IV 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 820 
Expressing support for the designation of October 28 as ‘‘Oxi Day’’ to 
commemorate the anniversary of Greek Prime Minister Ioannis Metaxas’ 
answer of ‘‘Oxi!’’ or ‘‘No!’’ to surrender to the Axis forces, inflicting 
a fatal wound that helped save democracy for the world. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
OCTOBER 26, 2023 
Mr. PAPPAS (for himself, Mr. BILIRAKIS, Ms. TITUS, Ms. MALLIOTAKIS, and 
Mr. SARBANES) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
the Committee on Oversight and Accountability 
RESOLUTION 
Expressing support for the designation of October 28 as 
‘‘Oxi Day’’ to commemorate the anniversary of Greek 
Prime Minister Ioannis Metaxas’ answer of ‘‘Oxi!’’ or 
‘‘No!’’ to surrender to the Axis forces, inflicting a fatal 
wound that helped save democracy for the world. 
Whereas the National Fascist Party, headed by Benito Mus-
solini, imposed totalitarian rule over Italy from 1922 to 
1943; 
Whereas Fascist Italy, in alliance with Nazi Germany, formed 
the Axis forces and sought to promote fascist and racist 
policies throughout Europe in the World War II era; 
Whereas, on October 28, 1940, the Italian dictator Benito 
Mussolini delivered a 3 a.m. ultimatum to Greek Prime 
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•HRES 820 IH 
Minister Ioannis Metaxas, demanding he allow Axis 
forces to enter Greece or face war; 
Whereas Prime Minister Metaxas answered the Axis force’s 
request for surrender with one word: ‘‘Oxi!’’ or ‘‘No!’’; 
Whereas Italian troops attacked the Greek border hours 
later, marking the beginning of Greece’s involvement in 
World War II; 
Whereas that same morning, thousands of Greek citizens 
took to the streets, chanting ‘‘Oxi!’’, in honor of Prime 
Minister Metaxas’ refusal to relent to fascism; 
Whereas after the world watched the Axis forces overwhelm 
15 countries in less than a year, Greece became the first 
to repel the Axis invasion, leading United States Presi-
dent Franklin Roosevelt to say, ‘‘When the entire world 
had lost all hope, the Greek people dared to question the 
invincibility of the German monster, raising against it in 
the proud spirit of freedom’’; 
Whereas British Prime Minister Winston Churchill observed 
of the Greek people’s courageous actions, ‘‘Hence we will 
not say that Greeks fight like heroes, but that heroes 
fight like Greeks’’; 
Whereas Nazi forces had to delay their invasion of Russia to 
intervene in the Greco-Italian War to ensure the ultimate 
defeat of Greece and the Greek people’s spirited resist-
ance; 
Whereas this delay caused the Nazi regime to face a brutal 
Russian winter which hindered their advance and ulti-
mately led to their eventual defeat; 
Whereas the Greek people’s bravery changed the trajectory of 
the war, leading Hitler’s Field Marshal and Chief of 
Staff Wilhelm Keitel to say, ‘‘The Greeks delayed by two 
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•HRES 820 IH 
or more vital months the German attack against Russia; 
if we did not have this long delay, the outcome of the war 
would have been different’’; 
Whereas Prime Minister Churchill concluded that ‘‘if there 
had not been the virtue and courage of the Greeks, we 
do not know which the outcome of World War II would 
have been’’; 
Whereas this was a consequential victory for freedom and de-
mocracy in the modern world and, at the time, an act 
that inspired and gave hope to the free world; 
Whereas the United States and Greece have been allies in all 
major international conflicts throughout modern history, 
including World War II, upholding freedom, democracy, 
rule of law, human rights, peace, and stability; 
Whereas those efforts and shared values have enhanced the 
close bond between the peoples of Greece and the United 
States; 
Whereas the United States joins Greece in celebrating the 
200th anniversary of the March 25, 1821, Greek Inde-
pendence Day and reaffirms the democratic principles 
from which the 2 great countries were founded; 
Whereas, since 1942, ‘‘Oxi Day’’ has been celebrated in 
Greece and Cyprus on October 28, commemorating 
Greece’s refusal to submit to fascism; and 
Whereas October 28, 2023, would be an appropriate date to 
designate as ‘‘Oxi Day’’: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) supports the designation of ‘‘Oxi Day’’ in 
commemoration of Greece’s refusal to submit to the 
Axis Powers during World War II, noting that this 
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resistance likely led to the ultimate defeat of Nazi 
Germany; and 
(2) encourages the people of the United States 
to support and participate in appropriate cere-
monies, programs, and other activities in observance 
of such a day of remembrance. 
Æ 
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