World War: MEDITERRANEAN THEATER: Worse Than Greece

"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 Some 15,000 [of our] troops have been withdrawn to Egypt but it must be admitted that our losses have been severe."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 IIĀ—the airborne invasion of Crete. After the fall of this British outpost, the Mediterranean no longer was a...

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