"[140] When the order to retreat was received on the morning of 23 April, it was decided that the two positions were to be held by one brigade each. [59] The weather in the winter of 1940–41 seriously delayed the build-up of German forces in Romania and it was only in February 1941 that the Wehrmacht's Twelfth Army commanded by Field Marshal Wilhelm List joined by the Luftwaffe's Fliegerkorps VIII crossed the Danube river into Bulgaria. German landings on the island of Crete (May 1941) came after Allied forces had been defeated in mainland Greece. [156][157] 2,000 more men had to wait until 27 April, because Ulster Prince ran aground in shallow waters close to Nafplio. Once Southern Yugoslavia was overrun by German armour, the Metaxas Line could be outflanked by highly mobile forces thrusting southward from Yugoslavia. [95], The Germans had to break the Metaxas line, in order to capture Thessaloniki, Greece's second-largest city and a strategically-important port. Hitler was convinced that if he did not rescue Mussolini, Fascist Italy would be knocked out of the war in 1941. On 17 November 1940, Metaxas proposed a joint offensive in the Balkans to the British government, with Greek strongholds in southern Albania as the operational base. He reasoned that its presence would give additional punch to the German thrust through the Monastir Gap. For the continuation of the campaign, he formed an eastern group under the command of XVIII Mountain Corps and a western group led by XL Panzer Corps. [31][32], Modern analysts believe that the Italian campaign failed because Mussolini and his generals initially allocated insufficient resources to the campaign (an expeditionary force of 55,000 men), failed to reckon with the autumn weather, attacked without the advantage of surprise and without Bulgarian support. [131] Allied newspapers dubbed the Hellenic army's fate a modern-day Greek tragedy. More than 300 men from the 6th Division were killed and over 2000 captured. His army was composed of six units: The German plan of attack was influenced by their army's experiences during the Battle of France. [149] That day Wilson hastened to Athens where he attended a conference with the King, Papagos, d'Albiac and Rear admiral Turle. You will naturally try to save as much material as possible. Winston Churchill aspired to reestablish a Balkan Front comprising Yugoslavia, Greece and Turkey, and instructed Anthony Eden and Sir John Dill to resume negotiations with the Greek government. [177] Buckley countered that if Britain had not honoured its 1939 commitment to Greece, it would have severely damaged the ethical basis of its struggle against Nazi Germany. 20 on 13 December 1940, outlining the Greek campaign under the code designation Operation Marita. Following its fall, Greece was occupied by the military forces of Germany, Italy and Bulgaria. [118], The New Zealand battalion withdrew, crossing the Pineios river; by dusk, they had reached the western exit of the Pineios Gorge, suffering only light casualties. [61] The American historians Allan Millett and Williamson Murray wrote from the Greek perspective, it would have had been better if the Yugoslav coup d'état had not taken place as it would have forced the Wehrmacht to assault the Metaxas Line without the option of outflanking the Metaxas Line by going through Yugoslavia. [115] The Greek 13th and Cavalry Divisions lacked the equipment necessary to fight against an armoured unit, and on 15 April were finally encircled and overwhelmed. Nevertheless, the British could not at this stage adopt or even mention this course of action; the suggestion had to come from the Greek Government. [130] On 21 April, the Germans advanced further and captured Ioannina, the final supply route of the Greek Epirus Army. The attack started on 6 April with one infantry unit and two divisions of the XVIII Mountain Corps. By November 22 they had captured Koritza in Albania, the town used as Italian HQ. [g] Air Commodore Sir John D'Albiac commanded British air forces in Greece. [b] He hoped to match German military success by taking Greece, which he regarded as an easy opponent. [172] The Germans employed parachute forces in a massive airborne invasion and attacked the three main airfields of the island in Maleme, Rethymno and Heraklion. [192] According to Robert Kirchubel, "the main causes for deferring Barbarossa's start from 15 May to 22 June were incomplete logistical arrangements and an unusually wet winter that kept rivers at full flood until late spring. [33][34][35] Elementary precautions such as issuing winter clothing had not been taken. German SS troops seized Vevi on 11 April, but were stopped at the Klidi Pass just south of town. The Italian invasion in October 1940, which is usually known as the Greco-Italian War, was followed by the German invasion in April 1941. During the night of 15 April, a German motorcycle battalion supported by a tank battalion attacked the ridge, but the Germans were repulsed by the New Zealand 21st Battalion under Lieutenant Colonel Neil Macky, which suffered heavy losses in the process. [23] Italian leader Benito Mussolini was irritated that Nazi leader Adolf Hitler had not consulted him on his war policy and wished to establish his independence. [112] By the morning of 14 April, the spearheads of the 9th Panzer Division reached Kozani. When the news was brought to me on the morning of the 27th, I thought it was a joke. After one week and 12,000 casualties, Mussolini called off the counter-offensive and left Albania twelve days later. The Greeks were tasked with advancing towards Durrës. AMONG the troops sent to help in the defence of Greece against the Germans were men from the 6th Division who had taken part in the siege of Tobruk and had driven the Italians across the North Africa desert. According to the most popular account of the events, the Evzone soldier on guard duty, Konstantinos Koukidis, took down the Greek flag, refusing to hand it to the invaders, wrapped himself in it, and jumped off the Acropolis. The 50th Infantry Division advanced far beyond Komotini towards the Nestos river. The 6th arrived in Greece late in March and despite their efforts were pushed back by the Germans and evacuated to Crete. The attack met with initial success, until a stray British shell destroyed the bridge. The German Twelfth Army—under the command of Field Marshal Wilhelm List—was charged with the execution of Operation Marita. [141], General Archibald Wavell, the commander of British Army forces in the Middle East, when in Greece from 11–13 April had warned Wilson that he must expect no reinforcements and had authorised Major General Freddie de Guingand to discuss evacuation plans with certain responsible officers. By 30 April the evacuation of about 50,000 soldiers was completed,[a] but was heavily contested by the German Luftwaffe, which sank at least 26 troop-laden ships. The 5th Panzer Division, advancing from Skopje encountered a Greek division tasked with defending Monastir Gap, rapidly defeating the defenders. [99], Between 11–13 April 1941, with German and Italian troops advancing on its rear areas, the Zetska Division was forced to retreat back to the Pronisat River by the Italian 131st Armoured Division Centauro, where it remained until the end of the campaign on 16 April. [22], At the outbreak of World War II, Ioannis Metaxas—the fascist-style dictator of Greece and former general—sought to maintain a position of neutrality. [98] On 9 April, the Zetska Division advanced towards Shkodër and the Yugoslav cavalry regiment reached the Drin River, but the Kosovska Division had to halt its advance due to the appearance of German units near Prizren. The Italian invasion in October 1940, which is usually known as the Greco-Italian War, was followed by the German invasion in April 1941. The line ran for about 170 km (110 mi) along the river Nestos to the east and then further east, following the Bulgarian border as far as Mount Beles near the Yugoslav border. [127] On 13 April, attack aircraft from 21, 23 and 33 Squadrons from the Hellenic Air Force (RHAF), attacked Italian positions in Albania. We will overcome these hardships. On 4 March, Dill accepted the plans for the Metaxas line and on 7 March agreement was ratified by the British Cabinet. [160][161], The erection of a temporary bridge across the Corinth canal permitted 5th Panzer Division units to pursue the Allied forces across the Peloponnese. The 21st Battalion was reinforced by the Australian 2/2nd Battalion and later by the 2/3rd. Wilson or Palairet should obtain endorsement by Greek Government of Papagos' request. This position threatened to encircle the Greeks in Albania and W Force in the area of Florina, Edessa and Katerini. [62] During a hasty meeting of Hitler's staff after the unexpected 27 March Yugoslav coup d'état against the Yugoslav government, orders for the campaign in Yugoslavia were drafted, as well as changes to the plans for Greece. See more ideas about greek history, war, greek. [19], Hitler later blamed the failure of his invasion of the Soviet Union, which had to be delayed, on Mussolini's failed conquest of Greece. [141] The Panzer units launching a pursuit along the road leading across the pass made slow progress because of the steep gradient and difficult hairpin bends.[143].

italian invasion of greece

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