On 28 October 28, 1940, Greece entered World War II after the attack of the Italian forces from the Greek-Albanian borders. A statue of the commander-in-chief of the Greek army, with the text of the public announcement about the Greco-Italian war, is carved in a marble sculpture in the Park of Heroes. 

Opposite the Park of Heroes is the building of the historical Epirus VIII Infantry Division. In February 1913, the leaders of the Ottoman and Greek army signed there the liberation of Ioannina. During the Greco- Italian war (1940 to 1941) it housed the headquarters of the Greek army. From 1941 to 1944, the building was requisitioned by the Italian-German occupational forces. Today, it is still used by the Greek army. 

During the first months of 1944, protests against the occupiers took place at the Park of Heroes and outside the VIII Infantry Division building. On 21 February  1944, fighters of the Greek resistance raised the Greek flag on the top of the Clock Tower, while the city was still under Nazi occupation. 

In October 1944, the occupiers begun to evacuate the area following a series of battles between Greek Resistance fighters joined with the Allied forces against German forces. On 15 October  1944, residents of Ioannina welcomed the Greek Resistance fighters and the Allied British soldiers and celebrated together the liberation of the city.