One of the anonymous fighters of the Balkan Wars 1912-13 was Euthymios Katsiapis from Arcadia, whose diary is published in this book. Following the example of many fighters of '21, he recorded with striking simplicity and honesty in his diary everything he experienced in the Balkan Wars. He participated in all the major battles, in Giannitsa, in Bizani, in Kilkis. He was a member of the honorary guard at the funeral of the murdered King George I. He suffered from hardships, unbearable cold, and lack of supplies. He endured the horror of death and the groans of the wounded, all inevitable consequences of war. He was one of the many anonymous heroes of the Balkan Wars, who, like all true heroes, surpassed themselves, overcame their fears, and fought for their ideals.

But history is not just a sum of heroic acts on the battlefields or great deeds of great leaders. Euthymios Katsiapis and his fellow fighters were heroes in their everyday lives. After the war, they returned to the fields, the offices, the schools, the daily toil, fighting for a better tomorrow, armed not with rifles, spears, and cannons, but with plows, shovels, and pens.

Historical Quest Publications, wanting to honor the contribution of these unsung fighters and the completion of 100 years since the liberation of Macedonia and Epirus, bring back from the mists of time the diary of Euthymios Katsiapis and give life again to his notes and voice to his thoughts and experiences. The diary is accompanied by the excellent comments and annotations of the philologist Ioannis Gkionis.

It also includes a detailed record of the most important diplomatic, political, and military events of the Balkan Wars 1912-1913, as well as the balance of power and losses, by the historian researcher Dionysios Gkionis, a useful reference point for anyone who wants to study this eventful period of Greek history. The book is enriched with numerous photographic material, unknown to the wider reading public, which captures the drama of those truly historical moments.