Battle of Greece

Overview

The German invasion of Greece or Operation Marita, were the attacks on Greece by Italy and Germany during World War II. The Italian invasion in October 1940, which is usually known as the Greco-Italian War, was followed by the German invasion in April 1941. German landings on the island of Crete came after Allied forces had been defeated in mainland Greece. These battles were part of the greater Balkans Campaign of the Axis powers and their associates.

Overview adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Significance

The Battle of Greece encompassed the Italian invasion beginning in October 1940 and the subsequent German Operation Marita in April 1941, forming a connected Axis effort to secure the Balkans during World War II. Axis forces numbering 680,000 faced Allied defenders of 450,000 under commanders including Papagos, Wilson, Blamey, and Freyberg. The campaign resulted in the defeat of Allied forces on the Greek mainland, after which German landings on Crete followed. The battle was part of the broader Balkans Campaign pursued by the Axis powers and their associates, and its conclusion removed Greece as an Allied foothold in southeastern Europe, requiring a costly Allied evacuation and setting the stage for the subsequent airborne assault on Crete.

Forces & casualties

Commanders (10)