halting Xerxes Invasion the Greek victory at salamis was a turning point in the war without Naval support Xerxes was forced to withdraw the bulk of his army leaving behind a smaller Force under his General mardonius to continue the campaign the Persian threat was far from over but the Greeks had shown that they could not only defend their land but also defeat the Persian forces through strategic Brilliance the Battle of pla the final blow the final blow to Persian Ambitions in Greece came at the