Dr. Alex Bebler
The newspaper Akropolis of September 10, 1948, says that travelling in the Peloponnesus has become a veritable military operation. This paper says: "All automobiles travelling from one town to another, cars, trucks, buses, are gathered together and travel in convoy protected by armored cars and troop carriers. Light guns are ready in the turrets and machine-guns, mortars and rifles are ready for a possible clash...A combat plane is droning above...
Discussing the military situation in the Peloponnesus, the newspaper Embros of September 29, 1948, states: "It is no longer a matter of surprise attacks, but the bandits (i.e., partisans), are creating permanent fronts in the vicinity of towns. We should not fear to say that before long the Peloponnesus will be lost; the Greek fortress will fall. Last year there were from 800 to 1,000 bandits (i.e., partisans) and vagabonds; now there are between 2,500 and 3,000, and their number will reach 6,000 to 7,000, if not more. The danger is great and imminent...We must reflect that the Peloponnesus is not empty of national forces. On the contrary, we have there forces equivalent to one army corps (shock battalions, reorganized battalions of the National Guard, gendarmerie, municipal battalions, training units, commando units, armored units), supported by the warships of the indefatigable Konstas and the excellent air force of Mitilenos...