The Democratic Army of Greece (Greek: Δημοκρατικός Στρατός Ελλάδας, ΔΣΕ; Dimokratikós Stratós Elládas, DSE) was the army founded by the Communist Party of Greece (KKE), on 28 October 1946, as the General Headquarters of Partisans, which was renamed to Democratic Army of Greece on 27 December 1946. It served as the army of the Provisional Democratic Government during the Greek Civil War (1946–1949). At its height, it had a strength of around 50,000 men and women. The DSE was backed by the Popular Civil Guard (Λαϊκή Πολιτοφυλακή, ΛΠ), the KKE's security police force. Source: Wikipedia (en)