"I Am with You, Democracy Is with You"

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Indeed, Turkish military successes on Cyprus and the indifference with which the mobilization in Greece was greeted by the populace had left the military rulers shaken and unsure of themselves. With the economy seriously disrupted by the call-up of nearly all able-bodied men and the Cyprus crisis demanding immediate action, the junta no longer felt capable of providing the necessary leadership. It concluded that Greece needed leaders who were trusted abroad and had a clear mandate; only then could Athens hope to negotiate successfully at the Geneva talks on Cyprus and extricate itself honorably from the tense confrontation of Greek and Turkish troops on their common border in Thrace.

Gizikis explained that only a civilian coalition of national unity could extricate Greece from its difficulties. The four officers nodded their assent and pledged that the armed forces would "return to the barracks" and stay out of politics.

The six-hour discussion in Gizikis' spacious office in the Parliament building was dominated from the start by the name of Caramanlis. It was apparent to everyone in the room that only he could provide Greece with the leadership it needed. In the public's mind, the years 1955-63, when Caramanlis was Premier, were the country's last prolonged period of prosperity and stability. During his self-imposed exile after falling out with King Paul (see box), he had condemned the mistakes and excesses of the successive regimes. When Caramanlis learned of the Cyprus crisis, he openly attacked Athens' role. Caramanlis called the crisis "a national tragedy" and appealed to Greece's armed forces to bring about a "political change" in a liberal and democratic direction. He declared that he personally would be available to lead "an effort to restore normality and achieve national reconciliation." With this in mind, the men in Gizikis' office reached consensus. Caramanlis was the man to be the next Premier in an all-civilian government.

After the meeting ended, Athens ra dio interrupted the martial music it had been playing constantly since mobilization was declared the week before to announce: "The armed forces have decided to turn the governing of the country over to a civilian government."

The unexpected announcement, reported TIME Correspondent Jordan Bonfante from Athens, transformed the capital's huge Constitution Square "into a historic fiesta of joy. First there were 50 people, facing the pink Parliament building and raising their fingers in the V sign, shouting — hesitantly at first -'Victory for the people!' Then there were 500, and then, as if from nowhere, there was a crowd of at least 100,000.