The Defence And Fall Of Greece 1940-41
by John Carr /
2013 / English / EPUB
7.3 MB Download
On 28 October 1940, the Greek premier, Ioannis Metaxis, refused to
accept a deliberately provocative ultimatum from Mussolini and
Italian forces began the invasion of Greece via Albania. This
aggression was prompted by Mussolini's desire for a quick victory
to rival Hitler's rapid conquest of France and the Low Countries.
On paper, Greek forces were poorly equipped and ill prepared for
the conflict but Mussolini had underestimated the skill and
determination of the defenders. Within weeks the Italian invasion
force was driven back over the border and Greek forces actually
advanced deep into Albania. A renewed Italian offensive in March
1941 was also given short shrift, prompting Hitler to intervene to
save his ally. German forces invaded Greece via Bulgaria on 6
April. The Greeks, now assisted by British forces, resisted by
land, sea and air but were overwhelmed by the superior German
forces and their blitzkrieg tactics. Despite a dogged rearguard
action by Anzac forces at the famous pass of Thermopylae, Athens
fell on the 27th April and the British evacuated 50,000 troops to
Crete. This island, whose airfields and naval bases Churchill
considered vital to the defense of Egypt and the Suez Canal, was
invaded by German airborne troops the following month and
eventually captured after a bitter thirteen-day battle. The
remaining British troops were evacuated and the fall of Greece
completed. John Carr's masterful account of these desperate
campaigns, while not disparaging the British and Commonwealth
assistance, draws heavily on Greek sources to emphasize the
oft-neglected experience of the Greeks themselves and their
contribution to the fight against fascism.
On 28 October 1940, the Greek premier, Ioannis Metaxis, refused to
accept a deliberately provocative ultimatum from Mussolini and
Italian forces began the invasion of Greece via Albania. This
aggression was prompted by Mussolini's desire for a quick victory
to rival Hitler's rapid conquest of France and the Low Countries.
On paper, Greek forces were poorly equipped and ill prepared for
the conflict but Mussolini had underestimated the skill and
determination of the defenders. Within weeks the Italian invasion
force was driven back over the border and Greek forces actually
advanced deep into Albania. A renewed Italian offensive in March
1941 was also given short shrift, prompting Hitler to intervene to
save his ally. German forces invaded Greece via Bulgaria on 6
April. The Greeks, now assisted by British forces, resisted by
land, sea and air but were overwhelmed by the superior German
forces and their blitzkrieg tactics. Despite a dogged rearguard
action by Anzac forces at the famous pass of Thermopylae, Athens
fell on the 27th April and the British evacuated 50,000 troops to
Crete. This island, whose airfields and naval bases Churchill
considered vital to the defense of Egypt and the Suez Canal, was
invaded by German airborne troops the following month and
eventually captured after a bitter thirteen-day battle. The
remaining British troops were evacuated and the fall of Greece
completed. John Carr's masterful account of these desperate
campaigns, while not disparaging the British and Commonwealth
assistance, draws heavily on Greek sources to emphasize the
oft-neglected experience of the Greeks themselves and their
contribution to the fight against fascism.