Operation Merkur German Assault on Crete 1941

By Atenas Editores Asociados

The conquest of Crete stands as a lasting tribute to the professionalism, courage and tenacity of Germany's airborne forces. But victory was bought at a heavy price, and when the battle was over a shocked Fhrer, who was not usually unduly worried by losses, forbade any more large-scale airborne operations.Following the successful conclusion of the campaign in the West, Hitler turned his attention to the East: the invasion and conquest of the Soviet Union. Before he could so, though, he needed to secure his southern flank. Hungary and Romania were German satellites, and by using severe diplomatic pressure Hitler was able to bring Yugoslavia into the Axis alliance. However, the deployment of 57,000 British troops to Greece encouraged an anti-German coup in Yugoslavia in late March 1941, and thus the Fhrer was forced into a Balkan campaign. For the airborne forces it would mean their biggest and most celebrated operation. But beforehand they would carry out a smaller operation that was a complete success.The Germans invaded Yugoslavia and Greece on 6 April 1941, and immediately the Blitzkrieg began to sweep all before it. In Greece, by mid-April, the German Army was advancing in three columns: one from Larissa, one through Thebes towards Elensia and Athens, and the third from Larissa and Arta towards Lepanto. Greek resistance had all but collapsed and the British under General Maitland Wilson were withdrawing through the Corinthian Isthmus towards the Peloponnesus. The Corinthian Isthmus is cut by a canal whose sides are deep and steep. It was decided to capture the Corinthian pass to establish a bridgehead to assist the crossing of German ground troops and cut off the British retreat.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1542830982
• ISBN13: 9781542830980
• Release Date: January 2017
• Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
• Length: 206 Pages
• Weight: 0.82 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.0" x 0.5" x 6.0"