Word: crete
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: all
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
Last week, in the hour of Axis victory, the two dictators, with their Pooh-Bahs and generals, doubtless talked of new worlds to conquer: the Near East and Africa lay before them. With the fall of Crete and the alignment of France with Germany, the Mediterranean had become no longer safe for Great Britain. But it was a hollow hour for Benito Mussolini. His archenemy Britain had been driven from Mare Nostrum at last. Now Mare Nostrum was German...
Destruction. Crete was worse than Greece. It was worse strategically, for the Germans were now within striking distance of British main bases, and British naval power was no longer freely master of the eastern Mediterranean. It was worse psychologically, for Crete was the first island stronghold which the Germans had successfully invaded. It was, above all, worse physically...
...After twelve days of what has undoubtedly been the fiercest fighting in this war, it was decided to withdraw our forces from Crete. . . . Some 15,000 [of our] troops have been withdrawn to Egypt but it must be admitted that our losses have been severe." With this bleak announcement the British War Office signalized the end of not only the fiercest but also some of the most crucial fighting in World War II-the airborne invasion of Crete. After the fall of this British outpost, the Mediterranean no longer was a British lake. The concept of the Mediterranean...
...still important for the British to keep trying in the Middle East. Only thus could the British hope to achieve the end of all British strategy: delay and more delay, until such day as parity and then superiority might possibly be won over the Axis. Therefore, as soon as Crete had fallen, the British began to murmur about taking Syria...
...three main towns of Crete were flattened, just as the center of Rotterdam was last May. Greek Premier Emmanuel Tsouderos said: "The principal towns-Canea, Candia and Rethymno-were literally plowed up by bombing, which was carried out with mathematical precision laterally and diagonally, so that eventually there was not one stone left standing...