Popular Civil Guard

The Popular Civil Guard (Greek: Λαϊκή Πολιτοφυλακή, ΛΠ) was the security force of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) during the Greek Civil War (1946–49). It was the police counterpart of the Democratic Army of Greece (DSE), KKE's military force.^[1]

The Popular Civil Guard included both men and women; all of them were volunteers and ideologically dedicated to the Communist Party, a situation different from that of the DSE, which engaged in forced recruitment, especially in the last stages of the Civil War.^[2]

In June 1948, the KKE leadership published a booklet to be studied by the civil guards, "Lessons of Popular Civil Guard" (Μαθήματα Λαϊκής Πολιτοφυλακής), where it was empasized that the Popular Civil Guard was a security force "of a new type", different from the Greek Gendarmerie and the Cities Police of the Greek government, whose aim was to serve the people.^[3]

Initially the Popular Civil Guard was commanded by Stephanos Papayannis, a former Captain of the Greek Army who had joined the Communist Party during World War II, and had fought in the Greek Resistance against the Nazis; later however, Vasilis Bartziotas, a Communist Party cadre took command.^[4]

References

↑ Αρχεία Εμφυλίου Πολέμου: (1944-1949), Διεύθυνση Ιστορίας Στρατού Γενικού Επιτελείου Στρατού, 1998, Τόμος 1, σελίδα 237
↑ Αρχεία Εμφυλίου Πολέμου: (1944-1949), Διεύθυνση Ιστορίας Στρατού Γενικού Επιτελείου Στρατού, 1998, Τόμος 1, σελίδα 237
↑ Μαθήματα Λαϊκής Πολιτοφυλακής, σελίδα 3
↑ Ελεύθερος Κόσμος, 24/8/69

Greek Civil War

Background	4th of August Regime Axis occupation of Greece Greek Resistance National Liberation Front Greek People's Liberation Army National Republican Greek League Collaborationist governments Security Battalions Greek government-in-exile Red Terror Lebanon Conference Caserta Agreement Dekemvriana Treaty of Varkiza White Terror 1946 general elections 1946 monarchy referendum

Events	Litochoro attack Truman Doctrine Battle of Konitsa Thessaloniki bombing Operation Charavgi Operation Koronis Operation Peristera Operation Pyravlos Tito–Stalin split Operation Pyrsos

Communists	Communist Party of Greece National Liberation Front Provisional Democratic Government Democratic Army of Greece Popular Civil Guard Nikos Zachariadis Markos Vafiadis

National Government	George II of Greece Paul of Greece Archbishop Damaskinos of Athens Themistoklis Sofoulis Konstantinos Tsaldaris Alexandros Papagos Konstantinos Ventiris Dimitrios Giatzis Thrasyvoulos Tsakalotos James Van Fleet Hellenic Army Royal Hellenic Air Force Greek Gendarmerie Rural Security Units

Impact and aftermath	Refugees of the Greek Civil War Makronisos Sacred Bond of Greek Officers Centrist Interlude Greek military junta of 1967–74 Metapolitefsi

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