Chania continued to be the capital of Crete in the next decades after the unification. Many reconstruction works were realized for the "modernization" of the old city, altering its traditional character to some degree. The people of Chania continued to participate in national battles. The 1938 movement against the dictatorship of Metaxas was strong in Chania, the city where democracy and freedom was always a vision. The role of Chania in the Battle of Crete was also significant, since the Germans first attacked western Crete and faced the strong resistance of the locals who fought bravely throughout the war. In 1964, the old city of Chania was declared a historical monument by the Greek state and great efforts started for the preservation and projection of its historical monuments.