Alexandros Papagos

Field Marshal Alexandros Papagos
Alexandros Papagos as Field Marshal, 1950
62nd Prime Minister of Greece
In office 19 November 1952 – 4 October 1955
Monarch	Paul
Preceded by	Dimitrios Kiousopoulos (caretaker)
Succeeded by	Constantine Karamanlis
Personal details
Born	(1883-12-09)9 December 1883 Athens, Greece
Died	4 October 1955(1955-10-04) (aged 71) Athens, Greece
Nationality	Greek
Political party	Greek Rally
Awards	Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire
Signature
Military service
Allegiance	Kingdom of Greece
Service/branch	Hellenic Army
Years of service	1906–1951
Rank	Field Marshal
Commands	Commander-in-Chief of the Hellenic Armed Forces Chief of the Hellenic National Defense General Staff Chief of the Hellenic Army General Staff
Battles/wars	Balkan Wars Asia Minor Campaign Greco-Italian War Battle of Greece Greek Civil War

Alexander Papagos (Greek: Αλέξανδρος Παπάγος; 9 December 1883 – 4 October 1955) was a Greek Field Marshal who led the Hellenic Army in World War II and the later stages of the Greek Civil War and became the country's Prime Minister after his victory in the 1952 elections. His premiership was defined by the Cold War; American military bases were allowed on Greek territory, a powerful and vehemently anti-communist security apparatus was created, and the communist leader Nikos Ploumpidis was executed by firing squad.

Alexander Papagos was born in Athens in 1883. His father was Major General Leonidas Papagos, who occupied senior posts during his military career, including Director of Personnel at the War Ministry and aide-de-camp to the King. His ancestry was partly Vlach and partly from Syros.

In 1902 he entered the Brussels Military Academy and followed it up with studies at the Cavalry Application School at Ypres. He was commissioned as a Cavalry 2nd Lieutenant in the Hellenic Army on 15 July 1906. He married Maria Kallinski, the daughter of Lt. General Andreas Kallinskis-Roïdis.

Promoted to Lieutenant in 1911, he participated in the Balkan Wars of 1912–13 attached to the field headquarters of Crown Prince, and from 1913, King Constantine. In 1913 he was promoted to Captain. After the Balkan Wars, he served in the 1st Cavalry Regiment and the staff of III Army Corps. Promoted to Major in 1916, he was appointed as chief of staff of the Cavalry Brigade. A confirmed royalist, he was dismissed from the Army in 1917 as a result of the National Schism.