Greek nationalists declared independence from the Ottoman Empire on this day in 1822 (Gregorian)— a date corresponding to 1 January 1822 in the Julian calendar used at the time.
After a long war in which Greece received strong support from several European powers, the Turks finally yielded in 1832, recognizing Greek independence. King Otto was proclaimed monarch of the new state.
Yet the Greeks did not enjoy peace for long. A civil war erupted soon after independence, plunging the country into a series of conflicts that lasted more than 150 years and included both World Wars. Greece only found stability under the government of Prime Minister Konstantinos Karamanlis, who ruled from 1955 to 1963.
During Karamanlis’s tenure, Greece joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). However, following Turkey’s invasion of Cyprus, Greece withdrew from NATO’s military structure and ordered the closure of American bases on its soil.
After the October 1981 elections, Andreas Papandreou, leader of PASOK, formed a socialist government — a shift that stirred concern across NATO capitals about Greece’s future alignment. One of Papandreou’s most daring decisions was to allow the return of 130,000 Greek refugees who had fled to Eastern Bloc countries in 1949 after the defeat of the communists in Greece.
His second major move was to open negotiations with Washington over the American military bases in Greece. The marathon talks ended with a July 1983 agreement requiring the United States to withdraw according to a set timetable.
Papandreou’s anti‑NATO stance earned his party immense popularity, helping him win a sweeping re‑election in 1985. But financial scandals later eroded his support, and he lost the 1989 elections. After being cleared of responsibility for those scandals, he made a strong comeback, winning again in 1993.