Britain. It was merely a camoullage for Hitler’s real intentions, to expand eastwards across the Russian borders, to.loscos and beyond. Only when 1 uftwaffe planes were pulled out of F'rance to concentrate on the Russian front did the attacks on Bntam subside.
Left: As dawn breaks, the destruction of the previous night’s raid on London’s docklands is revealed.
For Hitler, there was a chance of mopping up a potentially troublesome southern flank before mounting ‘Operation Barbarossa’, the invasion of Russia.
Churchill and his top brass saw a successful campaign in Greece or Yugoslavia offering a possible backdoor entry into Germany when no access seemed available at the front.
In the event, the short and bloody campaign in the region left both sides as losers when it illustrated both the advantages - and drawbacks - of an airborne campaign.
Mussolini had opened hostilities when he invaded Greece on 28 October 1940. It was an impetuous decision which he lived to regret. Not only did it infuriate his ally Hitler, who had fostered an amenable relationship with Greece’s ruler General Metaxas and considered the country in the bag. But it served to further humiliate Mussolini and his troops in addition to their inept |Showing in North and East Africa.
For the Greeks, although poorly equipped for modern warfare, were imbued with fighting spirit and managed to see off the Italians, pushing them back behind their lines in occupied. Albania.
Britain was determined to stand hy pledges of aid made to Greece - even though it had hccn unahic to honour promises made to Romania, which was occupied by German troops at the start of October 1940.
Hitler had no option but to intervene in the action. However, for a few months he bided his time.
Having dispatched several thousand men, the British were keen to send even more of their contingent presently in North Africa to the aid of the Greeks. Metaxas was unsure. Although the presence of air support was welcomed, his own men were putting up an adequate performance and the presence of Allied ground troops would only succeed in drawing the awesome firepower of an irate Hitler. Instead of men, he said, he would rather have their hoots. His own soldiers were suffering greatly due to the inadequacies of their footwear.
By the end of November 1940 three squadrons of Blenheim bombers and fighters had been stationed in Greece and the numbers continued to increase. Their brief, to defend Athens.
The political outlook changed at the end of January 1941 when Metaxas died suddenly and was replaced by Emmanuel Tsouderos who was well-disposed towards the Allies.
At a meeting in February, it was agreed the 1st Armoured Brigade, the 6th Australian Division and the 2nd New Zealand Division would be stationed in Greece to repel possible German aggression. With Bulgaria to the east rapidly falling under the influence of Germany, and with Italy in the west, the fresh troops could plug defensive gaps left open by the Greeks fighting in Albania. Churchill enjoyed the idea of rescuing the
The Greeks were imbued with fighting spirit and managed to see off the Italians
‘cradle of civilisation‘, as Greece is known, from the clutches of Nazism.
Also feeling the weight of the Nazi jackboot was neighbouring Yugoslavia, a country Britain failed to support. The government, under Prince Regent Paul and Prime. Minister Dragisa Cvetkovic, were given an invitation-ultimatum in. March 1941. Yugoslavia was to |oin the Axis powers. Prince Regent Paul was unable to secure aid from the British. With a heavy heart he finally gave his
Far left: A ship unloading supplies for the Allies in Suda Bay comes to grief.
Lett: Italian soldiers were held at bay when they tried to Invade Greece.
World History
