National Guard Defence Battalions

The National Guard Defence Battalions or TEA (Greek: Τάγματα Εθνοφυλακής Αμύνης, ΤΕΑ) were a paramilitary battalions unit organization active in Greece (especially Northern Greece) between 1948 and 1982, under the control of the Defence Ministry. It was tasked with counterinsurgency, internal security, and supporting military operations.

The TEA were formed in September 1948, in the midst of the Greek Civil War, by decision of the Hellenic Army General Staff.^[1] They were staffed by men of proven "anticommunist" credentials.

They were abolished in 1982 by the socialist government of Andreas Papandreou,^[1] and replaced by the National Guard.

References

^ ^a ^b "Η άγνωστη ιστορία των ΜΕΑ/ΤΕΑ". 5 December 2013.

[freelancers.gr-1] "Η άγνωστη ιστορία των ΜΕΑ/ΤΕΑ". 5 December 2013.

[1]

v t e Greek Civil War
Background	4th of August Regime Axis occupation of Greece Greek Resistance National Liberation Front Greek People's Liberation Army National Republican Greek League (EDES) Collaborationist governments Security Battalions Greek government-in-exile Red Terror Lebanon Conference Caserta Agreement Battle of Meligalas Battle of Kilkis (1944) Dekemvriana Treaty of Varkiza White Terror 1946 election 1946 referendum
Events (1946-1949)	Litochoro attack Truman Doctrine Battle of Konitsa Thessaloniki bombing Capture of Ierapetra Operation Charavgi Massacre of the First Sapper Battalion Operation Koronis Operation Peristera Operation Pyravlos Tito–Stalin split Operation Pyrsos
Communists	Communist Party of Greece Provisional Democratic Government Democratic Army of Greece Popular Civil Guard National Liberation Front (Macedonia) Nikos Zachariadis Markos Vafiadis Charilaos Florakis Alexandros Rosios Petros Kokkalis
National Government	George II of Greece Paul of Greece Archbishop Damaskinos of Athens Themistoklis Sofoulis Konstantinos Tsaldaris Alexandros Papagos Konstantinos Ventiris Konstantinos Dovas Thrasyvoulos Tsakalotos Dimitrios Giatzis James Van Fleet Hellenic Army Royal Hellenic Air Force Greek Gendarmerie Countryside Security Units TEA
Impact and aftermath	Refugees Internal exile Sacred Bond of Greek Officers Centrist Interlude Greek junta Metapolitefsi

See also

References