CRETAN WAR

The Allied Defence of Crete in 1941

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The Allied Defence of Crete in 1941

Introduction

In this paper, we will have a detailed discussion on the Allied Defence of Crete in 1941. It was during the World War II. The Battle of Crete, which is also known as Operation Mercury, was a strategic landing operation in Germany during World War II. Battle for Crete was started on 31st of May 1941. The operation was aimed at the destruction of the British garrison on the island of Crete for the strategic control of the Mediterranean Basin. It was the direct continuation of the Greek campaign which was aimed at forcing the British out of the Mediterranean Sea. By the end of the operation, Germany gained control over the Eastern Mediterranean communications.

The Operation Mercury was the first major operation of airborne troops. Despite the heavy losses, the German paratroopers were able to fulfil their tasks and provide basic forces to the German troops. Success of German airborne units led the senior management of the other member states of the war, including UK, to reconsider their attitude towards their troops.



Operational Level

It is a military operation in sense of time and space related activities of forces, based on a common directed goal. After the end of the operation, a distinction is offensive and defensive, the understanding of aggression have predominated operations. These are aimed at weakening the opponent or to bring him in a disadvantageous position, taken from him the strategic points and the defence capabilities to be circumcised. Therefore, it is ultimately, often as part of a long campaign, a continuation of the struggle. Defensive operations are aimed at hindering; by skilful and economical use of its own forces opposing offensive operations to defeat and launching its own offensive operations to prepare the winning initiative.

The term 'operational level' is derived from the operation below the operational level strategy, but above the tactics. Strategy is a part of the art of war to understand the dealing with the overall war effort. In contrast, tactics concerned with the use of an association for and in the battle. The underlying idea is that armoured force, infantry and artillery, each has its own doctrines and thus, their own tactics.

The Operational Level Prosecution of the Campaign

Before the mercury operation, there was a lot of debate among the high command of the OKH; although, there was general agreement about the urgent need to capture the island. The commander of the Luftwaffe General and the forces of the fleet in the waters of Mediterranean Sea insisted on leveraging its core competencies in the area of Maleme, in terms of capturing the main airport in the region. Maleme had several advantages; it was the largest airport on the island, located on the north side of the island, and was close to the mainland of Greece. Final compromise plan was approved by Hermann Goering and named after the Roman God Mercury.

All German airborne forces were ...