sive parties, illustrated beyond a doubt the resounding failure of the junta's so—called normalization programme.g

Let us now look at what resistance the Greek people offered Ito the imposition of dictatorship.

The speed and ease with which the junta imposed itself coincide historically with the loose organization and lack of preparation of the pooular element. Once again the popular movement, despite its broad base and its sense of identity, paid a high price for its weak— nesses. In order, however, to better comprehand these weakness s, we shall now turn to examine the degree of political awareness of the

parties that can be said to have played a key role in Greece prior to 1967.

The personality of George Papandreou was instrumental in en~ larging the Centre Union Party. I don't think anyone will disagree with me if we say that the majority of the‘democratic forces had placed its hopes and dreams for political change in an unyielding struggle which which had often brought the conservative right toeteeth—gritting frustra— tion. The heteroclite electoral coalition of the Centre Union, stoutly maintaining its belief in the numerical superiority of votes, naturally did not suspect the possibility of.a dictatorship, and was prematurely celebrating the all-out victory indicated for May of 1967.

l The United Democratic Front, as a leftist party, though compara— tively sharp politically and armed ideologically, had been trapped in theoretical discussions up until the last day; and indeed, when the

colonels began making arrests, was still engaged in proving — on the

.basis of the Well—known twelve points it published in its official

newspaper, Avghi ~ the reasons for which a military putsch would never

succeed in Greece. The National Progressive Party on the other hand,

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