Greece achieved independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1829. From the 1850s to the 1950s, it began adding neighbouring islands and territories that spoke Greek. During the Second World War, it was a chaotic time for Greece as it was first occupied by Italy, and then Germany. There was a civil war between the king and communist rebels after the Second World War. In 1949, the communist rebels were defeated. The country joined NATO – the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in 1952. But there wasn’t peace for long. In 1967, a group of officers seized power and started a military dictatorship. They didn’t last long, and were overthrown in 1974. There was a referendum created by the parliamentary republic to stop monarchy. Greece joined the European Union in 1981 and the European Economic and Monetary Union in 2001. Since then, Greece has been a major beneficiary for the European Union. (CIA)