What is Battle of Crete?
{{Infobox military conflict | conflict = Battle of Crete | place = [[Crete]] | partof = The [[Balkans campaign (World War II)|Balkan Campaign of World War II]] | image = Bundesarchiv Bild 141-0864, Kreta, Landung von Fallschirmjägern.jpg | caption = German [[Paratrooper|Paratroopers]] landing in [[Crete]] | combatant1 = {{plainlist| *{{flagcountry|Kingdom of Greece|state}} *{{flag|United Kingdom}} *{{flag|Australia}} *{{flagcountry|Dominion of New Zealand}}}} | combatant2 = {{flagcountry|Nazi Germany}}<br>{{flagcountry|Fascist Italy}} | date = 20 May - 1 June 1941 }} '''The Battle of Crete''' was a battle fought in [[World War 2]] between the [[Nazis]] and [[British Commonwealth]] soldiers with [[Greece|Greek]] support. It was fought from 20 May to 1 June 1941. The battle began in the morning of 20 May when [[Nazi Germany|German]] [[paratroopers]] began Operation Mercury. The battle was fought on the Greek island of [[Crete]]. On the first day of fighting, the German paratroopers suffered heavy losses due to heavy [[anti-aircraft warfare]] and fierce ground fighting, but the British were confident that they would destroy the German invasion. Due to miscommunication and bad decisions, the Germans were able to capture an airfield, allowing them to transport supplies and reinforcements to Crete, and destroy the Allied forces defending the island. This battle was the first time [[Hitler]] used paratroopers on a massive scale, and the first big airborne invasion in [[Military history]], and the first time the Allies made significant use of intelligence from the German [[Enigma code]], and the first time German troops encountered mass resistance from a [[civilian]] population. That was [[Operation Barbarossa|common]] later in the war. Losses were so great, that Hitler decided not to make any more big paratroop assaults. [[Category:1941 in Europe]] [[Category:20th century in Greece]] [[Category:Battles involving Australia|Crete]] [[Category:Battles involving Germany|Crete]] [[Categor