Civilian Resistance in Crete: 20 May 1941 - 15 May 1945
Abstract
Military historians have examined and analyzed the battle of Crete from almost every angle and have explained why the Allies lost the battle, how the Allies could have won it, and who was to blame and why the Germans never conducted another airborne operation again. However, there has been very little examination, especially in the Western literature, about the heroic participation of the Cretan civilian population in the battle, the Cretan resistance, and the German occupation and counterinsurgency. The purpose of this paper is to study the participation of the Cretan population in the Battle of Crete, how it affected the German forces during the battle, how it baffled and enraged the Germans, and the effect it had on the German occupation and counterinsurgency. This paper will first provide a brief historical background on why Germany invaded Greece and subsequently Crete. Second, it will discuss the civilian participation during the battle and the affect on the German forces. Third, it will analyze the Cretan culture, history, and psyche and what led them to participate in the battle and the failure of the German intelligence and leadership to understanding why the civilian population took arms against them. Fourth, it will examine the German occupation policies, such as the concepts of total war, subsistence of the land, and total solution, their application in Crete and the effect on the population. Fifth, we will discuss the German counterinsurgency methods and their effects on the occupation. Finally, we will conclude with the lessons learned from the German occupation.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 23, 2010
- Accession Number
- ADA600248
Entities
People
- George L. Soubassis
Organizations
- Marine Corps University