Democratic Army of Greece

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Democratic Army of Greece (Dimokratikos Stratos Elladas, Greek: Δημοκρατικός Στρατός Ελλάδας, abbreviated DSE) was the name of the Communist army during the Greek Civil War. In effect, it was the successor of ELAS as the communist resistance army was called during the German occupation of Greece.

The DSE was founded in October 1946 with Markos Vafiadis (General Markos) as its commander. He was replaced towards the end of 1948 after the DSE suffered several setbacks on the battlefield.

The Battle of Grammos-Vitsi, in August of 1949, forced the DSE out of Greece, leaving the National Army in firm control of the entire country and, for all practical purposes, ending the Greek Civil War.

After the defeat of the DSE, many of its members fled to the various socialist republics of Eastern Europe where some still live today though many have returned since 1974.