The Loss of Crete – A Turning Point in the War
MAY 2016 - OCTOBER 2016
Headlines: “Greece Loses Metaxas Just When Most Needed”
Pottstown Mercury
January 30, 1941
In February 1941, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Harold Ickes noted in his diary on several occasions that the President’s Cabinet was deeply concerned with Greece’s situation, the country was still fighting with Italy and refusing to surrender even though German troops were arriving and the situation looked bleak.
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The Loss of Crete – A Turning Point in the War
MAY 2016 - OCTOBER 2016
Headlines: “Greece Loses Metaxas Just When Most Needed”
Pottstown Mercury
January 30, 1941
In February 1941, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Harold Ickes noted in his diary on several occasions that the President’s Cabinet was deeply concerned with Greece’s situation...
In February 1941, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Harold Ickes noted in his diary on several occasions that the President’s Cabinet was deeply concerned with Greece’s situation, the country was still fighting with Italy and refusing to surrender even though German troops were arriving and the situation looked bleak.
The Loss of Crete – A Turning Point in the War
In February 1941, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Harold Ickes noted in his diary on several occasions that the President’s Cabinet was deeply concerned with Greece’s situation, the country was still fighting with Italy and refusing to surrender even though German troops were arriving and the situation looked bleak.
Headlines: “Greece Loses Metaxas Just When Most Needed”
Pottstown Mercury
January 30, 1941
The Loss of Crete – A Turning Point in the War
MAY 2016 - OCTOBER 2016
Transcript of Meeting
From the Diaries of Henry Morgenthau, Jr., US Secretary of the Treasury, and Kimon C. Diamanotopoulos, Greek Ambassador
Greece had been offered 30 single-engine planes; the Greeks turned down the offer though as they did not feel the planes were adequate in either number or working condition for what they needed. After it was noted that England had not sent Greece planes as planned, Roosevelt had been prepared to send equipment immediately to the Greeks, without persuasion. But the Greeks were not familiar with the equipment to maneuver them, and the discussion was closed.
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The Loss of Crete – A Turning Point in the War
MAY 2016 - OCTOBER 2016
Transcript of Meeting
From the Diaries of Henry Morgenthau, Jr., US Secretary of the Treasury, and Kimon C. Diamanotopoulos, Greek Ambassador
Greece had been offered 30 single-engine planes; the Greeks turned down the offer...
Greece had been offered 30 single-engine planes; the Greeks turned down the offer though as they did not feel the planes were adequate in either number or working condition for what they needed. After it was noted that England had not sent Greece planes as planned, Roosevelt had been prepared to send equipment immediately to the Greeks, without persuasion. But the Greeks were not familiar with the equipment to maneuver them, and the discussion was closed.
The Loss of Crete – A Turning Point in the War
Greece had been offered 30 single-engine planes; the Greeks turned down the offer though as they did not feel the planes were adequate in either number or working condition for what they needed. After it was noted that England had not sent Greece planes as planned, Roosevelt had been prepared to send equipment immediately to the Greeks, without persuasion. But the Greeks were not familiar with the equipment to maneuver them, and the discussion was closed.
Transcript of Meeting
From the Diaries of Henry Morgenthau, Jr., US Secretary of the Treasury, and Kimon C. Diamanotopoulos, Greek Ambassador
The Loss of Crete – A Turning Point in the War
MAY 2016 - OCTOBER 2016
Prime Minister Winston Churchill telegram to President Franklin D. Roosevelt
March 10, 1941
National Archives and Records, Franklin D. Roosevelt Library
Roosevelt, at his April Cabinet meeting, read a telegram from Churchill, which stated that the British planned to defend Greece, no matter the losses. It was not just the country of Greece that they were fighting for, he emphasized, but an effort to blockade entry of German forces into the Middle East as well. On April 6, 1941, the Germans marched into the Greece...
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The Loss of Crete – A Turning Point in the War
MAY 2016 - OCTOBER 2016
Prime Minister Winston Churchill telegram to President Franklin D. Roosevelt
March 10, 1941
National Archives and Records, Franklin D. Roosevelt Library
Roosevelt, at his April Cabinet meeting, read a telegram from Churchill, which stated that the British planned to defend Greece, no matter the losses...
Roosevelt, at his April Cabinet meeting, read a telegram from Churchill, which stated that the British planned to defend Greece, no matter the losses. It was not just the country of Greece that they were fighting for, he emphasized, but an effort to blockade entry of German forces into the Middle East as well. On April 6, 1941, the Germans marched into the Greece...
The Loss of Crete – A Turning Point in the War
Roosevelt, at his April Cabinet meeting, read a telegram from Churchill, which stated that the British planned to defend Greece, no matter the losses. It was not just the country of Greece that they were fighting for, he emphasized, but an effort to blockade entry of German forces into the Middle East as well. On April 6, 1941, the Germans marched into the Greece...
Prime Minister Winston Churchill telegram to President Franklin D. Roosevelt
March 10, 1941
National Archives and Records, Franklin D. Roosevelt Library
The Loss of Crete – A Turning Point in the War
MAY 2016 - OCTOBER 2016
Indeed, the Greek people had shown remarkable effort over the past six months to resist the Italian forces. There was concern for the Greeks, but there was also great concern for the fact that with each country the Axis forces acquired, they also acquired access to the next territory. Greece provided easy access to the Middle East and Africa, by sea and by air. Ickes felt the situation “showed, of course, no undue optimism. Of course everyone has realized that if Germany really went after Greece, that country could not hold out indefinitely. However, it had been hoped that Greece could engage the interest of the Germans for some weeks. If the Nazis should have to fight in the Balkans for even eight to ten weeks longer, it might have a serious effect upon the outcome of the war… If Germany should break through in Africa and capture Egypt and the Suez Canal, the situation would be pretty desperate indeed. India would be within grasping distance, the Mediterranean would be lost to the English and probably Gibraltar would fall.”
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The Loss of Crete – A Turning Point in the War
MAY 2016 - OCTOBER 2016
Indeed, the Greek people had shown remarkable effort over the past six months to resist the Italian forces...
Indeed, the Greek people had shown remarkable effort over the past six months to resist the Italian forces. There was concern for the Greeks, but there was also great concern for the fact that with each country the Axis forces acquired, they also acquired access to the next territory. Greece provided easy access to the Middle East and Africa, by sea and by air. Ickes felt the situation “showed, of course, no undue optimism. Of course everyone has realized that if Germany really went after Greece, that country could not hold out indefinitely. However, it had been hoped that Greece could engage the interest of the Germans for some weeks. If the Nazis should have to fight in the Balkans for even eight to ten weeks longer, it might have a serious effect upon the outcome of the war… If Germany should break through in Africa and capture Egypt and the Suez Canal, the situation would be pretty desperate indeed. India would be within grasping distance, the Mediterranean would be lost to the English and probably Gibraltar would fall.”
The Loss of Crete – A Turning Point in the War
Indeed, the Greek people had shown remarkable effort over the past six months to resist the Italian forces. There was concern for the Greeks, but there was also great concern for the fact that with each country the Axis forces acquired, they also acquired access to the next territory. Greece provided easy access to the Middle East and Africa, by sea and by air. Ickes felt the situation “showed, of course, no undue optimism. Of course everyone has realized that if Germany really went after Greece, that country could not hold out indefinitely. However, it had been hoped that Greece could engage the interest of the Germans for some weeks. If the Nazis should have to fight in the Balkans for even eight to ten weeks longer, it might have a serious effect upon the outcome of the war… If Germany should break through in Africa and capture Egypt and the Suez Canal, the situation would be pretty desperate indeed. India would be within grasping distance, the Mediterranean would be lost to the English and probably Gibraltar would fall.”
The Loss of Crete – A Turning Point in the War
MAY 2016 - OCTOBER 2016
Walter Warlimont, Deputy Chief of Operations Staff of the Wermacht
Testifying at Nuremberg Trials, 1948
Churchill expressed his concerns about Crete to Roosevelt; and like Ickes, he was concerned that should the island be lost, Hitler’s move into the Middle East was to be virtually unchallenged. The British were trying desperately to protect their allies, yet their troops and supplies were quickly being exhausted. While at the time it was only speculation, Churchill had correctly anticipated Hitler’s strategy. According to General Walter Warlimont, Deputy Chief of Operations Staff of the Wermacht, ”Hitler was determined that Crete should not remain in the hands of the British because of the danger of air attacks on the Rumanian oil-fields and he had further agreed with the Luftwaffe that from a base in Crete there were far-reaching possibilities for offensive action in the eastern Mediterranean… All available forces of the Luftwaffe were occupied in the forthcoming operation in Crete.”
e
The Loss of Crete – A Turning Point in the War
MAY 2016 - OCTOBER 2016
Walter Warlimont, Deputy Chief of Operations Staff of the Wermacht
Testifying at Nuremberg Trials, 1948
In February 1941, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Harold Ickes noted in his diary on several occasions that the President’s Cabinet was deeply concerned with Greece’s situation...
In February 1941, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Harold Ickes noted in his diary on several occasions that the President’s Cabinet was deeply concerned with Greece’s situation, the country was still fighting with Italy and refusing to surrender even though German troops were arriving and the situation looked bleak.
The Loss of Crete – A Turning Point in the War
Churchill expressed his concerns about Crete to Roosevelt; and like Ickes, he was concerned that should the island be lost, Hitler’s move into the Middle East was to be virtually unchallenged. The British were trying desperately to protect their allies, yet their troops and supplies were quickly being exhausted. While at the time it was only speculation, Churchill had correctly anticipated Hitler’s strategy. According to General Walter Warlimont, Deputy Chief of Operations Staff of the Wermacht, ”Hitler was determined that Crete should not remain in the hands of the British because of the danger of air attacks on the Rumanian oil-fields and he had further agreed with the Luftwaffe that from a base in Crete there were far-reaching possibilities for offensive action in the eastern Mediterranean… All available forces of the Luftwaffe were occupied in the forthcoming operation in Crete.”
Walter Warlimont, Deputy Chief of Operations Staff of the Wermacht
Testifying at Nuremberg Trials, 1948
The Loss of Crete – A Turning Point in the War
MAY 2016 - OCTOBER 2016
“The Blitz, Canea Crete area defended by NZ’ers May 1941”, Peter McIntyre
Courtesy of New Zealand Archives; Department of Internal Affairs, National Collection of War Art
During April and May 1941, Churchill repeatedly suggested to Roosevelt that the situation of the Middle East could become too much for the British to handle on their own. Roosevelt was not quick to reply. Morgenthau could not understand the President’s intentions... Finally, in a conversation they shared on May 17, 1941, Roosevelt told Morgenthau “I am waiting to be pushed into this situation.”
On that same day, Ickes reflected that ”What we want is something dramatic, something that will arrest the attention of the world and give courage, not only to our own people but to the British as well, by serving warning on Germany and Italy and raising a question mark in the mind of wavering France.”
Three days later, something dramatic did occur, and the courage displayed captured the attention of the United States day after day for weeks thereafter.
e
The Loss of Crete – A Turning Point in the War
MAY 2016 - OCTOBER 2016
“The Blitz, Canea Crete area defended by NZ’ers May 1941”, Peter McIntyre
Courtesy of New Zealand Archives; Department of Internal Affairs, National Collection of War Art
During April and May 1941, Churchill repeatedly suggested to Roosevelt that the situation of the Middle East could become too much for the British to handle on their own. Roosevelt was not quick to reply...
During April and May 1941, Churchill repeatedly suggested to Roosevelt that the situation of the Middle East could become too much for the British to handle on their own. Roosevelt was not quick to reply. Morgenthau could not understand the President’s intentions... Finally, in a conversation they shared on May 17, 1941, Roosevelt told Morgenthau “I am waiting to be pushed into this situation.”
On that same day, Ickes reflected that ”What we want is something dramatic, something that will arrest the attention of the world and give courage, not only to our own people but to the British as well, by serving warning on Germany and Italy and raising a question mark in the mind of wavering France.”
Three days later, something dramatic did occur, and the courage displayed captured the attention of the United States day after day for weeks thereafter.
The Loss of Crete – A Turning Point in the War
During April and May 1941, Churchill repeatedly suggested to Roosevelt that the situation of the Middle East could become too much for the British to handle on their own. Roosevelt was not quick to reply. Morgenthau could not understand the President’s intentions... Finally, in a conversation they shared on May 17, 1941, Roosevelt told Morgenthau “I am waiting to be pushed into this situation.”
On that same day, Ickes reflected that ”What we want is something dramatic, something that will arrest the attention of the world and give courage, not only to our own people but to the British as well, by serving warning on Germany and Italy and raising a question mark in the mind of wavering France.”
Three days later, something dramatic did occur, and the courage displayed captured the attention of the United States day after day for weeks thereafter.
“The Blitz, Canea Crete area defended by NZ’ers May 1941”, Peter McIntyre
Courtesy of New Zealand Archives; Department of Internal Affairs, National Collection of War Art
The Loss of Crete – A Turning Point in the War
MAY 2016 - OCTOBER 2016
A pall of smoke hanging over the harbor of Suda Bay where two ships hit by German bombers burn out.
Image from
In the early morning hours of May 20, 1941, the Germans began bombing the island of Crete. The battle that ensued was unlike anything else that had occurred in this war.
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The Loss of Crete – A Turning Point in the War
MAY 2016 - OCTOBER 2016
A pall of smoke hanging over the harbor of Suda Bay where two ships hit by German bombers burn out.
Image from
In the early morning hours of May 20, 1941, the Germans began bombing the island of Crete. The battle that ensued was unlike anything else that had occurred in this war.
The Loss of Crete – A Turning Point in the War
In the early morning hours of May 20, 1941, the Germans began bombing the island of Crete. The battle that ensued was unlike anything else that had occurred in this war.
Image from
The Loss of Crete – A Turning Point in the War
MAY 2016 - OCTOBER 2016
Excerpts from General Freyberg Communications to Command (5.21-22.41),
Archives New Zealand, Te Rua Mahara o te Kawanatanga. Collection: Crete - Cables, General Freyberg to Middle East and New Zealand, March - May 1941
Fallen German, Image from the German Federal Archives
Shortly after the bombings, the Germans sent in paratroopers who were met not only by Allied forces, but Cretan civilians as well.
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The Loss of Crete – A Turning Point in the War
MAY 2016 - OCTOBER 2016
Excerpts from General Freyberg Communications to Command (5.21-22.41),
Archives New Zealand, Te Rua Mahara o te Kawanatanga. Collection: Crete - Cables, General Freyberg to Middle East and New Zealand, March - May 1941
Fallen German, Image from the German Federal Archives
Shortly after the bombings, the Germans sent in paratroopers who were met not only by Allied forces, but Cretan civilians as well.
The Loss of Crete – A Turning Point in the War
Shortly after the bombings, the Germans sent in paratroopers who were met not only by Allied forces, but Cretan civilians as well.
Excerpts from General Freyberg Communications to Command (5.21-22.41),
Archives New Zealand, Te Rua Mahara o te Kawanatanga. Collection: Crete - Cables, General Freyberg to Middle East and New Zealand, March - May 1941
Fallen German, Image from the German Federal Archives
The Loss of Crete – A Turning Point in the War
MAY 2016 - OCTOBER 2016
The bombing of Heraklion aerodrome in Crete by the Luftwaffe. With focus on an invasion by sea, there was a lack of air support and anti-aircraft weaponry.
Image from
The Allied forces were actually holding their own in those first days, until in the midst of the chaos and lack of timely information, Major General Bernard Freyberg, assuming the greater attack would come by sea, transferred troops away from the strategically important Maleme Airfield.
Without opposition, the Germans took the airfield that served as a valuable tool to bring in forces and supplies. The taking of the Maleme was an unexpected reprieve for the Germans, leading to their now inevitable victory. By June 1, 1941, Allied forces were being evacuated from the island.
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The Loss of Crete – A Turning Point in the War
MAY 2016 - OCTOBER 2016
The bombing of Heraklion aerodrome in Crete by the Luftwaffe. With focus on an invasion by sea, there was a lack of air support and anti-aircraft weaponry.
Image from
The Allied forces were actually holding their own in those first days, until in the midst of the chaos and lack of timely information, Major General Bernard Freyberg, assuming the greater attack would come by sea, transferred troops away from the strategically important Maleme Airfield.
Without opposition, the Germans took the airfield that served as a valuable tool to bring in forces and supplies. The taking of the Maleme was an unexpected reprieve for the Germans, leading to their now inevitable victory. By June 1, 1941, Allied forces were being evacuated from the island.
The Loss of Crete – A Turning Point in the War
The Allied forces were actually holding their own in those first days, until in the midst of the chaos and lack of timely information, Major General Bernard Freyberg, assuming the greater attack would come by sea, transferred troops away from the strategically important Maleme Airfield.
Without opposition, the Germans took the airfield that served as a valuable tool to bring in forces and supplies. The taking of the Maleme was an unexpected reprieve for the Germans, leading to their now inevitable victory. By June 1, 1941, Allied forces were being evacuated from the island.
The bombing of Heraklion aerodrome in Crete by the Luftwaffe. With focus on an invasion by sea, there was a lack of air support and anti-aircraft weaponry.
Image from
The Loss of Crete – A Turning Point in the War
MAY 2016 - OCTOBER 2016
Cretan men being led to their execution as penalty for their participation in Battle of Crete. Tragically, it was the first of many such executions ordered in Crete.
Kondomari, June 2, 1941
Image from the German Federal Archives
It is important to note here that the people of Crete never surrendered to the Germans. Until the day of liberation, the people of Crete resisted the Germans despite entire villages being razed, the imprisonment of innocent people, and even the mass executions of men, women and children.
e
The Loss of Crete – A Turning Point in the War
MAY 2016 - OCTOBER 2016
Cretan men being led to their execution as penalty for their participation in Battle of Crete. Tragically, it was the first of many such executions ordered in Crete.
Kondomari, June 2, 1941
Image from the German Federal Archives
It is important to note here that the people of Crete never surrendered to the Germans. Until the day of liberation, the people of Crete resisted the Germans despite entire villages being razed, the imprisonment of innocent people, and even the mass executions of men, women and children.
The Loss of Crete – A Turning Point in the War
It is important to note here that the people of Crete never surrendered to the Germans. Until the day of liberation, the people of Crete resisted the Germans despite entire villages being razed, the imprisonment of innocent people, and even the mass executions of men, women and children.
Cretan men being led to their execution as penalty for their participation in Battle of Crete. Tragically, it was the first of many such executions ordered in Crete.
Kondomari, June 2, 1941
Image from the German Federal Archives
The Loss of Crete – A Turning Point in the War
MAY 2016 - OCTOBER 2016
Cretan Resistance Fighters, Source unknown
As Churchill told the House of Commons, the fighting on Crete had attained “a severity and fierceness which the Germans have not previously encountered in their walk through Europe.” Their will could not be broken, even though the Germans tried to occupy the island and govern it through fear and terror. The Cretans’ quest for freedom from the Germans served as an example to all those who suffered at the hands of the fascist oppressors.
e
The Loss of Crete – A Turning Point in the War
MAY 2016 - OCTOBER 2016
Cretan Resistance Fighters, Source unknown
As Churchill told the House of Commons, the fighting on Crete had attained “a severity and fierceness which the Germans have not previously encountered in their walk through Europe.” Their will could not be broken, even though the Germans tried to occupy the island and govern it through fear and terror. The Cretans’ quest for freedom from the Germans served as an example to all those who suffered at the hands of the fascist oppressors.
The Loss of Crete – A Turning Point in the War
As Churchill told the House of Commons, the fighting on Crete had attained “a severity and fierceness which the Germans have not previously encountered in their walk through Europe.” Their will could not be broken, even though the Germans tried to occupy the island and govern it through fear and terror. The Cretans’ quest for freedom from the Germans served as an example to all those who suffered at the hands of the fascist oppressors.
Cretan Resistance Fighters, Source unknown
The Loss of Crete – A Turning Point in the War
MAY 2016 - OCTOBER 2016
The New York Times, May 22, 1941
From the Politismos Collection
In the United States, newspapers across the country reported the battle in Crete on their front pages every day during the ten days of battle. There was mass speculation that the invasion of Crete had been a “rehearsal” for the invasion of another island – England. The British maintained that there were numerous differences between England and Crete, this attack had in no way been a “dress rehearsal.” But statements from Germany contradicted this. The “New York Times” on June 1, 1941 carried a statement from the German Labor Front Director, Dr. Robert Ley, “the hope of the British that their island is invincible has been definitely destroyed for this war.”
Two days later, the front page of the “New York Times” now read ”The conquest of Crete was described by Reich Marshal Goering in a special order of the day praising the work of the Luftwaffe, as proof that there was ‘no unconquerable island’ so far as Germany was concerned.
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The Loss of Crete – A Turning Point in the War
MAY 2016 - OCTOBER 2016
The New York Times, May 22, 1941
From the Politismos Collection
In the United States, newspapers across the country reported the battle in Crete on their front pages every day during the ten days of battle..
In the United States, newspapers across the country reported the battle in Crete on their front pages every day during the ten days of battle. There was mass speculation that the invasion of Crete had been a “rehearsal” for the invasion of another island – England. The British maintained that there were numerous differences between England and Crete, this attack had in no way been a “dress rehearsal.” But statements from Germany contradicted this. The “New York Times” on June 1, 1941 carried a statement from the German Labor Front Director, Dr. Robert Ley, “the hope of the British that their island is invincible has been definitely destroyed for this war.”
Two days later, the front page of the “New York Times” now read ”The conquest of Crete was described by Reich Marshal Goering in a special order of the day praising the work of the Luftwaffe, as proof that there was ‘no unconquerable island’ so far as Germany was concerned.
The Loss of Crete – A Turning Point in the War
In the United States, newspapers across the country reported the battle in Crete on their front pages every day during the ten days of battle. There was mass speculation that the invasion of Crete had been a “rehearsal” for the invasion of another island – England. The British maintained that there were numerous differences between England and Crete, this attack had in no way been a “dress rehearsal.” But statements from Germany contradicted this. The “New York Times” on June 1, 1941 carried a statement from the German Labor Front Director, Dr. Robert Ley, “the hope of the British that their island is invincible has been definitely destroyed for this war.”
Two days later, the front page of the “New York Times” now read ”The conquest of Crete was described by Reich Marshal Goering in a special order of the day praising the work of the Luftwaffe, as proof that there was ‘no unconquerable island’ so far as Germany was concerned.
The New York Times, May 22, 1941
From the Politismos Collection
The Loss of Crete – A Turning Point in the War
MAY 2016 - OCTOBER 2016
President Franklin D. Roosevelt cablegram to Prime Minister Winston Churchill
May 27, 1941
National Archives and Records, Franklin D. Roosevelt Library
With the threat of the British being defeated and the now spreading into the Middle East, Roosevelt addressed Americans on May 27, 1941 with a new sense of urgency. The Nazis were no longer the enemy of Europe, they were now enemy of the world. In his speech, the President drew a direct correlation between what happened in Greece to what could happen in the United States. The last line of Roosevelt’s speech - The only thing we have to fear is fear itself. - surely struck Americans who had been reading about the men, women and children of Crete who had run out of their homes and attacked Germans with whatever means of weaponry they could find -- kitchen utensils, old guns and tools, anything that they could find. The Cretans had not been consumed by personal fear when the Germans descended upon them; their only thought was to fight for the freedom.
Excerpts from speech: They plan to strangle the United States of America… The war is approaching the brink of the Western Hemisphere itself. It is coming very close to home….We do not forget the silenced peoples. The masters of Germany, those, at least, who have not been assassinated or escaped to free soil – have marked these silenced peoples and their children’s children for slavery. But those people – spiritually unconquered: Austrians, Czechs, Poles, Norwegians, Dutch, Belgians, Frenchmen, Greeks, Southern Slavs… -- will prove to be a powerful force in disrupting) the final disruption of the Nazi System…. The attack on Greece began with the invasion of the Balkans and North Africa and the attack on the United States can begin with the domination of any base which menaces our security – north or south….. Our national policy today therefore is this: First, we shall actively resist wherever necessary, and with all our resources every attempt by Hitler to extend his Nazi domination to the Western Hemisphere, or to threaten it….We insist upon the vital importance of keeping Hitlerism away from any point in the world which could be used or would be used as a base of attack against Americas. Secondly, from the point of view of strict naval and military necessity, we shall give every possible assistance to Britain and to all who, with Britain, are resisting Hitlerism or its equivalent with force of arms… The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.
e
The Loss of Crete – A Turning Point in the War
MAY 2016 - OCTOBER 2016
President Franklin D. Roosevelt cablegram to Prime Minister Winston Churchill
May 27, 1941
National Archives and Records, Franklin D. Roosevelt Library
With the threat of the British being defeated and the now spreading into the Middle East, Roosevelt addressed Americans on May 27, 1941 with a new sense of urgency. The Nazis were no longer the enemy of Europe, they were now enemy of the world. In his speech, the President drew a direct correlation between what happened in Greece to what could happen in the United States. The last line of Roosevelt’s speech - The only thing we have to fear is fear itself...
With the threat of the British being defeated and the now spreading into the Middle East, Roosevelt addressed Americans on May 27, 1941 with a new sense of urgency. The Nazis were no longer the enemy of Europe, they were now enemy of the world. In his speech, the President drew a direct correlation between what happened in Greece to what could happen in the United States. The last line of Roosevelt’s speech - The only thing we have to fear is fear itself. - surely struck Americans who had been reading about the men, women and children of Crete who had run out of their homes and attacked Germans with whatever means of weaponry they could find -- kitchen utensils, old guns and tools, anything that they could find. The Cretans had not been consumed by personal fear when the Germans descended upon them; their only thought was to fight for the freedom.
Excerpts from speech:
They plan to strangle the United States of America… The war is approaching the brink of the Western Hemisphere itself. It is coming very close to home….We do not forget the silenced peoples. The masters of Germany, those, at least, who have not been assassinated or escaped to free soil – have marked these silenced peoples and their children’s children for slavery. But those people – spiritually unconquered: Austrians, Czechs, Poles, Norwegians, Dutch, Belgians, Frenchmen, Greeks, Southern Slavs… -- will prove to be a powerful force in disrupting) the final disruption of the Nazi System…. The attack on Greece began with the invasion of the Balkans and North Africa and the attack on the United States can begin with the domination of any base which menaces our security – north or south….. Our national policy today therefore is this: First, we shall actively resist wherever necessary, and with all our resources every attempt by Hitler to extend his Nazi domination to the Western Hemisphere, or to threaten it….We insist upon the vital importance of keeping Hitlerism away from any point in the world which could be used or would be used as a base of attack against Americas. Secondly, from the point of view of strict naval and military necessity, we shall give every possible assistance to Britain and to all who, with Britain, are resisting Hitlerism or its equivalent with force of arms… The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.
The Loss of Crete – A Turning Point in the War
With the threat of the British being defeated and the now spreading into the Middle East, Roosevelt addressed Americans on May 27, 1941 with a new sense of urgency. The Nazis were no longer the enemy of Europe, they were now enemy of the world. In his speech, the President drew a direct correlation between what happened in Greece to what could happen in the United States. The last line of Roosevelt’s speech - The only thing we have to fear is fear itself. - surely struck Americans who had been reading about the men, women and children of Crete who had run out of their homes and attacked Germans with whatever means of weaponry they could find -- kitchen utensils, old guns and tools, anything that they could find. The Cretans had not been consumed by personal fear when the Germans descended upon them; their only thought was to fight for the freedom.
Excerpts from speech:
They plan to strangle the United States of America… The war is approaching the brink of the Western Hemisphere itself. It is coming very close to home….We do not forget the silenced peoples. The masters of Germany, those, at least, who have not been assassinated or escaped to free soil – have marked these silenced peoples and their children’s children for slavery. But those people – spiritually unconquered: Austrians, Czechs, Poles, Norwegians, Dutch, Belgians, Frenchmen, Greeks, Southern Slavs… -- will prove to be a powerful force in disrupting) the final disruption of the Nazi System…. The attack on Greece began with the invasion of the Balkans and North Africa and the attack on the United States can begin with the domination of any base which menaces our security – north or south….. Our national policy today therefore is this: First, we shall actively resist wherever necessary, and with all our resources every attempt by Hitler to extend his Nazi domination to the Western Hemisphere, or to threaten it….We insist upon the vital importance of keeping Hitlerism away from any point in the world which could be used or would be used as a base of attack against Americas. Secondly, from the point of view of strict naval and military necessity, we shall give every possible assistance to Britain and to all who, with Britain, are resisting Hitlerism or its equivalent with force of arms… The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.
President Franklin D. Roosevelt cablegram to Prime Minister Winston Churchill
May 27, 1941
National Archives and Records, Franklin D. Roosevelt Library
The Loss of Crete – A Turning Point in the War
MAY 2016 - OCTOBER 2016
Prime Minister Winston Churchill telegram to President Franklin D. Roosevelt
May 29, 1941
National Archives and Records, Franklin D. Roosevelt Library
On May 29, 1941, when the loss of Crete appeared inevitable, Roosevelt met with the British Ambassador to the United States, Lord Halifax. For the first time in this war, Roosevelt suggested that the United States install troops in the Azores and Cape Verde Islands as a precaution should Hitler’s armies advance. The impact of that assistance was a turning point in the war. Senator Walter F. George, Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, comments to the Associated Press summarized the growing concerns, ”The British Isles were vulnerable to air invasion . . . the lessons of Crete certainly demonstrate that the British cannot place very much reliance on their navy. . . For that reason, American aid to Britain takes on acute importance during the next few months.”
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The Loss of Crete – A Turning Point in the War
MAY 2016 - OCTOBER 2016
Prime Minister Winston Churchill telegram to President Franklin D. Roosevelt
May 29, 1941
National Archives and Records, Franklin D. Roosevelt Library
On May 29, 1941, when the loss of Crete appeared inevitable, Roosevelt met with the British Ambassador to the United States, Lord Halifax. For the first time in this war, Roosevelt suggested that the United States install troops in the Azores and Cape Verde Islands as a precaution should Hitler’s armies advance. The impact of that assistance was a turning point in the war...
On May 29, 1941, when the loss of Crete appeared inevitable, Roosevelt met with the British Ambassador to the United States, Lord Halifax. For the first time in this war, Roosevelt suggested that the United States install troops in the Azores and Cape Verde Islands as a precaution should Hitler’s armies advance. The impact of that assistance was a turning point in the war. Senator Walter F. George, Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, comments to the Associated Press summarized the growing concerns, ”The British Isles were vulnerable to air invasion . . . the lessons of Crete certainly demonstrate that the British cannot place very much reliance on their navy. . . For that reason, American aid to Britain takes on acute importance during the next few months.”
The Loss of Crete – A Turning Point in the War
On May 29, 1941, when the loss of Crete appeared inevitable, Roosevelt met with the British Ambassador to the United States, Lord Halifax. For the first time in this war, Roosevelt suggested that the United States install troops in the Azores and Cape Verde Islands as a precaution should Hitler’s armies advance. The impact of that assistance was a turning point in the war. Senator Walter F. George, Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, comments to the Associated Press summarized the growing concerns, ”The British Isles were vulnerable to air invasion . . . the lessons of Crete certainly demonstrate that the British cannot place very much reliance on their navy. . . For that reason, American aid to Britain takes on acute importance during the next few months.”
Prime Minister Winston Churchill telegram to President Franklin D. Roosevelt
May 29, 1941
National Archives and Records, Franklin D. Roosevelt Library
The Loss of Crete – A Turning Point in the War
MAY 2016 - OCTOBER 2016
Chania, Crete – the city in ruins after being conquered by the Germans, May 28, 1941
Yad Vashem Photo Archive, Album Number FA159/A186, Lester Hajenina
At the time, the loss of Crete represented a threat to England’s safety as well as that of the Middle East. The American President could no longer stand by as the threat of Hitler’s troops moving into new territories loomed -- because the territory after England could very well have been the United States. Though he had sincerely hoped that Americans could remain neutral, it was evident to Roosevelt by June 1941 that their entry into the war was inevitable, and only six months after the fall of Crete, Pearl Harbor was attacked.
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The Loss of Crete – A Turning Point in the War
MAY 2016 - OCTOBER 2016
Chania, Crete – the city in ruins after being conquered by the Germans, May 28, 1941
Yad Vashem Photo Archive, Album Number FA159/A186, Lester Hajenina
At the time, the loss of Crete represented a threat to England’s safety as well as that of the Middle East. The American President could no longer stand by as the threat of Hitler’s troops moving into new territories loomed -- because the territory after England could very well have been the United States. Though he had sincerely hoped that Americans could remain neutral, it was evident to Roosevelt by June 1941 that their entry into the war was inevitable, and only six months after the fall of Crete, Pearl Harbor was attacked.
The Loss of Crete – A Turning Point in the War
At the time, the loss of Crete represented a threat to England’s safety as well as that of the Middle East. The American President could no longer stand by as the threat of Hitler’s troops moving into new territories loomed -- because the territory after England could very well have been the United States. Though he had sincerely hoped that Americans could remain neutral, it was evident to Roosevelt by June 1941 that their entry into the war was inevitable, and only six months after the fall of Crete, Pearl Harbor was attacked.
Chania, Crete – the city in ruins after being conquered by the Germans, May 28, 1941
Yad Vashem Photo Archive, Album Number FA159/A186, Lester Hajenina
The Loss of Crete – A Turning Point in the War
MAY 2016 - OCTOBER 2016
NZ troops fraternizing with Greek civilians
New Zealand. Department of Internal Affairs. War History Branch :Photographs relating to World War 1914-1918, World War 1939-1945, occupation of Japan, Korean War, and Malayan Emergency. Ref: DA-01166-F. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand
The bravery exhibited by the Cretans – men, women, and even children – inspired and mobilized those who may have not yet been quite ready or willing to enter this arena. The defiant and enduring spirit of the Greeks had been burning a flame of hope for Allied nations since the first attack in October of 1940. But the courage of Crete most likely changed the course of this War...
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The Loss of Crete – A Turning Point in the War
MAY 2016 - OCTOBER 2016
NZ troops fraternizing with Greek civilians
New Zealand. Department of Internal Affairs. War History Branch :Photographs relating to World War 1914-1918, World War 1939-1945, occupation of Japan, Korean War, and Malayan Emergency. Ref: DA-01166-F. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand
The bravery exhibited by the Cretans – men, women, and even children – inspired and mobilized those who may have not yet been quite ready or willing to enter this arena. The defiant and enduring spirit of the Greeks had been burning a flame of hope for Allied nations since the first attack in October of 1940. But the courage of Crete most likely changed the course of this War...
The Loss of Crete – A Turning Point in the War
The bravery exhibited by the Cretans – men, women, and even children – inspired and mobilized those who may have not yet been quite ready or willing to enter this arena. The defiant and enduring spirit of the Greeks had been burning a flame of hope for Allied nations since the first attack in October of 1940. But the courage of Crete most likely changed the course of this War...
NZ troops fraternizing with Greek civilians
New Zealand. Department of Internal Affairs. War History Branch :Photographs relating to World War 1914-1918, World War 1939-1945, occupation of Japan, Korean War, and Malayan Emergency. Ref: DA-01166-F. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand
The Loss of Crete – A Turning Point in the War
MAY 2016 - OCTOBER 2016
Crete – A German paratrooper rounding up locals, May-June 1941.
Yad Vashem Photo Archive, Bundesarchiv
"It would not be an exaggeration to say that Greece upset the plans of Germany in their entirety forcing her to postpone the attack on Russia for six weeks. We wonder what would have been Soviet Union's position without Greece."- Sir Harold Leofric George Alexander (British Field Marshal during WWII)
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The Loss of Crete – A Turning Point in the War
MAY 2016 - OCTOBER 2016
Crete – A German paratrooper rounding up locals, May-June 1941.
Yad Vashem Photo Archive, Bundesarchiv
"It would not be an exaggeration to say that Greece upset the plans of Germany in their entirety forcing her to postpone the attack on Russia for six weeks. We wonder what would have been Soviet Union's position without Greece."- Sir Harold Leofric George Alexander (British Field Marshal during WWII)
The Loss of Crete – A Turning Point in the War
"It would not be an exaggeration to say that Greece upset the plans of Germany in their entirety forcing her to postpone the attack on Russia for six weeks. We wonder what would have been Soviet Union's position without Greece."- Sir Harold Leofric George Alexander (British Field Marshal during WWII)
Crete – A German paratrooper rounding up locals, May-June 1941.
Yad Vashem Photo Archive, Bundesarchiv
The Loss of Crete – A Turning Point in the War
MAY 2016 - OCTOBER 2016
Photograph of Cretan Resistance Fighters, source unknown
Medal Awarded to those who participated in the 1940-41 battles, including Crete
VRZ20 Fallschirmjager (German Paratrooper) Parachute Scarf/Remnant
Artifacts from Politismos Collection
"If the Russian people managed to raise resistance at the doors of Moscow to halt and reverse the German torrent, they owe it to the Greek People, who delayed the German divisions during the time they could bring us to our knees." - Georgy Constantinovich Zhoukov (Soviet Army Field Marshal. Quote from his memoirs on WWII)
e
The Loss of Crete – A Turning Point in the War
MAY 2016 - OCTOBER 2016
Photograph of Cretan Resistance Fighters, source unknown
Medal Awarded to those who participated in the 1940-41 battles, including Crete
VRZ20 Fallschirmjager (German Paratrooper) Parachute Scarf/Remnant
Artifacts from Politismos Collection
"If the Russian people managed to raise resistance at the doors of Moscow to halt and reverse the German torrent, they owe it to the Greek People, who delayed the German divisions during the time they could bring us to our knees." - Georgy Constantinovich Zhoukov (Soviet Army Field Marshal. Quote from his memoirs on WWII)
The Loss of Crete – A Turning Point in the War
"If the Russian people managed to raise resistance at the doors of Moscow to halt and reverse the German torrent, they owe it to the Greek People, who delayed the German divisions during the time they could bring us to our knees." - Georgy Constantinovich Zhoukov (Soviet Army Field Marshal. Quote from his memoirs on WWII)
Photograph of Cretan Resistance Fighters, source unknown
Medal Awarded to those who participated in the 1940-41 battles, including Crete
VRZ20 Fallschirmjager (German Paratrooper) Parachute Scarf/Remnant
Artifacts from Politismos Collection
