Battle of Crete

The Battle of Crete, codenamed Operation Mercury, was a major Axis airborne and amphibious operation during World War II to capture the island of Crete. It began on the morning of 20 May 1941, with multiple German airborne landings on Crete. Greek and other Allied forces, along with Cretan civilians, defended the island. After only one day of fighting, the Germans had suffered heavy casualties and the Allied troops were confident that they would defeat the invasion. The next day, through communication failures, Allied tactical hesitation, and German offensive operations, Maleme Airfield in western Crete fell, enabling the Germans to land reinforcements and overwhelm the defensive positions on the north of the island. Allied forces withdrew to the south coast. More than half were evacuated by the British Royal Navy and the remainder surrendered or joined the Cretan resistance. The defence of Crete evolved into a costly naval engagement; by the end of the campaign the Royal Navy's eastern Mediterranean strength had been reduced to only two battleships and three cruisers.

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1941  Wikimedia, Wikidata
battle, United Kingdom, 

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Location: 35.5, 24.0611, KML, Cluster Map, Maps,
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1941-05-20T00:00:00Z

1941-06-01T00:00:00Z

1941 Battle of Crete

1645-06-25T00:00:00Z

1645-06-25T00:00:00Z

1645 Siege of Thodorou

1645-06-27T00:00:00Z

1645-08-22T00:00:00Z

1645 Siege of Chania

1646-08-14T00:00:00Z

1646-08-14T00:00:00Z

1646 Battle of Chania

1660-08-25T00:00:00Z

1660-09-15T00:00:00Z

1660 Siege of Chania

1692-07-17T00:00:00Z

1692-08-28T00:00:00Z

1692 Siege of Chania

1715-01-14T00:00:00Z

1715-09-22T00:00:00Z

1715 Siege of Souda

1895-09-15T00:00:00Z

1896-05-24T00:00:00Z

1895 — 1896 Siege of Vamos

1897-02-18T00:00:00Z

1897-02-18T00:00:00Z

1897 Battle of Voukolies

1938-07-28T00:00:00Z

1938-07-28T00:00:00Z

1938 1938 Greek coup d'état attempt

1941-05-27T00:00:00Z

1941-05-27T00:00:00Z

1941 Battle of 42nd Street

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Frameless

Bundesarchiv Bild 183-L19105, Kreta, Landung der Fallschirmjäger

Bundesarchiv Bild 183-L19113, Kreta, kriegsgefangene britische Soldaten

Czterech oficerów niemieckich z jednostki na Krecie podczas odpoczynku (2-505)

Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-166-0512-12, Kreta, britische Kriegsgefangene

Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-166-0521-01, Kreta, Bernhard-Hermann Ramcke neben Fallschirm

Bundesarchiv Bild 183-L19019, Kreta, Kurze Ruhepause der Fallschirmjäger

Bundesarchiv Bild 183-L22010, Kreta, Fallschirmjäger am Schirm

Lieutenant General Freyberg gazes over the parapet

Bundesarchiv Bild 183-L23914, Kreta, Fallschirmjäger erklimmen Hügel

Pictures For Illustrating Ritchie Ii Book. November and December 1942, Alexandria, Pictures of Paintings by Lieutenant Commander R Langmaid, Rn, Official Fleet Artist. These Pictures Are For Illustrating a Nava A13642

Type	Subtype	Date	Description	Notes	Source
area	region	1898	Cretan State		Wikidata
event	armed conflict		Battle of Malaxa	battle	Wikidata
event	armed conflict	1645	Siege of Thodorou	Republic of Venice, Ottoman Empire, siege	Wikidata
event	armed conflict	1645	Siege of Chania	Ottoman Empire, Republic of Venice, Grand Duchy of Tuscany, Papal States, Kingdom of Naples, Knights Hospitaller, siege	Wikidata
event	armed conflict	1646	Battle of Chania	Republic of Venice, Ottoman Empire, naval battle	Wikidata
event	armed conflict	1660	Siege of Chania	Ottoman Empire, Republic of Venice, Kingdom of France, Grand Duchy of Tuscany, Papal States, Knights Hospitaller, siege	Wikidata
event	armed conflict	1692	Siege of Chania	Republic of Venice, Ottoman Empire, Grand Duchy of Tuscany, Papal States, Knights Hospitaller, siege	Wikidata
event	armed conflict	1715	Siege of Souda	siege	Wikidata
event	armed conflict	1895	Siege of Vamos	siege	Wikidata
event	armed conflict	1897	Battle of Voukolies	Ottoman Empire, battle, Kingdom of Greece	Wikidata
event	armed conflict	1938	1938 Greek coup d'état attempt	attempted coup d'état	Wikidata
event	armed conflict	1941	Battle of Crete	United Kingdom, battle	Wikidata
event	armed conflict	1941	Battle of 42nd Street	battle	Wikidata
link	page		NavWeaps page@		Wikidata
site	fort		Aptera Fortress	fortress	Wikidata
site	fort		Firka Fortress	fortress	Wikidata
site	fort		Fortress of Askyfou	fort	Wikidata
site	fort		Fortress of Rocca	fort	Wikidata
site	fort		Souda Fortress	fortress	Wikidata
site	fort		Thodorou Forts	fort	Wikidata
site	fort	1872	Izzeddin Fortress	fortress	Wikidata
site	museum	1975	War Museum of Chania	military museum	Wikidata
commons	image		Bundesarchiv Bild 183-L19105, Kreta, Landung der Fallschirmjäger		Commons
commons	image		Bundesarchiv Bild 183-L19113, Kreta, kriegsgefangene britische Soldaten		Commons
commons	image		Czterech oficerów niemieckich z jednostki na Krecie podczas odpoczynku (2-505)		Commons
commons	image		Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-166-0512-12, Kreta, britische Kriegsgefangene		Commons
commons	image		Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-166-0521-01, Kreta, Bernhard-Hermann Ramcke neben Fallschirm		Commons
commons	image		Bundesarchiv Bild 183-L19019, Kreta, Kurze Ruhepause der Fallschirmjäger		Commons
commons	image		Bundesarchiv Bild 183-L22010, Kreta, Fallschirmjäger am Schirm		Commons
commons	image		Lieutenant General Freyberg gazes over the parapet		Commons
commons	image		Bundesarchiv Bild 183-L23914, Kreta, Fallschirmjäger erklimmen Hügel		Commons
commons	image		Pictures For Illustrating Ritchie Ii Book. November and December 1942, Alexandria, Pictures of Paintings by Lieutenant Commander R Langmaid, Rn, Official Fleet Artist. These Pictures Are For Illustrating a Nava A13642		Commons