Ioannis Ladas
Encyclopedia
Ioannis Ladas (1920 - 16 October 2010) was a member of the Greek military junta of 1967–1974.
He was born and raised in the village of Dirahi
, Arcadia
.
In 1940, he graduated from the Hellenic Military Academy
along with George Papadopoulos
and Nikolaos Makarezos
. He fought, as an officer, in the Greco-Italian War
of 1940.
In 1967 as a colonel
he was in charge of the Greek Military Police
stationed in Athens and ordered the arrest of several prominent politicians and military personnel not allied to the orchestrators of the coup d'état. He first served in the resulting regime as general secretary in the ministries of public order and tourism. Later, he was minister for the interior and for social services.
On August 23, 1975 he was sentenced to life imprisonment by a special court set up for the trials of those involved in the dictatorship
.
He died on October 16, 2010.
He was born and raised in the village of Dirahi
Dirahi
Dyrrachio , is a village in the west-central part of Arcadia, Greece. Dyrrachio had a population of 299 in 2001. It is situated at an altitude of 800 meters in the Taygetos mountains of the Peloponnese...
, Arcadia
Arcadia
Arcadia is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the administrative region of Peloponnese. It is situated in the central and eastern part of the Peloponnese peninsula. It takes its name from the mythological character Arcas. In Greek mythology, it was the home of the god Pan...
.
In 1940, he graduated from the Hellenic Military Academy
Hellenic Military Academy
The Evelpidon Military Academy is the oldest tertiary level educational institution in Greece. It was founded in 1828 in Nafplio by Ioannis Kapodistrias, the first Governor of the modern Greek State....
along with George Papadopoulos
George Papadopoulos
Colonel Georgios Papadopoulos was the head of the military coup d'état that took place in Greece on 21 April 1967 and leader of the military government that ruled the country from 1967 to 1974. Papadopoulos was a Colonel of Artillery...
and Nikolaos Makarezos
Nikolaos Makarezos
Nikolaos Makarezos was a Greek Army officer and one of the masterminds of the Greek military junta of 1967-1974.- Early life and career :He was born in 1919 in the village of Gravia, in the prefecture of Phocis...
. He fought, as an officer, in the Greco-Italian War
Greco-Italian War
The Greco-Italian War was a conflict between Italy and Greece which lasted from 28 October 1940 to 23 April 1941. It marked the beginning of the Balkans Campaign of World War II...
of 1940.
In 1967 as a colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
he was in charge of the Greek Military Police
Greek Military Police
The Greek Military Police , generally known in English by the acronym ESA was the military police branch of the Greek Army in the years 1951-1974.. It developed into a powerful paramilitary organization and a stronghold of right-wing, conservative Army officers....
stationed in Athens and ordered the arrest of several prominent politicians and military personnel not allied to the orchestrators of the coup d'état. He first served in the resulting regime as general secretary in the ministries of public order and tourism. Later, he was minister for the interior and for social services.
On August 23, 1975 he was sentenced to life imprisonment by a special court set up for the trials of those involved in the dictatorship
Greek Junta Trials
The Greek Junta Trials were the trials involving members of the military junta that ruled Greece from 21 April 1967 to 23 July 1974. These trials involved the instigators of the coup as well as other junta members of various ranks who took part in the events of the Athens Polytechnic uprising and...
.
He died on October 16, 2010.