This is a political biography of General Ioannis Metaxas, who assumed dictatorial power in Greece in 1936 and oversaw the resistance to the Italian invasion in World War II. It puts emphasis on the early career of Metaxas and his journey to state power from 1920 to 1936. Drawing heavily on original Greek sources, the book makes extensive use of Metaxas’ diary, his correspondence, and the evidence of close friends and associates.