Grigorios Spandidakis

Grigorios Spandidakis
Γρηγόριος Σπαντιδάκης
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence
In office April 21, 1967 (1967-04-21) – December 13, 1967 (1967-12-13)
Monarch	Constantine II
Prime Minister	Konstantinos Kollias
Personal details
Born	1909 Rethymno, Cretan State
Died	1996 Athens, Third Hellenic Republic
Nationality	Greek
Alma mater	Hellenic Military Academy
Awards	Gold Cross of Valour[1]
Military service
Allegiance	Second Hellenic Republic Kingdom of Greece Greek Junta
Branch/service	Hellenic Army
Years of service	1931–1967
Rank	Lieutenant General
Unit	Omiros Resistance Group Sacred Band First Army
Commands	20th Armoured Division I Army Corps Chief of the Hellenic Army General Staff
Battles/wars	World War II Greco-Italian War Battle of Greece Greek Resistance Tunisian Campaign Dodecanese Campaign Greek Civil War

Grigorios Spandidakis (Greek: Γρηγόριος Σπαντιδάκης, 1909–1996) was a Hellenic Army officer who rose to the rank of Lieutenant General and the post of Chief of the Hellenic Army General Staff in 1965–1967. From this position, he was instrumental in the military preparations that resulted in the coup d'état of 21 April 1967 and the establishment of the Regime of the Colonels. He served as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for National Defence in the first government of the new regime, but was dismissed after supporting the failed counter-coup attempt launched by King Constantine II on 13 December 1967. After the fall of the regime, he was tried and convicted to life imprisonment for his role in it. He secured an early release on health grounds and died in 1996.