German Airborne Invasion of Crete | 1941 | World War 2 Documentary

Happy memories of Kreta, working with the farmers picking raisen grapes eating salads doused in olive oil, staying at a village in the middle of nowhere. Salt of the earth good honest people. 🇬🇧

Scuola prussiana di karl von clausewitz principi essenziali germanici fallschirmjager. Questi principi sono alla base del soldato europeo realizzati nel ventesimo secolo ed inizio secoli 21 attuale esercito germanico Wehrmacht e bundeswehr costituiscono con il brevetto per le prove atletiche sportive rilasciato dalla bundeswehr i requisiti per essere definito un militare germanico e soldato europeo autentico dello attuale secolo 21 in generale
vai Luciano robella Asti

scuola prussiani karl von clausewitz principi essenziali fallschirmjager principi occidentali applicati in modo pionieristico dalla Germania e usa uk vai Luciano robella Asti

Noi come tedesco statunitensi abbiamo sempre seguito questi principi dal 6 1. 2001 ad oggi 12 luglio 2023 ma abbiamo avuto a che fare con una massa di criminali e frustrati di ogni sorta particolarmente a Collegno periferia di Torino Italia dal 2013 che spuntavano come funghi ovunque cioè le masse criminali italiane del 1945 non. di tipo usa opposti agli usa non tecnici usa vai Luciano robella Asti

If the cretan division of the greek army managed to return from the mainland, the invadors would be anihilated.

Η ΙΣΤΟΡΙΑ ΕΓΡΑΨΕ ΟΤΙ Η ΑΡΕΙΑ ΦΥΛΗ ΤΟΥ ΚΟΛΟΥ ΤΟΝ ΗΠΙΕ ΣΤΗΝ ΚΡΗΤΗ ΖΗΤΩ Η ΚΡΗΤΗ ΚΟΥΦΑΛΕΣ ΓΕΡΜΑΝΟΙ .

Crete was inspiration for the creation of the American paratroopers. 82d airborne

The Luftwaffe lost so many Ju52 that they were unable to supply Stalingrad by air like Goering boasted.

Interesting to know that : Crete was the last large airborne operation for the Germans due to the losses in men and planes.

There was a famous WWII Allied propaganda poster that declared: “GREECE FIGHTS ON”. The Greeks gave the Allies their first victory over the Axis Powers. Ill-equipped, numerically small, poorly prepared, lacking proper Allied support or logistics, and ever politically divided (of course), the Greeks yet managed to unite momentarily and then proceeded to astound the world with their fierce resistance against vastly superior invaders. First, against overwhelming odds, they beat back the Italian Fascists; then, fighting on three fronts, hopelessly outnumbered, desperately outgunned, and totally surrounded by no less than four invading nations, they resisted the Nazi war machine with such ferocity that “Der Führer” himself felt obliged to acknowledge the prowess and heroism of the Hellenic Army from the very podium of the Reichstag. Most countries in Europe experienced a single Occupation Force. The Greeks resisted a brutal quintuple occupation of Nazis, Fascists, Bulgarians, Romanians, and Albanians; all the while the various Greek resistance factions also fought one another — in addition to the enemy. Greece did indeed fight on, not only for the duration of the war, but for another five years after that! Because, you know, WWII just wasn’t enough bloodshed for us. You see, what the Fascists, Nazis, and other invaders failed to understand is that the Greeks have never really cared about the outcome of a war. To the Greeks, victory in war, while desirable, is just a bonus; defeat itself is not really that big of a deal: the important thing for Greeks is the conflict itself. It gladdens the Greek heart and thrills the brain if given an excuse to fight: the more savage the conflict the better. However, though always lusting for war, we still like to keep up appearances by never declaring it unless attacked. Greeks don’t like to be perceived as aggressors; there is something in the Hellenic temperament that is repulsed by aggression and attracted by defence. This is an ancient formula that goes all the way back to the Trojan, the Persian, the Peloponnesian and even the Alexandrian Wars (not to mention innumerable other conflicts before and since). We must be seen as defenders against unjust aggression, but apart from that we revel in conflict: so long as we are in a constant state of war, we are fully content, and all is well with the world. Any historian worth his salt understands that the Hellenes have been in a perpetual state of armed conflict for at least the last 3,500 years. We have only experienced a prolonged period of relative peace for less than fifty years now, and we’re miserable as a result. We do everything we can for the Turks to declare war on us, but year after year, despite all the empty threats and the sabre-rattling, they just won’t. With each new season hope springs eternal...What very few seem to comprehend is that when the Greeks don’t have external foes willing to engage with them, they’re only too happy to turn on one another. As long as there’s plenty of conflict and massacre we thrive — it’s always been that way. If in any any doubt, given a chance, just observe any Greek family gathered around the Sunday table, or tune in to a Greek talk show: chaos and savage conflict in word, deed, and thought! In short, we are the Greeks: we put the “Hell” in Hellas.

Bullshit.

Stupid British,fighting their German Brothers!

After the fall of Crete the big mistake of the Germans was not taking Malta. No mention of the Italian participation.

In winter my προγιαγιά & προπαππούς only had a little Feta cheese and Greek Olives to eat. And they fought in combat with First World War, small arms, and little ammunition and with World War I equipment. And still single - handedly managed to defeat a far more superior Italian military force, and with out the allies support. Through out our history the Greeks and my ancestors have definitely never cease to amaze me. What extraordinary people you are, indeed. [ R.I.P προγιαγιά & προπαππούς ] This Comment is for all the Greeks, who perished defending Greece, from invaders. And for all the Greeks, who have departed, . Gone but never forgotten. It's an honour to be Greek, and part of this amazing and unforgettable Country and People. I salute you all.

No other small country can compare with Greece in terms of impact on human benefit.

In the beginning... God created the Earth, and in the light blue waters, put a small ship to travel forever, in order not only to give birth but also to transfer great ideas all over the world ...
He called that ship...HELLAS!

The Greeks created it, the Germans copy it, and the English exploit it😂

Let’s celebrate the defeat of facism- the righteous were defending the independence of the island.

Do any one know the music in the background name at the start of the video

Thanks for this 👍🇳🇿

Best Army ever

Boxing

The DISCIPLINE of the Wehrmacht !! 💪🦾💥💯💣🪖🇩🇪

My father was on Crete ,with the Black Watch regiment , a machine gunner , he was sucessfully evacuated , to continue the fight in North Africa , with Mongomery againest Rommel . After the African campaign , he was posted to burma to try halt the Japeneese , he survived the jungles and the Japanese , he was honourbly discharged after Burma with maleria , he was lucky being a front line solidur for the whole war,,,,,
He joined up in 1935 ,
RIP George (Jock) Taylor-Meldrum , a warrior and a gentleman , my dad.

Just another in a long line of British defeats during WW2. Of course once again they sacrificed the colonials. Churchill was right when he asked if the country had a single general who could win a battle.

True Fact: The British basically "surrendered" the island of Crete to the Reich. Their long-term goal was when the Germans would retreat, they would recapture Crete in order to transform it to a British protectorate totally independent from the rest of Greece. That's why the British Commander was taking his breakfast with the known phlegmatic attitude while hearing the German planes throwing the parachuters.

Operation Mercury, the most successful airborne invasion ever!

Dads army style map at the beginning!😄

Poland; Denmark, Norway, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Belgium, France, Yugoslavia, Greece all overrun by Nazi Germany while the Americans sat on their arses. "Arsenal of democracy", well at least they got the arse part right.

Pity Churchill decided to throw away two infantry divisions and 150 tanks on a futile, politically motivated, expedition to Greece. Could have used the troops, tanks, and aircraft to garrison Crete. Things would have turned out differently if two fully equipped divisions and 150 tanks were sent to Crete. Churchill was a great prime minister and a colossus of the 20th century. He was also a terrible military strategist

sending the anzac troops from africa to crete without thier artillery and heavy weapons almost no aa was a travesty unforgivable the loss of life at sea during the evacuations was also shocking .

Even with total German air superiority ANZAC's and British managed to exterminate 70% of all German paratroopers" force, so till the very end of the war the remnants were used in small scale special operations only. Those of Mountain Rifles, who had survived found their grave later at Murmansk in polar Russia, may all of them burn in Hell.

Those Germans were truly something amazing powerful

YES. !

300091-i

I went to Crete in 91 and saw the museum in Chania and the Allied war cemetery. Never hiked or went to the deep potholes. I want to go back. I read the Crete history invasion book forget the author he says German soldiers were thrown into a pothole at Tafkos over 100 feet deep. Bet the skeletons are still there.

The german paratroopers first jump into action was in Norway (Dombås)

this is why if we lost battle of Britain the navy wouldn't have stopped the invasion of Britain. Luckily we won battle of Britain.

Oil oil OIL!

What a load of American propaganda. The exaggerations are shameful.

Greece was a neutral country like Spain but Metaxas end expecially the King, bringt inside the country the British, so they two four money brings the war to them people, exactly like now 2021 they again destroyed them country to the profit of ather, dividing also the church orthodox from Moscow to make pleasant to USA , only becouse leader ship, at the end fly away

God defend New Zealand!

Wehraboo cope and seethe

The British were terrible soldiers. They were beaten every time by the Germans.

Sharing this response comment from below from: megasayajinsongoku99 regarding the efforts of local Greeks!

"You are right. Some of us Greeks tend to exagerate .

The role of the Greek mainland forces and Brits and ANZAC was crucial .
But, still we cannot underestimate also the role of the Cretan Greek irregulars. In most cases, where Cretan Greek irregulars fought (either alone or also with regular army) against German Fallschirmjägers, the Germans were decimated.

It was not just a random incident , where some guerillas attacked paratroopers. It was a very large phenomenon and the Germans reacted later with massive reprisals against the local population.
So, if 20-30 % of the german casualties were due to Cretan Greek irregulars, its an outstanding contribution of the civilians.

If the Germans did not use the mistake of a neezeland unit in maleme airport, then they would probably lose the battle.


Also, though the anglosaxon troops fought very effectively bravely(and they earned our respect and became our brothers) , overall, the Freyberg administration was horrible. He did not have good communication between the troops. He did not desstroy the airports, though he had time. He did not give weapons to the local Cretans who asked him was weapons.



Had the local Cretans modern weapons and ammunition and if they were organised enough , probably no invading German would survive and Crete would escape the occupation only with a punishment bombing . Thats almost a fact. I mean, Freyberg should (at least) recruit local cretan guards with the aim of guarding the airports.


The local people were not amateus with skythes . Because , of patriotic love many "amateur" Cretans attacked the Germans too.
But, beside them, many Cretans were veterans of the Cretan revolutions (against the Ottomans), the Balkan wars, the ww1, the Minor Asia campaign etc. They were masters of guerilla warfare and they knew the terrain and ambush tactics better than anyone else and they had the greatest motivation to stop the Germans. The Fallshirmjäger were some of the best troops of the ww2 and initially in Crete they had few personal weapons and the dropped troops were very dispersed (terrible mistakes ) and did a very hard fight/struggle.

But overall many of the 20 years old Germans were "amateurs" in comparison to some 40-60 years old Cretan Greeks who had decades of experiences in mountain warfare and ambushes in the cretan mountains. Many of those people had only he gra weapon(its a non repetitive rifle from the 1850s -1860s) . My point is that some "irregulars" were much more battle-hardened warriors/units than some regular units (both Anglosaxons and Germans)"


OH! And don't like my comment. Like his! Thanks.

Apart from a small operation in the
Battle bulge it was the last major
German airborne assault
Strangely after ww2 the french recruited germans from pow camps
To fight in indochina
Many ex fallaschirmjager found themselves again jumping out of ju52s in the early years of the conflict

MUITO SHOW

Such a strategically important island should have had better defenses

The Fallschirmjager were Germany’s toughest troops bar none....they had the Airborne creed correct.....”Never Quit”......!

Merc work hard to get papers I'd ss card