Operation Pyrsos

Date	August 8–30, 1949
Location	Grammos and Vitsi, West Macedonia, northwestern Greece
Result	decisive National Army victory

Belligerents

Provisional Democratic Government (Democratic Army of Greece)

Albania (assistance until August 25)

Kingdom of Greece (National Army)

Strength

at least 6,912

50,000 (6 divisions)
artillery
50 aircraft

Casualties and losses

2,280 dead
about 3,000 wounded
1,632 prisoners and deserters

3,960

Greek Civil War

Dekemvriana Litochoro attack Konitsa Thessaloniki bombing Operation Charavgi Operation Koronis Operation Peristera Operation Pyravlos Operation Pyrsos

Operation Pyrsos (Greek: Επιχείρηση «Πυρσός», "Torch") was the final campaign launched by the National Army of the internationally recognized Greek government against the communist forces during the Greek Civil War. After the success of the preceding Operation Pyravlos, communist forces in central Greece had been defeated and only the mountain strongholds of Grammos and Vitsi in northwestern Greece remained under their control. Yugoslavian assistance to the communists had come to an end in February 1949 amid the Tito–Stalin split. The National Army launched a diversionary attack on Grammos and their main force at Vitsi. Five days of fighting cost the National Army 1,682 casualties. 1,182 communists were killed in action and over 1,000 wounded were evacuated across the Albanian border. On August 25, following a massive attack by the National Army with aircraft and artillery, the Albanian government of Enver Hoxha cut off its assistance to the Greek communist forces and disarmed the Greek communists on its territory. The operation ended at 10 am on August 30. The Greek communists formally surrendered in mid-October, ending the Greek Civil War.

References

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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