Back Общогръцка освободителна организация Bulgarian Υπερασπιστές Βορείου Ελλάδος - Πανελλήνια Απελευθερωτική Οργάνωση Greek Organisation panhellénique de libération French
| Panhellenic Liberation Organization | |
|---|---|
| Leaders | Spyros Spiridis |
| Dates of operation | 1941–1944 |
| Headquarters | Thessaloniki |
| Active regions | Macedonia and Western Thrace |
| Ideology | Anti-communism Greek nationalism |
| Size | Several hundred (1944) |
| Part of | Greek Resistance (1941–1943) Hellenic State (1944) |
| Allies | Greek government-in-exile, Special Operations Executive (1941–1943) Wehrmacht, Security Battalions (1944) |
| Opponents | Bulgaria EAM-ELAS Wehrmacht (1941–1943) |
The Panhellenic Liberation Organization (Greek: Πανελλήνιος Απελευθερωτική Οργάνωσις (ΠΑΟ), Panellinios Apeleftherotiki Organosis (PAO)), was a Greek resistance organization against the Axis occupation of Greece. It was founded in 1941 by a group of Greek army officers, under the name Defenders of Northern Greece (Υπερασπισταί Βορείου Ελλάδος, YBE; Yperaspistai Voreiou Ellados, YVE), employing methods of non violent resistance. In 1943, YVE was renamed as the Panhellenic Liberation Organization (PAO), shifting its focus towards armed struggle. In the August of the same year it came into conflict with Greek People's Liberation Army (ELAS), a communist-led resistance organization. PAO was defeated in the ensuing civil war and its remnants turned towards collaboration with the Germans.