term is used in French-speaking armed forces as a non-commission ...

in this government. Many skirmishes, conflicts and a number of battles had started again amongst the Balkan countries. Therefore, in 1918, Alexakis was sent with his forces to northern Greece where, on 17 May 1918, during the fourteen-day

Battle of Skra-di-Legen The Battle of Skra-di-Legen (Skora di Legen) was a two-day battle which took place at the Skra fortified position, located northeast of Mount Paiko, which is north-west of Thessaloniki, on May 29–30, 1918, on the Macedonian front of World War I ...

, he was injured. Later in September, the Battle of Doiran commenced and was one of the surprises of

; it is called the battle of "P" Ridge which occurred on 18 September 1918. The fierce attack lasted three days before the Bulgarian army collapsed. Alexakis was given the Distinguished Service Medal by the General

Louis Franchet d'Espèrey Louis Félix Marie François Franchet d'Espèrey (25 May 1856 – 8 July 1942) was a French general during World War I. As commander of the large Allied army based at Salonika, he conducted the successful Macedonian campaign, which caused t ...

. This quick victory was the result of a well-planned attack by the

which compelled Bulgaria to give up and sign the

Armistice of Salonica The Armistice of Salonica (also known as the Armistice of Thessalonica) was signed on 29 September 1918 between Bulgaria and the Allied Powers in Thessaloniki. The convention followed a request by the Bulgarian government for a ceasefire on 24 ...

on 29 September 1918. This armistice was signed by General d'Espèrey and shortly after this, on 11 November 1918, the First World War was over.

Interwar period

After the First World War, unity and a constitutional government were restored in Athens. During these years of peace, Alexakis researched and wrote accurate accounts and articles of historic merit. However, three years later in 1921, he was ordered back to line of military duty for the

. Under the

Treaty of Sèvres The Treaty of Sèvres (french: Traité de Sèvres) was a 1920 treaty signed between the Allies of World War I and the Ottoman Empire. The treaty ceded large parts of Ottoman territory to France, the United Kingdom, Greece and Italy, as well ...

in 1920, between the Allied powers and the

, Greece had a mandate for the occupation of

Smyrna Smyrna ( ; grc, Σμύρνη, Smýrnē, or , ) was a Greek city located at a strategic point on the Aegean coast of Anatolia. Due to its advantageous port conditions, its ease of defence, and its good inland connections, Smyrna rose to promi ...

but the treaty, although signed was never ratified. Based on this treaty, the Greeks advanced beyond Smyrna, but by September 1922 Turkey recovered the land in

Asia Minor Anatolia, tr, Anadolu Yarımadası), and the Anatolian plateau, also known as Asia Minor, is a large peninsula in Western Asia and the westernmost protrusion of the Asian continent. It constitutes the major part of modern-day Turkey. The re ...

. The Turkish forces killed most of the Greeks in Asia Minor and burned down Smyrna. In 1923, by the

Treaty of Lausanne The Treaty of Lausanne (french: Traité de Lausanne) was a peace treaty negotiated during the Lausanne Conference of 1922–23 and signed in the Palais de Rumine, Lausanne, Switzerland, on 24 July 1923. The treaty officially settled the conflic ...

, Greece lost all territorial rights in Asia Minor and a

Greco-Turkish population exchange The 1923 population exchange between Greece and Turkey ( el, Ἡ Ἀνταλλαγή, I Antallagí, ota, مبادله, Mübâdele, tr, Mübadele) stemmed from the "Convention Concerning the Exchange of Greek and Turkish Populations" signed at ...

was arranged. Alexakis was injured on 1 July 1921, before the Greek front collapsed and the Turkish army advanced. In 1924, Alexakis attended the Cours Supérieur d'État-Major in France, and later he was promoted from Colonel to Major General. In 1937, in a demonstration against the

Ioannis Metaxas Ioannis Metaxas (; el, Ιωάννης Μεταξάς; 12th April 187129th January 1941) was a Greek military officer and politician who served as the Prime Minister of Greece from 1936 until his death in 1941. He governed constitutionally for t ...

’

dictatorship A dictatorship is a form of government which is characterized by a leader, or a group of leaders, which holds governmental powers with few to no limitations on them. The leader of a dictatorship is called a dictator. Politics in a dictatorship are ...

, Alexakis was demobilized and served as Commander of Athens’ garrison until the Second World War. In 1940

Benito Mussolini Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini (; 29 July 188328 April 1945) was an Italian politician and journalist who founded and led the National Fascist Party. He was Prime Minister of Italy from the March on Rome in 1922 until his deposition in 194 ...

decided to capture Greece and therefore, the country again had Alexakis fight against the Italian troops.

Second World War, 1939–1945

The

Greco-Italian War The Greco-Italian War (Greek language, Greek: Ελληνοϊταλικός Πόλεμος, ''Ellinoïtalikós Pólemos''), also called the Italo-Greek War, Italian Campaign in Greece, and the War of '40 in Greece, took place between the kingdom ...

started on 28 October 1940. Following the declaration of war with Italy, Alexakis returned to the line for the

Battle of Elaia–Kalamas The Battle of Elaia–Kalamas ( el, Μάχη Ελαίας-Καλαμά, Machi Elaias-Kalama) took place in Epirus on 2–8 November 1940. The battle was fought between the Greeks and the Italians during the initial stage of the Greco-Italian War ...

on the Albanian border, from which the Italian troops were trying to enter Greece. The

repelled the Italian offensives and by November 1940 the victory in the Battle of Elaia-Kalamas signaled the failure of the Italian attacks. Alexakis then returned to the capital to serve as Military Commander in Athens. On 6 April 1941, Nazi Germany invaded Greece through

Bulgaria Bulgaria (; bg, България, Bǎlgariya), officially the Republic of Bulgaria,, ) is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern flank of the Balkans, and is bordered by Romania to the north, Serbia and North Macedon ...

, creating a second front. With the German advance, Alexakis was posted to

Heraklion Heraklion or Iraklion ( ; el, Ηράκλειο, , ) is the largest city and the administrative capital of the island of Crete and capital of Heraklion regional unit. It is the fourth largest city in Greece with a population of 211,370 (Urban A ...

and was assigned the duty of Military Commander in Crete, which the Germans attacked in May–June 1941 in the

Battle of Crete The Battle of Crete (german: Luftlandeschlacht um Kreta, el, Μάχη της Κρήτης), codenamed Operation Mercury (german: Unternehmen Merkur), was a major Axis airborne and amphibious operation during World War II to capture the island ...

. The Germans held Crete until late 1944. Towards the end they put hundreds of war prisoners on a boat which was hit by a torpedo and sank. All but one drowned, and it has been said and believed that it was Alexakis who survived; he had escaped before the torpedo hit. The other prisoners of war perished; their whereabouts were unknown.

Researcher and writer of historical interest

The Second World War ended on 12 September 1945. Alexakis gained the admiration of the Allied forces and was recognized for his heroism. Overall, the Allied forces decorated Alexakis 20 times with medals for his courage and in 1945 he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant general. After his forty years of military service, he remained active as a historical writer, researcher, lecturer, and held sessions on historical events which are documented in historical archives. As a member of numerous social committees and the

Parnassos Literary Society The Parnassos Literary Society ( el, Φιλολογικός Σύλλογος Παρνασσός) was founded in 1865 in Athens and has published various magazines. The oldest literary society in mainland Greece, it continues to be active today. ...

, he received public adulation, and he shared his memories with many people. Alexakis wrote and published 23Alexakis Ioannis (Αλεξάκης Ιωάννης), writer, list of 23 published books
/ref> books and he contributed to Encyclopedias, newspapers and magazines. His books and articles are used as forums for historical information and discussion.

Legacy

Ioannis Sotiris Alexakis died on 24 May 1980, and is interred in the Municipal Cemetery of Heraklion. He was buried with the full military honors. A museum whose contents of historical interest reflect the General's forty years of military service is located inside the Municipal Library of

. Also, in this city as well as in the city of

and other towns, several streets have been named after him.

Encyclopedias, bibliography, citations

*A. Moorehead, Mediterranean Front, 1942 *Everyman's Encyclopedia, Third Edition in twelve volumes, London, J. M. Dent & Sons Ltd
Encyclopedia PAPYRUS-LAROUSSE-BRITANNICA, 61 volumes, Alexakis Ioannis Sotiris
*Encyclopedia CHARI PATSI, Volume 4, page 437, Alexakis Ioannis (1885-1980)
Encyclopedia YDRIA, Volume 5, page 361, Alexakis, Ioannis S.
*Encyclopedia NEA DOMH, Volume 2, page 254, Alexakis, Ioannis Sotiris
Encyclopedia HILIOS-Newest Encyclopedic Dictionary, Volume 2, page 516, General Ioannis Alexakis, military career, author of 23 books

Encyclopedia DRANDAKI, Alexakis,Ioannis
*Dillys Powell, Remember Greece, 1941
Hills of Blood, History & Northern Hellas

References

External links

Charles D. Pettibone, ''History, The organization and order of Battle of militaries in WWII''
Trafford Publishing, 2014, Ioannis Sotiris Alexakis, LG
Encyclopedia online, article, Alexakis, Ioannis SotirisAlexakis Ioannis Sotiris, Chalkidiki, Macedonia, Thessaloniki (26-10-1912), Battles, book presentationIoannis Sotiris Alexakis’ familyAlexakis, LG Ioannis,141 Infantry Divisions WWII
{{DEFAULTSORT:Alexakis, Ioannis Sotiris 1885 births 1980 deaths Hellenic Army lieutenant generals People from Lasithi Greek military personnel of the Balkan Wars Genealogy of Crete Greek military personnel of World War I Greek military personnel of World War II Greek military personnel of the Greco-Turkish War (1919–1922)